Relocation of our consular services

As from June 17, 2013 the consular services of this embassy (passports and ID cards, registrations at the embassy, long stay visas (type D), work permits, student visas etc.) have been transferred to the Regional Consular Center in Vienna. Please address your correspondence in future to:

However, please note that civil status matters stay with the Embassy in Sarajevo.

Slovenia is representing Switzerland for short stay visas in the Schengen area (types A and C) for visa applications originating from the consular district of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In representing Switzerland for visa purposes, the respective Slovenian embassy is not competent for:

• Visa applications for short stays to pursue a gainful activity (including truck and bus drivers and journalists);Visa applications for short stays linked to a study programme;
• Visa applications for short stays for medical purposes;
• Visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of the following countries: Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Iraq and Somalia;
• The issuance of visas with limited territorial validity (except when linked to Article 25(3) of the Visa Code);
• Visa applications lodged by holders of diplomatic, service or special passports who are not citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Visa applications lodged by holders of ordinary passports who intend to enter Switzerland for official purposes, including the participation in international conferences, and who are not citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For visa applications for above mentioned categories, please contact the Regional consular center Vienna c/o Swiss Embassy in Vienna, Kärntner Ring 12 ,1010 Vienna/Austria, Tel.: +43 (0)1 795 05, Fax: +43 (0)1 795 05 21, E-Mail:  vie.rkc@eda.admin.ch, Internet:  www.eda.admin.ch/rkcwien 

The purpose of relocating the consular services to the regional consular centres is to ensure the high quality and efficiency of our service and that it is adapted to meet the needs of Swiss citizens living or on temporary stays abroad.

The reorganisation takes into account that nowadays most consular matters can be dealt with by post or e-mail. An increasing number of Swiss citizens communicate with the representations in this way. Only a few matters, such as recording biometric data for identity documents, require the applicant to be present in person.

The relocation of consular services will be combined with the following services:

• Creation of a helpline that is operational 365 days a year, 24 hours a day as of 1 May 2012.
  Tel.: +41 800 24 7 365,  the FDFA HelpLine and its services
• Possibility of obtaining biometrical data in Switzerland from cantonal passport offices or from another Swiss representation abroad that provides consular services. Please note that the request for an identity document must first be addressed to the representation responsible for your place of residence.
• In the context of events abroad bringing together a large number of the Swiss community, possibility to use mobile devices to record biometric data
• Co-operation with other member states of the Schengen area on visa matters