Switzerland - Ordering an AHV Card

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Procedure

For Employees

• For cases where you changed your name - after getting married or divorced or you lost your AHV identification card, you can order a new one through your employer.

For Persons who are self-employed or not in employment

• Order a new AHV card directly from your compensation office or from the AHV district office at your place of residence, using the form (available in German, French and Italian) on the website below.

For Persons living abroad

• You will need to contact the Swiss compensation office in Geneva to order an AHV card.

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Required Documents

To Download application form (under "documentation" on the right side)

http://www.ahv-iv.info/andere/00140/index.html?lang=de

Office Locations & Contacts

Federal Compensation Fund

Schwarztorstrasse 59

3003 Bern

Phone: 031 322 64 25

Fax: 031 322 88 71

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.ak26.ch

Swiss Compensation Office

Swiss Compensation Office

Avenue Edmond-Vaucher 18

PO Box 3100,

1211 Geneva 2

Phone: + 41 22 795 91 11

Fax: + 41 22 795 97 05

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.zas.admin.ch

Cantonal Compensation Funds Offices

http://www.ahv-iv.info/andere/00150/00151/index.html?lang=de

Association of Compensation Funds

http://www.ahv-iv.info/andere/00150/00153/index.html?lang=de

IV Offices

http://www.ahv-iv.info/andere/00145/index.html?lang=de

Eligibility

• Men and women who are gainfully employed in Switzerland, including frontier workers and migrant workers;
• Residents of Switzerland, including children and other inactive people such as students, handicapped, pensioners, housewives and house husbands.

For workers who live abroad, they must be working for a company with headquarters in Switzerland.

Students who cease to be resident of Switzerland to pursue studies abroad, may continue the insurance by fulfilling certain conditions.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

On July 1, 2008 the old grey AHV card with an 11-digit number was replaced by a new standard credit card sized document containing 13 digits. The new number is generated randomly and is completely anonymous, thereby fulfilling current data protection requirements. Insured persons retain the same number throughout their lives and no longer need to replace it in the event of a name change due to marriage or divorce.

If you still have an 11-digit AHV number, you can request for a new 13-digit AHV number through your employer who happens to be the one responsible for ordering the card.

If you lose your AHV card, or if your personal details change, you can apply for a new card through your employer, directly from your compensation office or an AHV District Office.

Required Information

A list which displays the kind of information which is required to complete the procedure.
e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the Document

The Swiss social security system is based on the principle of so-called three pillars: the OASI and the Disability Insurance (DI), in conjunction with the supplementary benefits (EL) is the first column, it covers basic needs and is mandatory. The occupational pension plans (pension fund) constitutes the second pillar and it is also mandatory. The third and last pillar is the voluntary retirement plans, savings.

AHV is the most important pillar of social security in Switzerland, and it is imposed mandatorily. It provides retirement benefits, survivor's pensions and financial aid during emergency.

Information which might help

To know your AHV number:

• If you are an employee, please contact your employer.
• If you are self-employed or do not work, please contact the compensation office in your canton of residence.
• If you work in Switzerland but are resident abroad, please contact the Swiss Compensation Office in Geneva.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• AHV Card

https://www.ch.ch/en/ahv-card

Others

More information which might help people.