You can easily order and pay for various civil registry documents online. This site will provide you with an overview of all the documents available. You will also learn what the purpose of those documents is, who may order them and how much they cost. The link to the ordering form can be found at the end of each text block.
Power of attorney and data protection
Everyone can order civil registry documents about their own data.
You can also grant someone else power of attorney in writing to ensure that this other person may represent you. Please note that a person thus authorised will be aware of your personal data.
If you are ordering a document for yourself, but you want it to be sent to a different address than your own, you must also grant power of attorney to the person whose address the document must be sent to.
If a document you are ordering is meant for the Swiss authorities, there is no need for an apostille whatsoever.
If authorities of a foreign country require an apostille (certification of a signature) for confirmation, documents or deeds, you can indicate this in your order and have it produced by the registry office. An apostille costs CHF 25.00, and the registry office fee for issuing it amounts to CHF 40.00 plus postage.
You can also obtain an apostille yourself from the State Chancellery of the Canton of Bern after you have received the document and thus only pay the fee of CHF 25.00 for the apostille:
Documents concerning civil status events in the Canton of Bern
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
For births prior to 6 December 2004, only international excerpts from the birth register (CIEC) can be produced.
The international excerpt from the birth register (CIEC) is issued in five languages (German, French, Italian, English and Spanish).
The national birth certificate is issued in three languages (German, French and Italian).
For unmarried parents, the excerpt from the birth register (CIEC) / the birth certificate is the only evidence of their being their child's parents.
Foreign nationals require the international excerpt from the birth register for the registration of their child with the representation of their native country.
You may, for instance, present the document to your employer for the application for child benefits.
The time of birth is recorded in both documents.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
The person concerned, the parents of an underage child, the legal representative of an underage child or an adult.
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
Confirmation of child acknowledgment can only be ordered after a child has been acknowledged. If you want to acknowledge your child before or after birth, please contact the registry office of your choice: registry offices of the Canton of Bern
The document provides information about when and where the child has been acknowledged. It confirms the notarised personal data of the father, the mother and the child.
You may need this confirmation if you want to apply for a passport for your child from the authorities of your native country or if you submit an application for child benefits to your employer.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
Every person affected by this confirmation (father, mother, child)
Who issues the document?
The registry office of the place where the child has been acknowledged
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The registered partnership certificate is issued in three languages (German, French and Italian).
The document provides evidence of the persons living in a registered partnership, as well as of the place and date of the registration of their partnership.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
Partners in a registered partnership
Who issues the document?
The registry office of the place where the partnership was registered
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The evidence of the conversion of a registered partnership into a marriage indicates the place and date of the registration of the partnership and the place and date of its conversion into a marriage, as well as the spouses' personal data.
The document can be submitted to employers, other authorities, banks, insurance companies, pension schemes, courts, etc.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
Spouses who converted their registered partnership at the registry office in the Canton of Bern after 1 July 2022.
Who issues the document?
The registry office of the place where the partnership was converted into a marriage
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
For deaths before 6 December 2004, only international excerpts from the death register (CIEC) can be issued.
The international excerpt from the death register (CIEC) is issued in five languages (German, French, Italian, English and Spanish).
The national death certificate is issued in three languages (German, French and Italian).
The document indicates the personal data of the deceased, as well as the place and date of death.
The document serves to deregister the deceased in various instances, such as insurance companies and banks, or the land registry.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
Every person who is legally entitled to inherit, and notaries public and authorities owing to their legal notarisation and certification activities in inheritance proceedings
Documents concerning civil status, family and partnership
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The certificate of origin contains the up-to-date personal data of Swiss nationals and serves as the basis for the registration of their personal data in the register of inhabitants of their place of residence.
When you move, come of age or when your personal data change, your residents' registration office will ask you to submit a certificate of origin. If you do not have an up-to-date certificate of origin, you will have to order it from the registry office.
