Ok, some clarity. Yesterday I emailed SEM for some clarification, the full response is at the bottom of this post. In summary:
Yesterday, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) removed the requirement for quarantine for travellers arriving from or having spent time in the last ten-days in the UK.
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has a separate list of countries to which entry to Switzerland is allowed from. As of 25th March 2021, this currently consists of Schengen states, plus:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Ireland
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Romania
- San Marino
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Vatican / Holy See
Note that the UK is not presently included on this list, as such, it is still considered 'high-risk' and entry to Switzerland is not permitted on just a UK passport, you must also have a valid work or residency visa.
Copy of the email response, I've highlighted pertinent parts in bold, note that its been translated from French into English also:
Since 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom nationals and Northern Ireland are processed for entry into Switzerland as nationals of a third country exempted from the visa requirement, either for a stay short or long term.
If they enter from a State at risk and wish to stay in our country for a short time (for example to spend a holiday there), entry into our country will in principle be refused. This also applies to family members. In addition, the United Kingdom appears on the list of countries at risk from the SEM.
[b]We draw your attention to the fact that the United Kingdom of Great Britain is on the list of countries at risk as provided for in Annex 1 of Ordinance 3 of June 19, 2020 on measures to combat the coronavirus (in short: ordinance 3 COVID-19, RS 818.101.24; cf. art. 3 paragraph 2 of the said ordinance for the definition of a country or a region at risk).[b]
Entry into Switzerland is thus refused to any person coming from this country for a stay not subject to authorization of a duration of three months at the most without aiming to exercise a gainful activity (art. 4 para. 1 ordinance 3 COVID-19), unless there is a reason of absolute necessity, within the meaning of art. 4 al. 2 Ordinance 3 COVID-19 and the SEM directive of February 12, 2021 relating to the implementation of the aforementioned COVID-19 ordinance 3 (ch. 1.5).
Any hardship request must be duly motivated and documented. This request must be filed with the competent Swiss representation based on the place of residence (
www.swiss-visa.ch ), even if the person is not subject to the visa requirement.
You will find all the necessary information, including the aforementioned ordinance and directive, on the home page of our website
www.sem.admin.ch (blue square on the left of the home page). By clicking otherwise on the link "FAQ and assistance service of the SEM Entry restrictions" appearing in the pink square at the top of the home page of our website, then on "Entry" and on the questions "Can- I am entering Switzerland from a state on the list of countries at risk? "," Who is not affected by the entry ban into Switzerland? " and "When are we in the presence of a situation of absolute necessity (case of hardship)?", you will be directly informed about the notion of situation of absolute necessity and on the procedure to follow in such circumstances.
On the other hand, if you can avail yourself of a right to free movement of ALCP persons (cf. 1.7 of the following link
https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/fr/home...reise/faq.html ), the usual entry conditions apply.
Finally, if however entry into Switzerland were to be authorized for you, we would like to point out that for any health issue in Switzerland (quarantine to be respected or exemption from said quarantine, entry form to be completed, presentation of a PCR test negative, etc.), it is your responsibility, before your departure, to contact the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP), which has sole jurisdiction in the matter, through its website
www.ofsp.admin.ch .
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