Kenya is preparing to permanently close its embassy in Switzerland as the government reorganises its diplomatic presence abroad, a move that will change how Kenyans living in the European country access consular services.
The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Bern announced the decision in a public notice dated November 9, saying it had received a directive from the Kenyan government to permanently end its operations in Switzerland.
The embassy’s Consular Section is scheduled to close on Monday, November 30, 2026. Kenyan nationals and other clients with pending applications have been urged to collect any processed documents before that date.
Those who have already received notifications that their documents are ready must collect them from the embassy before the deadline. Applicants who submitted requests for consular services from November 1 will be contacted separately and informed of arrangements for collecting their documents.
The embassy has also advised applicants to carry valid identification and their application receipts when collecting documents.
While the announcement confirms the permanent closure of the mission, it does not mean Kenyans in Switzerland will be left without government assistance. The embassy said information about alternative consular arrangements would be communicated through its website and official channels.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei subsequently confirmed that the decision forms part of a wider review of Kenya’s diplomatic footprint across the world.
In a statement on November 10, Sing’Oei said the government was undertaking a process that would involve closing some diplomatic missions while opening others in locations considered more important to Kenya’s strategic interests.
He assured Kenyans abroad that the restructuring would not cut them off from essential government services, adding that a more comprehensive statement on the changes would be released in due course.
The announcement has particular significance for the Kenyan community in Switzerland, which has relied on the Bern mission for consular assistance and other government services. The exact arrangements for handling services such as passport applications, document processing and emergency assistance after November 30 have not yet been outlined.
The closure also raises wider questions about how Kenya intends to distribute its diplomatic resources and which regions it considers priorities in the coming years. Rather than simply reducing its overseas presence, the government’s explanation suggests that it intends to redirect some of its diplomatic capacity towards other locations.
Kenya has continued to expand its international engagement through trade, investment, diaspora relations and political partnerships. The latest restructuring therefore represents a change in the location and organisation of its diplomatic representation, although the government has yet to identify all the missions affected or the countries where new ones may be established.
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