Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Federal Council in favour of lifting the ban on dual nationality for Swiss diplomats

Press releases, 02.12.2016

At its meeting on 2 December 2016, the Federal Council approved the lifting of the ban on dual nationality for Swiss diplomats. This change to current practice will require an amendment of Article 24 para 2 of the Federal Personnel Ordinance. The lifting of the ban will take effect on 1 January 2017.

The Federal Council has scrapped this obsolete provision, which only applied to employees working at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and was therefore discriminatory. Many Swiss citizens now hold dual nationality. In some cases it is automatic, and the foreign State does not always allow the individual to renounce it.

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Last update 19.07.2023

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