Travel information

Travelling to Switzerland 

Every traveler must have a valid passport. Visas are required for a continuous stay of more than three months. If the stay is shorter than three months, travelers only need to bring their valid passport with them. This applies to citizens from: 

• Countries of the American Continent (except Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia and Peru) 
• Europe
• Japan
• Australia & New Zealand.  

For information on visas, permanent residency, work permits and business matters, please contact the nearest Swiss Consulate General.

Who needs a visa? 

Travelers from other countries than the ones mentioned above need a visa to travel to Switzerland. Information about visa requirements can be found on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration. Depending on the country of residence, travelers can submit their visa application directly at a Swiss representation abroad, an external visa service provider, at the representation of another Schengen State or via the online visa application. These possibilities are only valid for short-term visas (up to 90 days) such as tourist, visitor business visas (Schengen visa). A visa application may be submitted at the earliest three months before the planned trip.

Which documents are needed aside from the visa? 

All third-country nationals, regardless of their visa obligations, who wish to enter the Schengen Area through Switzerland must be in possession of a travel document that meets the following three requirements:

• The validity of the travel document must extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area.
• The travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years. 
• The maximum duration for short stays within the Schengen Area is 90 days in any given 180-day period. The entry and departure dates are used in the calculation of the duration of stay.

A short-stay calculator is used to calculate the amount of time available for short stays of no more than 90 days in any given 180-day period. This calculator is used for third-state nationals within the Schengen Area, regardless of their visa obligations. The link and any information regarding the calculator can be found on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration of Switzerland.

Source: State Secretariat of Migration of Switzerland.

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