Swiss passports must be renewed in person because they contain biometric data. This forces some Swiss Abroad to travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, which can be difficult for those with health, time or financial limitations. Jacqueline Martindale emigrated many years ago from Geneva to the Boston area in the northeastern United States. She is 91, legally blind, and relies on a walker. When she recently had to renew her passport, the Swiss consulate in New York told her that “she could only do this by travelling to the New York consulate in person”, her husband, John, explains. This would have meant a trip of roughly 350 kilometres. Last year, 78,124 Swiss Abroad renewed their identity documents. In countries as large as the United States, getting to a mission with consular services often requires a significant investment of time and money. “Age and health issues aside, any Swiss person living in the Boston area or any other place not convenient to Manhattan who wants ...
