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Easy answers about life in Switzerland
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  • Family and partnership
  • Civil status certificates
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  • Family and partnership
  • Civil status certificates

Ordering civil status certificates

The authorities will supply various kinds of document that certify a family relationship, for example, or your date and place of birth. This page gives a list of the civil status certificates that you can order, and where to get them from.

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You can request civil status certificates directly online, or by going in person to the register office that is responsible for you. The individual office in question varies depending on the type of document you need:
Civil status document
Register office responsible 

Birth certificate

Confirmation of time of birth

Register office at your place of birth

Certificate of origin (for Swiss citizens)

Individual civil status certificate (for Swiss citizens)

Register office at your place of origin

Confirmation of registered civil status (for foreign nationals)

Register office at your (previous) place of (permanent) residence

Confirmation of registered civil status (for foreign nationals)

Register office at your (previous) place of (permanent) residence

Family certificate for Swiss nationals (formerly family record book)

If you are a Swiss citizen: register office at your place of origin

If you are a foreign national: register office at your (previous) place of residence

Marriage certificate

Register office where your marriage took place

Certificate of registered partnership

Register office where your partnership was registered

Certificate acknowledging paternity

Register office at the place you acknowledged paternity of your child

Death certificate

Register office at your place of death

In Switzerland it costs CHF 30 (plus postage) to obtain a civil status certificate. Family certificates, other family records, certificates of registered partnership and certificates of registered civil status cost more.
  • You may order all civil status certificates concerning you personally.

  • Family record books may be updated, but may no longer be ordered.

  • You may request a civil status certificate for someone else, providing you can present power of attorney from the person concerned and a copy of their ID.

Frequently asked questions about electronic civil register records (web page available in German, French and Italian)
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