Embassy of the United States Bern, Switzerland

Effective February 1, 2012, our payments to Swiss accounts have been aligned to comply with the Swiss banking provisions requesting the exclusive use of the IBAN coding.   

Due to a systems error, we regret that a small percentage of  beneficiaries will not receive their payments during the first week in February.  

Please be assured that all agencies involved are working to effect payments by mid February to ensure receipt as soon as possible. 

The inconvenience caused is regretted. 

Due to the necessity to re-input data to effect payments, beneficiaries may receive a letter from SSA, OPM or VA indicating that their address and or bank details have been corrected.  Please note that this does not reflect an actual correction or change in the data you have provided. It is merely the confirmation that your address and or bank details have been updated to ensure payment. 

 Auf Deutsch -

Ab 01. Februar 2012 wurden nach Bestimmung des Schweizer Bankgesetzes alle U.S. Rentenzahlungen auf Schweizer Bankkonten ausschliesslich auf IBAN Codes umgestellt.

Wir bedauern, dass aufgrund eines Systemfehlers ein kleiner Prozentsatz von Rentenempfängern die Rentenzahlungen Anfang Februar nicht erhalten werden.

Alle betroffenen Rentenagenturen sind bemüht, die ausstehenden Zahlungen schnellstmöglich zu leisten.

Wir bedauern die dadurch entstandenen Unannehmlichkeiten.  

Um den Systemfehler zu beheben, werden in einigen Fällen automatische Bestätigungen der einzelnen Rentenagenturen über Konto oder Addressänderungen versandt. Bitte beachten Sie, dass keine tatsächlichen Aenderungen Ihrer Daten erfolgt sind, diese Briefe bestätigen lediglich systeminterne Korrekturen.  

  Effective Monday September 26, 2011, the Federal Benefits Units at the American Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany and the American Embassy in Paris, France will provide the full range of benefit services (Social Security, Medicare, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Office of Personnel Management, Railroad Board, Department of Labor) to residents of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. 

Clients can select the business language in which they wish to have their Federal Benefit issues addressed as follows:

For assistance in English and German, please contact

American Consulate General
Federal Benefits Unit
Giessener Strasse 30
D-60435 Frankfurt am Main
Germany

Tel.: 0049-69-90-5551-100
Monday-Friday 08.00-11.00, except on German and American Holidays and the last Thursday of each month
Fax:  0049-69-749-352
e-mail: FBU.Frankfurt@ssa.gov

Please visit our Website at: http://germany.usembassy.gov/acs/federal_benefits/

For assistance in French and Italian, please contact

American Embassy
Federal Benefits Unit
4 avenue Gabriel
F-75382 Paris Cedex 08
France

Tel.: 0033-1-43-12-27-05
Fax:  0033-1-43-12-26-23
e-mail  FBU.Paris@ssa.gov

Please visit our Website at:  http://france.usembassy.gov/federal_benefits.html

Assistance with Social Security Number applications and the certification of documents in connection with Federal Benefit claims, continue to be provided by

American Embassy
American Citizen Services
Sulgeneckstrasse 19
3007 Bern

Tel:  031 357 7251
Fax: 031 357 7280

By appointment only, please arrange for an appointment using the following online appointment system: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=BEN&appcode=1

Consular Agency Geneva

Agency Address:
7, rue François Versonnex
CH-1207 Geneva, Switzerland

Mailing Address:
c/o U.S. Mission
11, rte. de Pregny
1292 Chambésy/GE      

Fax: 022 840 51 62
Tel: 022 840 51 60 (to schedule appointment)

Opening Hours by appointment - 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

E-mail: Geneva-CA@state.gov

Closed on American and Swiss holidays

Consular Agency Zurich

Address: Dufourstrasse 101
CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland

Appointment required
Tel: 043 499 29 60
Fax: 043 499 29 61
10:00 until 13:00, Monday through Friday
E-mail: Zurich-CA@state.gov 

Closed on American and Swiss holidays as well as local Holidays.

You may schedule an appointment by sending an e-mail to zurich-ca@state.gov.  Please suggest a date and an alternative.

To apply for a new Social Security Number or make a correction to your data, you must follow the following three steps:

1. Inform yourself of this application by reading the information found at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5fs.html
2. Download and complete form SS-5 FS (163KB, pdf)
3. Should you need to have a personal interview or have documents certified, please contact the Office in Switzerland closest to your location as detailed above.
4. Please send all other completed applications to the following address:

American Consulate General
Federal Benefits Unit
Attn.: SR
Giessenerstrasse 30
D-60435 Frankfurt am Main
Germany