Ordinance of the FDFA of November 13, 2002, concerning the Ordinance on Identity Documents for Swiss Nationals (OID) - Diplomatic Passports and Service Passports (VVAWG)
Table of Provisions (34)
Statutory Text (34 Provisions)
Diplomatic passports or service passports may be issued ex officio to persons who, by virtue of their position or on behalf of the Confederation, are entrusted with defending Switzerland's interests abroad.
The diplomatic passports and service passports are intended exclusively to: a. facilitate border crossing; b. gain admission into the accrediting State.
They do not confer any diplomatic or consular privileges.
Diplomatic passports are issued to individuals tasked with defending diplomatic or consular interests; service passports are issued in other cases.
A diplomatic passport or a regular service passport is issued for the duration of the mandate, office, function, or mission.
A temporary diplomatic passport or a temporary service passport is issued only in cases of emergency when it is not possible to wait for the issuance of a regular passport.
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Diplomatic passports and service passports may only be issued to persons holding Swiss nationality.
No diplomatic or service passport shall be issued to employees undergoing their trial period.
The Directorate of Resources of the FDFA (Directorate) is the authority responsible for forwarding the application and issuing the documents as defined by the Identity Documents Act of June 22, 2001 (IDA).
It decides on the issuance, return, and withdrawal of a diplomatic or service passport.
It may exceptionally derogate from the provisions of the present ordinance: a. upon request; b. when important reasons justify it; and c. when the defense of Switzerland's interests requires it.
A diplomatic passport may be issued and provided for the entire duration of the service relationship: a. to FDFA employees who are subject to the transfer discipline; b. to other FDFA employees who perform functions related to the defense of diplomatic or consular interests; c. to other FDFA employees assigned abroad or entrusted with a mission abroad, provided that significant service-related or other reasons require it and the Directorate has given its approval after consulting the competent political division in the specific case or for designated service locations; d. to other FDFA employees, provided that they perform a function corresponding to salary classes 18 and above and that significant service-related or other reasons require it.
A diplomatic passport may be issued and handed over for the entire duration of the employment relationship: a. to employees from other departments assigned abroad who are seconded to the FDFA and perform functions in defense of diplomatic or consular interests; b. to employees from other departments holding the rank of Secretary of State, Ambassador, or Minister; c. to directors of federal offices.
A diplomatic passport is issued and delivered to: a. federal councilors in office and retired; b. chancellors of the Confederation in office and retired.
A diplomatic passport may be issued and handed over for the duration of the mandate, office, position, or mission to
a. the President of the National Council;
b. the President of the Council of States;
c. members of the Federal Chambers representing Switzerland at the Council of Europe;
d. members of the Federal Chambers serving on international commissions;
e. the President of the Federal Supreme Court;
f. members of the Federal Chambers traveling abroad on a parliamentary mandate;
g. employees of parliamentary services accompanying members of parliamentary commissions or an official delegation abroad;
h. the Attorney General of Switzerland;
i. senior employees active in international organizations and listed in classes D1 and above;
j. Swiss delegates to the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine and their representatives;
k. Swiss judges serving at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the Appeals Chamber of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine, and in international judicial, arbitration, inquiry, or conciliation bodies;
l. persons commissioned by the Federal Council, for a limited duration, with an official mission to a foreign government, an organization, or an International Conference;
m. the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as well as members and delegates of the ICRC listed in the top non-classified category 1;
n. ICRC employees in top non-classified category II;
o. other ICRC employees and delegates if security reasons or other significant reasons require it;
p. the President and the Chief Medical Officer of the Swiss Red Cross;
q. the President, Vice-President, and third member of the Executive Board of the Swiss National Bank;
r. the President of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO.
A service passport may be issued and delivered for the entire duration of the service relationship: a. to FDFA employees if their function requires it for valid reasons; b. to honorary representatives to whom the Directorate has conferred a consular title.
A service passport may be issued and handed over for the entire duration of service to employees of other departments assigned abroad, provided that they are detached to the FDFA and do not receive a diplomatic passport.
A service passport may be issued and handed over for the duration of their official mission abroad to: a. individuals who are assigned by the Federal Council or by the head of the FDFA to a temporary mission abroad that is not conducted with a foreign government, organization, or international conference; b. delegates of the Swiss Red Cross for their assignments abroad; c. the president of the management as well as employees in the external service of Switzerland Global Enterprise; d. the president, the vice-president, and the director of the Pro Helvetia Foundation, as well as the directors of Pro Helvetia Foundation agencies abroad; e. the president and director of Switzerland Tourism, the directors of Switzerland Tourism agencies abroad, and the individuals employed by these agencies.
A diplomatic passport may be issued and handed over: a. to the spouse or registered partner of the passport holder as defined in Art. 6, 7, let. a, and 8; b. to the partner of the passport holder as defined in Art. 6, let. a to c, and 7, let. a; c. to the children of the passport holder as defined in Art. 6, let. a to c, 7, let. a, and 8, up to 18 years of age; d. to the children of the passport holder as defined in Art. 6, let. a to c, and 7, let. a, aged 18 to 25 years who are in training, for the duration of the passport holder’s foreign assignment for the purpose of visitation travel or joint travel.
