Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung SWIFT/BIC code

EFVBCH22 – the SWIFT/BIC code of Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung

EFVBCH22 and EFVBCH22XXX are the short and the long form of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung in Berne. A SWIFT code tells the sending bank exactly which bank should receive the money, much like a postcode for banks. In practice you mostly come across the code on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and in the bank details of Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung customers.

On this page we explain how the code is put together, when it matters and which other details you need for a transfer to or from Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung. Remember that the BIC only identifies the bank, not the person: the IBAN or account number does that part.

SEPA payments and the Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung BIC

Inside SEPA, euro transfers to Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung use the same rules. The BIC field is usually optional or missing in that case.

You will still need EFVBCH22XXX for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. A few forms still ask for the BIC; in that case, enter EFVBCH22.

Instant payments in euros are widely available within SEPA – whether Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung offers them for your account is worth checking. Charges on SEPA payments are generally low, as long as no currency conversion is involved.

Paying into Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung in CHF

Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc. When you pay money in a different currency it gets converted somewhere along the way. Every conversion eats into the amount, even when no fee is shown.

Which bank converts the payment makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. Check how much CHF arrives with different providers before choosing one.

The rate for CHF changes throughout the day. If you pay regularly, small differences in the rate make a real difference over time.

Changed bank details? Be careful

A common scam goes like this: you receive a message claiming that a company has a new bank account and that the next payment should go there. A valid SWIFT code says nothing about whether the request is genuine – scammers simply use real codes.

Check changed payment details through a separate channel, such as a phone number you already know. Urgency or secrecy are warning signs – a real supplier can wait a day. When money was sent to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to refund the difference to another account. A payment confirmation from the sender proves nothing.

Tracking a transfer to or from Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung

There is no fixed delivery time for international payments: many arrive the same day or the next while others need several business days. Weekends and public holidays in either country add a day or more. Occasionally a bank wants to know what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking in their app showing where the money has got.

If a payment has not arrived within the expected time, the person who paid should start with the bank that sent it rather than Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

Paying someone abroad from your Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung account

When you send money to another country via Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. On top of the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if currencies are converted, the bank usually uses a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: the bank converts using an exchange rate that includes a margin. A simple test: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

Specialist money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists transfer providers next to each other so you can see the amount the recipient gets before you commit. Choosing a specialist does not require leaving Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung: you simply pay the service from your account.

Choosing between the 3 SWIFT codes of Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung

With 3 codes in 1 locations, Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung belongs to the banks that use individual codes for branches and departments. The main code is EFVBCH22XXX.

In most cases you do not need to look up a branch: transfers sent to EFVBCH22XXX reach Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung correctly. Branch codes are only needed when the account holder specifically asks for it, which is more common for business accounts and trade services.

The best way is to take the code straight from the account holder’s invoice. Branch codes can change over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

A note on our data

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and check our list from time to time. It can happen that information on this page is out of date after a merger or reorganisation. Counts and locations come from our directory and are not confirmed by Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung.

See the information on this page as a handy check, and let the details from the recipient or Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung have the final say. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung, we only compare transfer services. Should you notice something that is out of date, we welcome a short note.

What the XXX in EFVBCH22XXX means

Each SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: a four-letter bank code, two letters for the country and a two-character location code. Together, those parts make up EFVBCH22, the code most people search for.

The full version adds three more characters that identify a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, the code points to the head office.

Enter the code in one piece, in capitals and without separators, exactly as shown here. Copying the code is safer than typing it by hand.

Is EFVBCH22 still correct? How to check

The most reliable place for the right code remains paperwork issued by the bank like a bank statement or the account page in online banking. Compare that code against EFVBCH22 here; if they differ, ask before you pay.

Mistakes in the BIC tend to be costly rather than disastrous. Remember the account number: a mistake there can be more difficult to undo than a wrong BIC.

An automatic check in your banking app only confirms that the IBAN exists. Where available, a name check on the recipient adds an extra layer of safety. A small test payment can be worth it for large sums.

What to give a sender who pays you at Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung

For an international payment into your account at Eidgenoessische Finanzverwaltung, the sender has to have not just the BIC. What they need is: the account holder’s name, IBAN or account number, EFVBCH22XXX or EFVBCH22 and, for some countries, your home address.

The sender’s bank might request the address of your bank, in which case the Berne head office is the usual answer. Check the details before you send them.

An incoming payment does not always arrive for the full amount. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.