Switzerland is not in the EU but is a member of the Schengen area. Under the EU–Switzerland agreement on the free movement of persons, EU nationals enter simply upon production of a valid identity card or passport. Nationals of the countries listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 are exempt from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, and nationals of the countries listed in Annex I need a visa; the State Secretariat for Migration gives the Schengen visa fee as EUR 90 for adults. ETIAS is not yet in operation.
Every fact on this page verified on or after: Aug 25, 2026· How this site works
Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.
90 days in any rolling 180-day period
90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen Area rather than per country. The day you arrive counts as the first day and the day you leave counts as the last. Leaving and coming back does not reset the allowance: on any given day, days already spent anywhere in the area during the preceding 180 still count against the 90.
This limit is the one set for travellers who need permission to enter. It does not cap a stay you make under freedom of movement.
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Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu (opens in a new tab) · Regulation (EU) 2016/399 (Schengen Borders Code)Children 6–11: €45; under 6: free. The State Secretariat for Migration says that at most Swiss representations abroad applications are submitted to an external service provider, and that a service fee must then be paid to the provider in addition to the visa fee.
The Swiss-franc equivalent of EUR 90 (EUR 45 for children aged 6–12; free under 6), paid in advance abroad in the local currency. The State Secretariat for Migration says category D visas are issued for stays exceeding 90 days, and that the Swiss representation abroad forwards the application to the cantonal migration office for examination. It names gainful employment, education or vocational training and family reunification as the reasons.
The Swiss-franc equivalent of EUR 90 (EUR 45 for children aged 6–12; free under 6), paid in advance abroad in the local currency. The State Secretariat for Migration says category D visas are issued for stays exceeding 90 days, and that the Swiss representation abroad forwards the application to the cantonal migration office for examination. Holders of scholarships from the federal institutes of technology, the Federal Scholarship Commission or the Swiss National Science Foundation get the visa free of charge.
The Swiss-franc equivalent of EUR 90 (EUR 45 for children aged 6–12; free under 6), paid in advance abroad in the local currency. The State Secretariat for Migration says a category D visa is required to stay in Switzerland for gainful employment, that you require a permit to stay in Switzerland for more than 90 days, and that the Swiss representation abroad will forward your visa application to the cantonal migration office for examination.
The Schengen Borders Code says a third-country national's travel document must be valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States (this may be waived in a justified case of emergency) and must have been issued within the previous 10 years.
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No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.
The Visa Code says applicants for a uniform visa must prove they hold adequate and valid travel medical insurance (for a multiple-entry visa, covering the first intended visit); it must be valid throughout the territory of the Member States, cover the entire intended stay or transit, and the minimum coverage is EUR 30,000. The UK Foreign Office tells British travellers that at Swiss border control they may also need to show proof of insurance for their trip.
No official source we could read states that a return or onward ticket is required. The State Secretariat for Migration recommends that visitors also carry a return ticket valid for a maximum of 90 days or a ticket for continuing their journey to a country outside the Schengen area, and the UK Foreign Office tells British travellers that at Swiss border control they may also need to show a return or onward ticket.
The State Secretariat for Migration says third-country nationals who remain in Switzerland at their own expense must be able to demonstrate financial resources of at least CHF 100 per day of their stay (CHF 30 per day for students with a valid student permit), which can be shown in cash, traveller's cheques, credit cards or other collateral such as a bank guarantee.
Anyone who stays in Switzerland unlawfully, in particular after the permit-free or permitted stay has expired, is liable to a custodial sentence of up to one year or a monetary penalty. If the offence is committed negligently, the penalty is a fine (Busse). An entry ban lasts at most five years, or longer if the person is a serious danger to public security and order. Foreigners without gainful activity need no permit for a stay of up to three months within six months of entry (VZAE Art. 9).
Done by the accommodation.
Foreigners without gainful activity staying up to three months within six months of entry need no permit and do not have to register. Anyone who accommodates foreigners commercially must report them to the competent cantonal authority. Anyone who accommodates a foreigner for payment must fill in a registration form from the identity document, have the guest sign it (the guest must show the document) and send it to the competent cantonal authority. Breaching the registration duties is punished with a fine.
If not done: Anyone who intentionally or negligently breaches the registration or deregistration duties (Art. 10 to 16 AIG) is punished with a fine (Busse).
The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security says unrestricted amounts of cash may be carried into, through and out of Switzerland and you are not obliged to declare it. If questioned about cash during a check you must report truthful information; if you are, or are suspected of, carrying CHF 10,000 or more you will be asked to disclose your identity, the source, the intended use of the cash and the beneficial owner, and an amount of CHF 10,000 or more is registered in its information system. Refusing to provide information or giving false information is a customs offence.
