Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Swiss community abroad

According to the Statistics on the Swiss Abroad compiled by the Federal Statistical Office, in 2024 826,700 Swiss citizens were registered with Swiss representations abroad. The Swiss community abroad has grown in recent years.

Both the number of people emigrating and the type of emigration have changed. More and more Swiss nationals are moving to a foreign country for a limited period of time to subsequently return to Switzerland or to move to another foreign country.

Increasing international mobility has created complex needs with repercussions for the services provided by the FDFA and the work of Swiss representations abroad. The FDFA supports mobility, assists Swiss citizens wishing to move abroad or return to Switzerland, and provides information for Swiss citizens abroad. In order to safeguard the rights and obligations of the Swiss community abroad set out in the Swiss Abroad Act and enable Swiss citizens abroad to stay in touch with Switzerland, the FDFA has modernised and optimised its comprehensive range of services worldwide.

President of the Swiss Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter: National Day 2025 greetings for the Swiss abroad

© EFD/DFF

Download the video of the President of the Swiss Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter (28 MB)

1st of August address of the President of the Swiss Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter (PDF, 2 Seiten, 166.5 kB, Englisch)

Andere Sprachen

Swiss national anthem (Swiss Psalm) (de, fr, it)

Last update 15.07.2025

  • Young Swiss Abroad

    Portal for young Swiss abroad

  • Consular services

    Switzerland’s representations abroad offer nationals residing abroad a range of consular services.

  • Voting and electoral rights

    How Swiss citizens abroad can exercise their political rights

  • The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad SwissCommunity

    The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) SwissCommunity represents and defends the interests of the Swiss Abroad and offers them a wide range of services.

  • Swiss Review

    The magazine for Swiss citizens living abroad provides regular information on changes in Swiss legislation and current affairs in Switzerland

  • Swiss schools abroad

    There are currently 18 Swiss schools abroad, which are supported by the Swiss government based on the Swiss Schools Act and Swiss Schools Ordinance.

  • Notification system for residents' register offices

    Information on notifications of departures and returns by residents' register offices to the FDFA via eVera, the electronic administrative network for Swiss nationals residing abroad.

  • Statistics on the Swiss abroad

    The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) publishes statistics on the Swiss abroad on behalf of the FDFA. This data is available on the FSO website.

  • Place of the Swiss Abroad in Brunnen

    The "Square of the Swiss Abroad" in Brunnen - a symbol of the Swiss homeland and a point of attraction for guests from all over the world.

  • Reporting voting rights

    Based on Art. 19 of the Act on the Swiss Abroad (ASG), the electoral communes and the FDFA inform each other of changes to the data relevant to the electoral register.

  • Retiring abroad

    Get yourself informed about the implications of retiring abroad and the challenges that come with it.

Contact

Innovation and Partnerships

Consular Directorate CD
Effingerstrasse 27
3003 Bern

Phone

Helpline +41 800 24-7-365 / +41 58 465 33 33

helpline@eda.admin.ch

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