In a referendum held on 17 May 2009, the Swiss people gave their assent to the general introduction of biometric passports. Since 10 May 2010 the Embassy of Switzerland in Addis Abeba is equiped to process this new passport (Model 10), containing one picture of the face and two digital fingerprints which are electronically registered.

This means that applicants for a biometric passport have to come to the Embassy of Switzerland in Addis Abeba to have their picture, signature and fingerprints taken. The data in the passport is based on the data recorded in the Swiss civil registers. Before submitting an application for a biometric passport, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that births and changes in marital status are registered and processed well in advance in order to avoid inconvenient delays in the issuing of a new passport. Updating personal data entries in Swiss civil registers may take several months.

Minors and applicants in the care of a guardian must be accompanied by their parents or guardian, who will be required to give their consent by signing the application form. Divorced parents must provide proof that they have sole parental authority over the child. In the case of joint custody, both parents must give their consent.

When an identity document is renewed, the previous one must be surrendered for cancellation, as in the past. The existing types of machine-readable (model 03) and biometric (model 06) passport will remain valid until their expiry date. As in the past, when ordering a new 2010-model passport, you will have the opportunity to order an identity card on advantageous terms at the same time.

General information
The identity documents meet the international standards. Besides the sophisticated anti-forgery features, the documents are designed to be machine-readable. The graphic and artistic layout of the documents reflects the cultural diversity of Switzerland. 

The revised legislation on which the new documents are based is contained in the Federal Law on Identity Documents for Swiss Nationals, the Ordinance on Identity Documents for Swiss Nationals and the Federal Law on Data Protection.

There are two kinds of passport, the full passport and the provisional passport. The full passport is issued by a central office in Switzerland; the application is submitted electronically via the relevant Swiss mission abroad. The provisional passport is issued in emergency situations, for example when there is not enough time to obtain a full passport. It is issued by the relevant passport office in Switzerland or abroad. Swiss nationals resident abroad should in any event apply through their local Swiss mission. 

Changes in marital status, name changes, and the birth of children must be notified to the Swiss authorities. Failure to provide accurate documentation will cause delays in the issuing of new Swiss documents.

Application for the issuance of travel documents in Addis Abeba
Swiss citizens living in Ethiopia and registered with the Swiss Embassy may apply for a new identity document in Addis Abeba. 

You may now submit your application via the Internet. Please note that you must have your biometric data (fingerprints, facial image and signature) recorded at the Swiss Embassy in Addis Abeba in person. 

Online passport application and appointment reservation
With the new passport website we are offering you a practical, up-to-date solution that cuts out unnecessary waiting times in the passport application process. 

For organizational reasons, all Swiss nationals wishing to apply for a Swiss passport and/or identity card need to make an appointment for the biometric data to be captured prior to visiting the Embassy. This can be done either through the following link: www.schweizerpass.ch (online application form available in German / French / Italian / English / Spanish) or the Link "Online passport application" on the right hand side.

As soon as the Swiss Embassy in Addis Abeba has checked and approved your online application, you will be given an appointment.
If you do not have an Internet connection, you can order your new passport and make an appointment by telephone or in person. Please note that an appointment can only be made for a Tuesday afternoon or a Friday morning.

Submit your application in good time
The Swiss travel documents will be produced centrally in Switzerland, and this usually takes up to 30 working days. Please keep an eye on your travel document's validity so that you apply for a new document in time.

Delivery of the travel document
The company producing the passport will check the quality of the new passports before they are mailed. The passport will be sent to the Swiss Embassy in Addis Abeba.

Provisional passport
The provisional passport is issued in emergency cases only and for the duration of a planned trip, but for a maximum of 12 months only. This provisional passport must be returned to the issuing authority after the trip has been completed or, where there is sufficient justification, after it has expired at the very latest.
 
Fees and Validity
The following fees must be paid in cash when the application is submitted. The fees are reduced if a passport and ID card are applied for at the same time.

• Adults: Passport CHF 140.00, ID-card CHF 65.00, Passport & ID-card CHF 148.00 
• Children under 18: Passport CHF 60.00, ID-card CHF 30.00, Passport & ID-card CHF 68.00 
• Provisional passport for adults and children: CHF 100.00 

The fees are due in local currency (ETB) at the prevailing exchange rate and do not include postage fees (CHF 9.00 per document). 

Validity of the travel documents 

• Passport & ID-card for adults: 10 years
• Passport & ID-card for children under 18: 5 years

If a Swiss identity document is lost or stolen abroad, the nearest Swiss diplomatic or consular representation should be informed as fast as possible. A police report has to be obtained and a copy forwarded to the Swiss Embassy. Additionally, a declaration provided by the Embassy must be completed and signed in order to enter the lost document in an official search list. Please note that the lost identity document is not valid anymore and if it is recovered, it must be handed in immediately to the nearest Swiss authority entitled to issue passports.