Here incoming travellers can find out about the applicable entry requirements and the countries and regions with a variant of concern. You will also find information on travel abroad and travelling with the COVID certificate.
Entering Switzerland
Are you planning to come to Switzerland? The interactive Travelcheck tool shows you what entry requirements apply in your individual situation. Travelcheck takes account of the entry requirements set by both the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
No pandemic-related entry restrictions are in force at the present time. The general rules on entering Switzerland have applied since 2 May 2022. You will find further information on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration.
List of countries with a variant of concern
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) 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 State Secretariat for Migration (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).
Travel abroad and global statistics
Are you planning a trip abroad? Then take note of the following points:
- The Federal Council recommends getting vaccinated before travelling abroad.
- Find out about the restrictions and requirements in your destination country. You should also check whether your certificate will be valid in the destination country at the time of travel.
- 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.
- Find out about the rules for returning to Switzerland. The Travelcheck tool will give you information on your individual entry situation.
- Do not travel if you feel ill or have individual symptoms indicative of an infection with the coronavirus.
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
- Benin
- Cape Verde
- El Salvador
- Faroe Islands
- Georgia
- Holy See
- Israel
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- North Macedonia
- Panama
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
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.
For travel to EU/EFTA countries, the website Re-Open EU provides an initial overview of the measures in place in the individual countries. Or use the new function of the COVID Certificate app to find out whether your COVID certificate will be valid at the moment you enter your destination country. In the detailed view of your COVID certificate use the “Validity for travel” function. Follow the instructions in the app and take note of the tips.
To find out what you need to bear in mind if your certificate is about to expire under the Swiss rules on validity, see the FAQ What should I do if my COVID certificate is about to expire under the Swiss rules on validity?.
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 are possible:
- Changed entry rules, through to border closures
- Requirements before entry (e.g. filling out the entry form of the destination country or bringing a negative test result)
- 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 04.05.2022
