For UK life insurance, they require a certified copy of my UK passport? Can this be done at a Notary or only at the British Vice Consolate in Zurich.

AFAIK any local notary in Swissieland can notarize a copy, and the ones I've been to (ZH) do it happily in English.

Why don't you ask whoever wants it, that way you get it right first time and avoid wasting time and money.

Normaly a notarised copy by a notary should be sufficient.

also check the company is happy to cover you whilst living abroad as the majority require you are a UK resident.

But they may be a PITA about the wording. check what wording they want to validate your passport/picture

Got an international policy, they know I am here!

just had this done by a local notary for a UK mortgage.. it's simple and should 'only' cost around 100chfs

Yeah, speak to whoever wants it. I recently went down to the Canadian embassy to get some documents certified. The cost was CHF 20 per document--cheaper than a notary. Just checked the fees for the British embassy in Bern: http://ukinswitzerland.fco.gov.uk/en.../consular-fees

Generally they only need to see it come claim time, policies are often marked 'age not admitted'

I've just had a snotty letter from my bank, sent to our new address, claiming that they can't change my address on their records () because my signature on the form I sent them didn't match the one on their computer. Silly buggers.

So... has anyone any recent experience of getting a copy of a passport certified by the Vice Consul in Zurich?

And can anyone explain why the staff at Lloyds Bank TSB, Walsall* branch, are so bloody thick?

*I suspect the answer lies in the question.

I used to knock around with a girl (many moons ago) from Brownhills (she was fine .... but the sisters ...), and can unreservedly agree with your rhetorical question.
It's something in the water, I believe.

Lead? .........

Obviously, .... not enough.

An alternative is the British Council in Bern, they also certify copies of documents in English. Good luck!

You can also go to the Notary at Enge. They will certify it in English and give it an official stamp. That was good enough for me recently for an immigration application.

As for Bank Staff being stoopid, I think it's endemic.

I never had any luck with banks in CH doing a certified copy however the Post will for CHF20.

Banks in France will do it for for free if you ask nicely!

How did that go? I have exactly the same requirement. But

http://www.ukimmigration.org.uk/uk_e...late,%20Zurich

has a nonsensical phone number and www.local.ch has never heard of the Zurich Vice-consulate. At the time of writing, no-one is picking up at the Basel office, but at least the phone number works.

Let's see if I can find this service, and even better, a price.

FCO website in Switzerland says: ".......As a consequence, we have closed the Honorary Consul network in Switzerland with effect from 01 April 2011. All consular enquiries should be directed to the British Embassy in Berne, Tel: 031 359 7700."

Just today I was at the Notariat at Bahnhof Enge and they very quickly and efficiently made certified copies of English documents, with the notarial certification written in English. It was 20 CHF for each notarial certification and for the first copy, then 3 CHF for each additional page in the same bundle. It's not necessarily 20CHF per document, since they were able to bundle together a few of documents on several pages and certify them all together with one notarial seal, which saved me some CHF. Also it was nice that they did the copies in color-- excellent service!!

here's their website:
http://www.notariate.zh.ch/index.php?not=Enge-Z%FCrich