Switzerland is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs says drivers from other countries may drive motor vehicles in Switzerland with a valid national driving licence, or with a valid international driving permit together with the corresponding national licence, and that if no international driving permit can be presented with the original licence, the driver must carry a translation into French, German, Italian or English issued by an official body. It says foreign drivers who have been living in Switzerland for over 12 months, without staying abroad for longer than three consecutive months in that period, must obtain a Swiss driving licence.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every countryMandatory · motorways and expressways. All motor vehicles and trailers up to 3.5 t; a towed trailer needs its own vignette.
The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security says the vignette costs CHF 40 and is valid for 14 months, from 1 December of the year before the year shown on it through to 31 January of the year after. Unlike other European countries, Switzerland does not have a short-stay vignette, so a visitor coming only once a year must still buy the annual vignette. You can choose the adhesive sticker or the e-vignette; both have the same price. At the Basel/St Louis, Rheinfelden and Kreuzlingen motorway customs offices no vignette is needed, provided you leave the motorway at the first exit.
Without one: CHF 200 — Fine for using a motorway without a valid vignette (or with one not properly affixed); you must also buy a vignette or register the plate for the e-vignette on the spot. A car and trailer that both lack one are fined twice. Non-residents who dispute it or do not pay at once must leave a deposit. Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: bazg.admin.ch (opens in a new tab) · Nationalstrassenabgabegesetz (NSAG; SR 741.71); Ordnungsbussengesetz (SR 314.1)
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Verified Oct 7, 2026 · Source: bazg.admin.ch (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Aug 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every countryNo official source we could read gives a best time to visit Switzerland. The UK Foreign Office says alpine winters make driving difficult and advises equipping your car with winter tyres and snow chains, that avalanches are a risk, particularly during heavy snow, and that there is a heightened risk of wildfires in summer, especially after a period of drought.
The UK Foreign Office tells British travellers that if they are travelling to other Schengen countries as well, their whole visit must be within the 90-day limit, and that visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before they travel count towards their 90 days.
The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security says use of Swiss motorways is subject to a charge, paid by purchasing a vignette (adhesive or e-vignette) costing CHF 40. The UK Foreign Office says you can buy one at most border crossings, petrol stations, post offices, by phone or online, and that without one you could get a large fine; Canada's travel advice says rental cars are generally equipped with vignettes.
| Passports | Visas & entry authorisations | Max stay |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Albania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Algeria | Embassy visa | — |
| Andorra | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Angola | Embassy visa | — |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Armenia | Embassy visa | — |
| Australia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Austria | Free movement | — |
| Azerbaijan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bahamas | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bahrain | Embassy visa | — |
| Bangladesh | Embassy visa | — |
| Barbados | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belarus | Embassy visa | — |
| Belgium | Free movement | — |
| Belize | Embassy visa | — |
| Benin | Embassy visa | — |
| Bhutan | Embassy visa | — |
| Bolivia | Embassy visa | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Botswana | Embassy visa | — |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brunei | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bulgaria | Free movement | — |
| Burkina Faso | Embassy visa | — |
| Burundi | Embassy visa | — |
| Cabo Verde | Embassy visa | — |
| Cambodia | Embassy visa | — |
| Cameroon | Embassy visa | — |
| Canada | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Central African Republic | Embassy visa | — |
| Chad | Embassy visa | — |
| Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
| China | Embassy visa | — |
| Colombia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Comoros | Embassy visa | — |
| Costa Rica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Embassy visa | — |
| Croatia | Free movement | — |
| Cuba | Embassy visa | — |
| Cyprus | Free movement | — |
| Czechia | Free movement | — |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Embassy visa | — |
| Denmark | Free movement | — |
| Djibouti | Embassy visa | — |
| Dominica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Dominican Republic | Embassy visa | — |
| Ecuador | Embassy visa | — |
| Egypt | Embassy visa | — |
| El Salvador | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Equatorial Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Eritrea | Embassy visa | — |
| Estonia | Free movement | — |
| Eswatini | Embassy visa | — |
| Ethiopia | Embassy visa | — |
| Fiji | Embassy visa | — |
| Finland | Free movement | — |
| France | Free movement | — |
| Gabon | Embassy visa | — |
| Gambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Georgia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Germany | Free movement | — |
| Ghana | Embassy visa | — |
| Greece | Free movement | — |
| Grenada | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | Embassy visa | — |
| Guyana | Embassy visa | — |
| Haiti | Embassy visa | — |
| Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Hong Kong | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Hungary | Free movement | — |
| Iceland | Free movement | — |
| India | Embassy visa | — |
| Indonesia | Embassy visa | — |
| Iran | Embassy visa | — |
| Iraq | Embassy visa | — |
| Ireland | Free movement | — |
| Israel | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Italy | Free movement | — |
| Jamaica | Embassy visa | — |
| Japan | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Jordan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kazakhstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Kenya | Embassy visa | — |
| Kiribati | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Kosovo | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Kuwait | Embassy visa | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | Embassy visa | — |
