Here you’ll find information on entering Switzerland and travelling with the COVID certificate. There are currently no restrictions on the basis of the COVID-19 pandemic when you enter Switzerland.
Entering Switzerland
Are you planning to come to Switzerland? The interactive Travelcheck tool shows you what entry requirements apply in your individual situation. It takes account of the entry requirements set by both the FOPH and the SEM.
There are currently no entry restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No proof of vaccination, recovery or testing is required for entry into Switzerland. You will find further information on the website of the SEM.
List of countries with a variant of concern
The Swiss COVID-19 Ordinance on International Passenger Transport Measures contains a list maintains a list of countries and regions where variants of concern are circulating. People entering Switzerland from these countries and regions must observe certain health-related measures at the border. Given that the epidemiological situation is constantly changing, the list is adjusted regularly as required. There are currently no countries or regions on this list.
Notice for foreign nationals
The list below is issued by the FOPH and is critical to Switzerland’s health-related measures at the border. The general rules on entering Switzerland apply in addition to health-related measures at the border. These can be found on the website of the SEM.
The newly added countries appear in bold in the respective list.
List valid upon arriving in Switzerland from 04.12.21
Countries and regions with a variant of concern
Currently there are no countries on the list of countries with a variant of concern. The previous countries were removed from the list as of 4 December.
Older lists can be found in the corresponding version of the “COVID-19 Ordinance on International Passenger Transport Measures”. You can access all versions of this ordinance in the Classified Compilation (listed on the right-hand side in a box).
Travelling abroad
Are you planning a trip abroad?
Our checklist shows you what you need to consider before, during and after your trip and provides you with important information about travelling with the COVID certificate.
Before you travel
General points:
- Do not travel if you’re feeling sick or have symptoms that point to a coronavis infection.
- Be aware that the costs of individual PCR tests for travel purposes will not be covered by the federal government. You’ll find more information on the Tests page.
1. Which country are you travelling to?
Are you travelling there direct or via another country? Note that entry requirements could also apply to transit through a country. So before any trip abroad you should check out the situation on the website of the competent authorities.
2. Do entry restrictions apply on arrival in my country of destination?
Find out from the travel operator or on the official websites of your country of destination (for example the embassy, consulate or tourism organisations) whether entry restrictions apply. Also observe any requirements of the transport company (e.g. airline, rail operator, etc.).
Useful websites (besides the official website of your transit or destination country):
- For travel worldwide: IATA - International Travel Document News
- For travel in EU/EFTA countries: Re-open EU
3. If entry restrictions apply, what are they?
- Do you need proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test? Or possibly more than item of proof? (See point 4)
- Do you have to fill out an entry form (passenger locator form) or certificate of health?
- Do you also need additional documents (for example a confirmation of cover from your health insurance company)?
4. What must you bear in mind if you have to show proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test on arrival?
- What proof is recognised? Find out whether a Swiss COVID certificate is accepted or whether you’ll need another form of proof (for example your paper vaccination record booklet). Also find out whether the authorities in your country of destination require proof in a specific language. Swiss COVID certificates are written in English in addition to one of the Swiss national languages. Many countries with specific language requirements accept notarised translations.
- Is your vaccination, recovery or negative test valid for entry? Each country decides whether and for how long a vaccination, recovery or negative test is valid. Visit the official websites of your transit or destination country to find out the validity rules. The following questions could be relevant:
- When was the last vaccination administered?
- Is initial (basic) immunisation sufficient or do you also need a booster?
- What vaccines are accepted?
- Is recovery sufficient to be able to enter the country? Or do you have to be vaccinated?
- If you have recovered from COVID, how long ago did you test positive? Do you also need additional written confirmation of recovery from a doctor?
- What types of negative tests are accepted (PCR or rapid antigen tests)? What’s the maximum time limit in terms of how long ago the sample was taken?
Remember:
- When you travel abroad it’s not the Swiss validity rules that apply, but the rules in your country of destination.
- The rules that apply to the use of the certificate for travel within your country of destination may differ from the rules that apply on entry.
- Some countries do not accept the electronic certificate in the COVID Certificate app. For this reason we recommend that you always have a printout of your certificate with you as well. Check out the FAQ to find out how to export a PDF of your certificate directly from the app: I only have my COVID certificate electronically in the COVID Certificate app. How can I get the COVID certificate as a PDF or on paper?
While you’re travelling
Does your country of destination have rules of its own that you have to observe?
For example, is there a certificate requirement or mask mandate in certain places? In most cases you’ll find this information on the website of the health authorities or tourism organisations in your country of destination.
After travelling (on your return)
What entry requirements apply in Switzerland?
You’ll find this information in the Entering Switzerland section.
Want to find out about the epidemiological situation in other countries?
You will find figures for COVID-19:
- On our website covid19.admin.ch. The case numbers published there are based on international data sources (WHO and OWID). These data are checked and processed by us.
- On the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
- On the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) website.
Use of the Swiss COVID certificate for travel
The Swiss COVID certificate is compatible with the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate (DCC) and can be used in travel between the countries that are part of the EU’s DCC system.
Besides the EU/EFTA states, the following countries and regions are part of the area covered by the DCC:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Cape Verde
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Faroe Islands
- Georgia
- Holy See
- Indonesia
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kosovo
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Oman
- Panama
- Peru
- Philippines
- Republic of Korea
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Vietnam
A COVID certificate that is valid in Switzerland provides no guarantee of entry to other countries and regions. Every country and region defines its own entry requirements and has the authority to adapt them on an ongoing basis according to how the epidemiological situation is evolving.
Please note that to enter the destination country and to use the COVID certificate in that country, it is not the Swiss rules on validity that matter, but the rules on validity in the destination country. It is also possible that in some states a foreign COVID certificate will have to be converted into a local one before or upon entry. Not only this, but some states do not accept all types of certificate (for example recovery certificates). You should therefore always check the applicable requirements on the destination country’s official website before you travel.
You’ll find further important information on travelling with the COVID certificate in the Travelling abroad section.
Restrictions and requirements in the destination country
Before travelling, always check directly with the embassy or consulate of your destination country to find out what restrictions are in place due to the coronavirus. These can differ from country to country and change at very short notice. The following restrictions and requirements, for example, are possible:
- Changed entry rules, through to border closures
- Requirements before entry (e.g. filling out the entry form of the destination country or showing a negative test result or proof of vaccination or recovery)
- Measures upon entering the country (e.g. mandatory quarantine in the destination country)
- Measures within the destination country (e.g. compulsory wearing of face masks, COVID certificate requirement)
Travel restrictions imposed by the different countries may be tightened again at short notice depending on the epidemiological situation, and transport connections scaled down again. Before booking a trip, consult your travel agent and/or your travel insurer to find out what cover they offer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Last modification 01.09.2022