All travellers
You can see what rules apply to you when entering Switzerland using the online Travelcheck service.
It is no longer necessary to provide proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test or complete an entry form to enter Switzerland.
UK nationals do not need a visa to enter Switzerland. At passport control, UK nationals should use the ‘ALL PASSPORTS’ lane, irrespective of their residence status.
Exemptions
There are no exemptions to Switzerland’s entry requirements.
Check your passport and travel documents before you travel
Passport validity
If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
Your passport must be:
- issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
Contact the embassy of the country you are visiting if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
Visas
You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training.
If you are travelling to Switzerland and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.
To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, you will need to meet the Swiss government’s entry requirements. Check the Swiss Embassy website to find out what type of visa and/or work permit, if any, you may need.
If you are travelling to work in Switzerland, read the guidance on visas and permits.
If you stay in Switzerland with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.
Passport stamping
Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Switzerland as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.
You can show evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area, and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport. Examples of acceptable evidence include boarding passes and tickets.
You may also need to:
- show a return or onward ticket
- show you have enough money for your stay
If you are resident in Switzerland, read our Living in Switzerland guide for passport stamping information.
Customs regulations
For information and advice about Swiss customs regulations, visit the official website of the Federal Customs Administration.