A service passport may be issued and delivered: a. to the spouse of the passport holder as defined in Art. 10, let. a, and 11, or to their registered partner; b. to the partner of the passport holder as defined in Art. 10, let. a, and 11, for the duration of the passport holder's assignment abroad; c. to the children of the passport holder as defined in Art. 10, let. a, and 11, until the age of 18 years is reached; d. to the children of the passport holder as defined in Art. 10, let. a, and 11, aged 18 to 25 years and who are in education, for the duration of the passport holder's assignment abroad for the purpose of visiting travel or joint travel.
A person is considered a partner if they live in a stable union analogous to marriage with the passport holder.
A stable union analogous to marriage exists when: a. the partner and the passport holder share a household; and b. the partner accompanies the passport holder in their transfer abroad;
If the partner intends to obtain a diplomatic or service passport, they must submit a written declaration to the Directorate attesting to the existence and duration of the stable union analogous to marriage.
The Directorate may issue, for an unlimited duration, diplomatic passports or service passports according to Articles 9 and 12, to individuals who undertake multiple annual trips for official missions abroad.
Diplomatic passports and ordinary service passports are valid: a. for individuals aged 18 or over at the time of application: for a maximum of 10 years; b. for individuals under the age of 18 at the time of application: for a maximum of 5 years; c. ...
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Provisional diplomatic passports and provisional service passports are valid for a maximum of 12 months.
The Directorate determines the validity period of the passport upon its issuance.
The validity period is counted in months and is calculated from the date of issuance.
A diplomatic passport or a service passport cannot be extended.
If the production of diplomatic and service passports is impossible for a certain period, the existing passports may be extended for a maximum duration of 3 years, and provisional passports may be issued for a duration of 3 years.
The procedure for issuing a diplomatic or service passport is based on Articles 9 to 14a OIIDS.
The Directorate may provide auxiliary forms which serve as a basis for the preparation of the standard application form.
The applicant must appear in person before the Directorate, equipped with the required documents, and attest to their identity.
The Directorate verifies the applicant's identity.
The applicant may appear at a Swiss representation abroad, provided that the Directorate has given prior approval.
In addition to the necessary data pursuant to Art. 14 OIDI, it is possible to include in diplomatic passports and service passports the designation of functions and other information necessary for the performance of a mission, a task, a mandate, or an activity.
If significant reasons justify it, the Directorate may issue additional passports (replacement passports) to the holder of a diplomatic passport or a service passport.
When these reasons no longer exist, the replacement passports must be returned voluntarily and without delay to the Directorate.
Upon issuance of a diplomatic passport or a service passport, the already issued valid Swiss passport must be deposited with the Directorate.
The Directorate may authorize other deposit services provided that any abuse is excluded.
The holder of a diplomatic passport or a service passport must deposit said document with the Directorate if they apply for an ordinary passport.
The spouse, registered partner, or partner of the passport holder is not authorized to use their diplomatic passport or service passport for conducting professional trips. They must deposit said document with the Directorate or with a Swiss representation abroad.
When not living under the same roof as the passport holder, children and children undergoing education may use their diplomatic passport or service passport only to visit the passport holder or to travel in their company; before and after the trip, they must deposit their diplomatic passport or service passport with the Directorate or with a Swiss representation abroad.
Once produced, diplomatic passports and service passports are handed over to the Directorate.
The Directorate then delivers them to their holders.
The holder of a diplomatic passport or a service passport must report the loss to the Directorate as soon as possible.
The Directorate provides a form for reporting a loss.
A report from the competent local police authority should, if possible, be attached to the notice of loss.
The Directorate notifies the Federal Office of Police, for inclusion in the RIPOL object search, of passports whose loss has been reported.
The Directorate declares invalid any diplomatic or service passports that have been reported lost.
Identity documents that are found must be returned to the Directorate. The Directorate informs the Federal Office of Police accordingly.
A diplomatic passport or a service passport must be returned or is withdrawn by the Directorate: a. when the conditions for its issuance are not or are no longer met (Art. 7, para. 1, let. a, IDA); b. when the identification of its holder is no longer possible (Art. 7, para. 1, let. b, IDA); c. when it contains incorrect or unofficial entries, or has been otherwise altered (Art. 7, para. 1, let. c, IDA); d. when its validity has expired; e. in the case of a passport for a close family member, when the holder lives separated from their family members for reasons other than health or service; f. when its holder takes an unpaid leave of more than 30 calendar days; if the holder is employed by the FDFA and is seconded to another department during the leave, the Directorate may waive the withdrawal for the duration of the secondment.
A diplomatic passport or a service passport must be returned or may be withdrawn by the Directorate: a. when its holder is subject to criminal proceedings in Switzerland for a crime or offense or has been convicted by a final judgment passed by a Swiss court (Art. 7, para. 2, IDA); b. when it is used to obtain benefits in an illicit or abusive manner; c. when its holder engages in paid activities abroad that could harm the interests of the Swiss Confederation.
If the holder of a diplomatic passport or a service passport does not comply with the order to return the passport or opposes its withdrawal, the Directorate may declare the passport invalid and have it entered into the RIPOL object search.
Diplomatic passports and service passports are issued free of charge.
Fees may be charged to the holder of a diplomatic passport or a service passport.
They are calculated based on the actual costs.
Costs according to Art. 49, para. 2, OIDI are considered as fees.
The FDFA Regulation of October 28, 1998, on Diplomatic Passports, Service Passports, and Special Passports is repealed.