If you are a Swiss national who lives abroad, you will require a certificate of origin to register with the Swiss representation in your country of residence.
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The family certificate indicates the place and date of marriage, as well as the up-to-date personal data of the spouses and the children they have together. It can only be issued to married persons.
Married persons can submit the family certificate to employers, banks, insurance companies, pension schemes, courts, etc.
Foreign nationals can only be issued a family certificate if they had an event that affected their civil status after 31 December 2004 (for example marriage or the birth of a child born in wedlock).
New family booklets cannot be issued any longer. If you should still have one and would like to complement it with a new family certificate, please contact the registry office by telephone.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
Spouses
Who issues the document?
Swiss nationals: the registry office of a spouse's place of origin
Foreign nationals: the registry office of their place of residence
Costs
CHF 40.00 (+ portage)
When a new civil status event occurs, the family certificate is updated free of charge.
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
A partnership certificate can only be issued to persons in a registered partnership.
It indicates the place and date of the registration of the partnership, as well as the up-to-date personal data of the partners and possibly their children.
Persons in a registered partnership can submit the family certificate to employers, banks, insurance companies, pension schemes, courts, etc.
Foreign nationals can only be issued a partnership certificate if they had an event that affected their civil status after 31 December 2004. The document contains the personal data from the first event that affected their civil status in Switzerland and is only complete on condition that all foreign civil status events have been registered.
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The civil status certificate provides information about Swiss nationals' up-to-date personal data. It indicates, for instance, their civil status, their current names and places of origin.
Foreign nationals can provide evidence of their personal data registered in Switzerland by means of the confirmation of foreign nationals' registered civil status. The registry office can only issue the document if they had an event that affected their civil status after 31 December 2004 (for example marriage or the birth of a child).
The documents are often required by vested benefit foundations of single persons or divorcees for the disbursement of their vested benefits.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
The person concerned
Who issues the document?
Swiss nationals: the registry office of their place of origin
Foreign nationals: the registry office of their place of residence
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The certificate of citizenship for Swiss nationals provides evidence of the acquisition of Swiss citizenship and can only be issued for Swiss citizens.
On the one hand, it contains the personal data of the person concerned at the time of the production of the document. On the other hand, it indicates the current citizenships with the reasons for their acquisition, as well as previous citizenships with the reasons for their acquisition and loss. Changes in citizenship that occurred before 1 July 2005 may not be listed.
The document is issued for Swiss citizens who are alive, dead or have been declared missing.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
The person concerned, every person who is legally entitled to inherit, and notaries public and authorities owing to their legal notarisation and certification activities in inheritance proceedings
Who issues the document?
The registry office of the current place of origin or of a place of origin if you have more than one
Document concerning estate planning of person with Bernese citizenship
What is the purpose of this document, and what does it contain?
The certificate of the registered family status provides information about a person's civil status and about all his or her children born in or out of wedlock.
Foreign nationals or naturalised persons can use it to provide evidence of their family status registered in Switzerland.
Foreign nationals can only be issued the document if they had an event that affected their civil status after 31 December 2004 (for example marriage or the birth of a child). The document contains their personal data from the date of their first civil status even in Switzerland.
The certificate of the registered family status is only complete on condition that all the foreign civil status events have been registered.
Swiss and foreign nationals can use the document to provide evidence of family relationships under inheritance law.
The adoption authority requires the document for adoptions.
The registry office decides whether a certificate of the registered family status or a family certificate is to be issued.
Who is entitled to obtain this document?
The person concerned, every person who is legally entitled to inherit, and notaries public and authorities owing to their legal notarisation and certification activities in inheritance proceedings.
Who issues the document?
Swiss nationals: the registry office of a spouse's place of origin
Foreign nationals: the registry office of their place of residence
Costs
Basic fee CHF 40.00, plus CHF 10.00 per registered person, as well as postage
Owing to the various costs, this document is only sent with an invoice.