| Laos | Embassy visa | — |
| Latvia | Free movement | — |
| Lebanon | Embassy visa | — |
| Lesotho | Embassy visa | — |
| Liberia | Embassy visa | — |
| Libya | Embassy visa | — |
| Liechtenstein | Free movement | — |
| Lithuania | Free movement | — |
| Luxembourg | Free movement | — |
| Macau | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Madagascar | Embassy visa | — |
| Malawi | Embassy visa | — |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Maldives | Embassy visa | — |
| Mali | Embassy visa | — |
| Malta | Free movement | — |
| Marshall Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mauritania | Embassy visa | — |
| Mauritius | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mexico | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Micronesia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Moldova | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Monaco | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mongolia | Embassy visa | — |
| Montenegro | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Morocco | Embassy visa | — |
| Mozambique | Embassy visa | — |
| Myanmar | Embassy visa | — |
| Namibia | Embassy visa | — |
| Nauru | Embassy visa | — |
| Nepal | Embassy visa | — |
| Netherlands | Free movement | — |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Niger | Embassy visa | — |
| Nigeria | Embassy visa | — |
| North Korea | Embassy visa | — |
| North Macedonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Norway | Free movement | — |
| Oman | Embassy visa | — |
| Pakistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Palau | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Palestine | Embassy visa | — |
| Panama | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Papua New Guinea | Embassy visa | — |
| Paraguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Peru | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Philippines | Embassy visa | — |
| Poland | Free movement | — |
| Portugal | Free movement | — |
| Qatar | Embassy visa | — |
| Republic of the Congo | Embassy visa | — |
| Romania | Free movement | — |
| Russia | Embassy visa | — |
| Rwanda | Embassy visa | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saint Lucia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Samoa | Visa-free | 90 days |
| San Marino | Visa-free | 90 days |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Embassy visa | — |
| Saudi Arabia | Embassy visa | — |
| Senegal | Embassy visa | — |
| Serbia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Seychelles | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sierra Leone | Embassy visa | — |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Slovakia | Free movement | — |
| Slovenia | Free movement | — |
| Solomon Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Somalia | Embassy visa | — |
| South Africa | Embassy visa | — |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 90 days |
| South Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Spain | Free movement | — |
| Sri Lanka | Embassy visa | — |
| Sudan | Embassy visa | — |
| Suriname | Embassy visa | — |
| Sweden | Free movement | — |
| Switzerland | Free movement | — |
| Syria | Embassy visa | — |
| Taiwan | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Tajikistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tanzania | Embassy visa | — |
| Thailand | Embassy visa | — |
| Timor-Leste | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Togo | Embassy visa | — |
| Tonga | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Tunisia | Embassy visa | — |
| Turkey | Embassy visa | — |
| Turkmenistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Tuvalu | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uganda | Embassy visa | — |
| Ukraine | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uzbekistan | Embassy visa | — |
| Vanuatu | Embassy visa | — |
| Vatican City | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Venezuela | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Vietnam | Embassy visa | — |
| Yemen | Embassy visa | — |
| Zambia | Embassy visa | — |
| Zimbabwe | Embassy visa | — |
Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
Switzerland is not an EU member, but it is a member of the Schengen area, and the UK Foreign Office says it follows Schengen area rules. The State Secretariat for Migration says a category C visa is valid for the entire Schengen area. For goods, the UK Foreign Office says there are strict rules about what you can take into and out of Switzerland, and you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
No. The EU's ETIAS website lists the United States among the visa-exempt countries whose nationals will need an ETIAS travel authorisation, and Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 exempts nationals of the countries in its Annex II from the visa requirement for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. ETIAS is not yet in operation; the official ETIAS website lists a EUR 20 application fee.
The State Secretariat for Migration says a Schengen visa application costs EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children between 6 and 12 years old; under the Visa Code the fee is waived for children under six. At most Swiss representations abroad, applications are submitted to an external service provider, and a service fee must then be paid to the provider in addition to the visa fee. A category C visa is issued for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period and is valid for the entire Schengen area.
No. The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security says you are not obliged to declare cash to it. However, if you are questioned about cash during a check you must report truthful information, and if you are, or are suspected of, carrying CHF 10,000 or more you will be asked to disclose your identity, the source, the intended use of the cash and the beneficial owner. Refusing to provide information or giving false information is a customs offence and may result in a penalty.
Yes. The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security says use of Swiss motorways is subject to a charge, paid by purchasing a vignette, either an adhesive sticker or a digital e-vignette; it costs CHF 40 and is valid from 1 December of the previous year until 31 January of the following year. Its directive R-15-01 sets a CHF 200 fine for using a motorway without a valid vignette, and a person not resident in Switzerland who does not pay the charge and any fine immediately at a check must deposit the amounts or provide other appropriate security.
Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source
Switzerland visa and entry requirements
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe