Entry to Switzerland (short-term stays)

Tourists to Switzerland need the following travel documents for a stay of up to three months:

• Citizens from western European countries need a valid Identity Card (ID) or a passport that did not expire more than 5 years ago.
  This applies to nationals of: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain (UK), Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden
• Nationals of other countries need a valid passport to enter Switzerland.

Visa are not required if you…

• come as a tourist, student, to receive medical treatment, or are in airport transit, and
• stay in Switzerland for less than 3 months and
• are a citizen of one of the following countries:
• Africa & Middle East: Israel, South Africa
• Americas: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S.A., Uruguay, Venezuela
• Europe: Andorra, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia
• Far East: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea
• Nationals of all other countries or persons that want to stay longer or for other purposes need a valid passport and a visa is required to enter Switzerland.

Please note that stricter regulations apply for persons that intend to stay in Switzerland for more than 3 months or for other purposes than tourism, education, medical treatment or airport transit.

Validity of travel document

Regardless of whether you require a visa, you must be in possession of a valid travel document recognised by the Swiss authorities (see List 1, Annex 1). Your travel document:

• must be valid for at least 3 months after the date on which you plan to leave Switzerland and
• must have been issued within the last 10 years.