Abholungseinladung: picking up a registered letter in Switzerland
Instead of a letter, you find a yellow paper slip in your letterbox. This is an Abholungseinladung (pickup notice). An important letter is waiting for you.
Here is what it means and what to do.
What is an Abholungseinladung?
A registered letter (Einschreiben) or a court document (Gerichtsurkunde) must be handed over in person. If that is not possible, the post leaves an Abholungseinladung – a yellow paper slip – in your letterbox.
You have 7 days
You can pick up the letter within 7 days at the post office or a PostPoint. Bring the slip and an ID.
Why you should pick it up
If you expect a letter from an authority or court and do not pick it up, it is generally treated as delivered on the last day of the pickup period. Deadlines can start running anyway, even if you never read the letter.
Letting someone else pick it up
A trusted person can collect the letter for you with a Vollmacht (power of attorney). Ask the post what the Vollmacht must include.
Beware of fake pickup notices
Scammers send fake Abholungseinladungen by SMS or email, often with a link asking for data or a small payment. The real one is a paper slip in your letterbox. Do not click such links.
How Lesefee can help
Lesefee reads the slip and later the collected letter aloud and explains in plain English who wrote and whether a deadline or date is mentioned.
Lesefee does not give legal advice. If you are unsure when a deadline starts, ask the sender or an advice service.