 | | | 
24.03.2021, 03:09
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Canada
Posts: 10
Groaned at 1 Time in 1 Post
Thanked 6 Times in 2 Posts
| | Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid
I spent some time browsing these forums but didn't find a specific thread that deals with travel to Switzerland. Perhaps it is buried among several threads.
In any case, I am presently living in Canada but would like to visit Switzerland again in the near future. Hopefully, travel restrictions will be loosened soon. I have a valid Swiss passport, but would only visit for two weeks to a month. Travel, visit family, etc.
When people fly to Canada,
(i) they need proof of a negative molecular Covid test,
(ii) they need to get another Covid test upon arrival in Canada and stay in a government-approved hotel (at their own cost) for three days, and
(iii) they need to self-isolate for ten days after that.
I am wondering if Switzerland has the same requirements for people arriving from overseas? (If so, that effectively doubles the amount of time away from work, and expense, for a rather short visit.)
What are current requirements for citizens coming to Switzerland from North America?
| 
24.03.2021, 04:40
| Member | | Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: La Côte
Posts: 125
Groaned at 3 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 163 Times in 68 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid This should be the site with the most up-to-date information.
By giving it a quick look it seems like you'll need a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before departing and an entry form.
Canada doesn't seem to be in the list of high-risk countries for the moment, so no self-isolation is required. But have a look by yourself as well.
| 
24.03.2021, 07:37
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wallis
Posts: 6,596
Groaned at 115 Times in 80 Posts
Thanked 7,381 Times in 3,365 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid
Canada is not on the quarantine list right now (it changes every few weeks though), so currently all you need is a negative PCR test, Swiss passport and fill in the passenger info form to board a flight!
| 
24.03.2021, 08:50
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Zürich
Posts: 800
Groaned at 109 Times in 69 Posts
Thanked 1,108 Times in 550 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | Swiss passport | | | | | why?
| This user would like to thank vladest for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 09:25
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Nyon
Posts: 6,758
Groaned at 394 Times in 290 Posts
Thanked 9,330 Times in 4,374 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | What are current requirements for citizens coming to Switzerland from North America? | | | | | Note the rules are different for Canada and the USA. The US is on the quarantine list!
| 
24.03.2021, 09:30
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wallis
Posts: 6,596
Groaned at 115 Times in 80 Posts
Thanked 7,381 Times in 3,365 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | why? | | | | | I was thinking that Switzerland still has a general ban for Non-Eu citizens, so the OP should travel on their Swiss passport. But actually this might have changed.
| This user would like to thank Island Monkey for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 09:36
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Zurich
Posts: 500
Groaned at 6 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 499 Times in 247 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | why? | | | | | Non-residents can't fly to Switzerland still currently so you need a Swiss passport or residents permit. https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...nreisende.html | The following 2 users would like to thank Spaceghost for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 09:42
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Zurich
Posts: 500
Groaned at 6 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 499 Times in 247 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | But it is normally the residence that is important, not the nationality. | | | | | Agreed I'm merely saying on the Bag page it says either are fine.
They check my residence permit every time currently in UK and again here at the Swiss side, but this is because only Swiss and Liechtenstein passports can go through the E-Gates at the Swiss end at present. So someone with a Swiss passport can go straight by any manual checks.
| 
24.03.2021, 11:34
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Lausanne
Posts: 343
Groaned at 21 Times in 12 Posts
Thanked 404 Times in 187 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid
OP has a Swiss passport and Canada isn't on the risk countries list right now.
So no quarantine if travelling today.
Now, things can change super fast so it really depends on when OP is planning on travelling.
When in doubt, always check your local embassy website: https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/c...in-ottawa.html | 
24.03.2021, 12:07
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lugano
Posts: 32,602
Groaned at 2,592 Times in 1,849 Posts
Thanked 39,699 Times in 18,715 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | why? | | | | | | Quote: | |  | | | I was thinking that Switzerland still has a general ban for Non-Eu citizens, so the OP should travel on their Swiss passport. But actually this might have changed. | | | | | Swiss citizens need to enter and leave with a Swiss passport or ID card, even in non-COVID times.
Tom
| 
24.03.2021, 13:23
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Basle
Posts: 2,939
Groaned at 76 Times in 60 Posts
Thanked 2,039 Times in 1,188 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | Non-residents can't fly to Switzerland still currently | | | | | Having a Swiss passport doesn't make you resident but nevermind nationals and residents are allowed.
| This user would like to thank Landers for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 13:25
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Basle
Posts: 2,939
Groaned at 76 Times in 60 Posts
Thanked 2,039 Times in 1,188 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid
Surey surely surely surely surely you can just google "entry requirements Switzerland" to be sure before you find yourself arguing "Well joe546 said it was ok on the English Forum" at the boarding gate.
| This user would like to thank Landers for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 13:32
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Suhr, Aargau
Posts: 4,363
Groaned at 73 Times in 68 Posts
Thanked 6,088 Times in 2,871 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid
In map form, Canada, no quarantine required since 29.10.2020 https://www.covid19.admin.ch/en/inte...?mapZoom=world | 
24.03.2021, 14:26
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Zürich
Posts: 800
Groaned at 109 Times in 69 Posts
Thanked 1,108 Times in 550 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | or EU passport
noone actually asked me residence permit on departure
| 
24.03.2021, 14:29
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Zürich
Posts: 800
Groaned at 109 Times in 69 Posts
Thanked 1,108 Times in 550 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | Swiss citizens need to enter and leave with a Swiss passport or ID card, even in non-COVID times. 
Tom | | | | | no. EU passport is fine as well.
10 years ago we even entered with Ukrainian passports with Schengen visa (now it will not work)
| 
24.03.2021, 15:17
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Zurich
Posts: 500
Groaned at 6 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 499 Times in 247 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | or EU passport
noone actually asked me residence permit on departure | | | | | Have you flown in the last month or two?
They will if you fly from the UK. Probably not from Schengen countries. Unless you have Swiss residency/passport you are not currently permitted to fly to Switzerland from non-Schengen countries (as listed clearly on the Bag page).
In the last few weeks they've asked for my residence permit also on the way out at Zurich airport to check for passengers trying to transit through the country and have scanned both that and my UK passport outbound and back in.
Last edited by Spaceghost; 24.03.2021 at 15:35.
| 
24.03.2021, 15:20
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lugano
Posts: 32,602
Groaned at 2,592 Times in 1,849 Posts
Thanked 39,699 Times in 18,715 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | no. EU passport is fine as well. | | | | | Not if you are Swiss.
Tom
| 
24.03.2021, 15:24
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Lugano
Posts: 32,602
Groaned at 2,592 Times in 1,849 Posts
Thanked 39,699 Times in 18,715 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | Unless you have Swiss residency you are not currently permitted to fly to Switzerland from non-Schengen countries (as listed clearly on the Bag page). | | | | | If you are Swiss you do not require Swiss residency.
OP is Swiss.
Tom
| This user would like to thank st2lemans for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 15:26
| Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Zurich
Posts: 500
Groaned at 6 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 499 Times in 247 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | If you are Swiss you do not require Swiss residency.
OP is Swiss.
Tom | | | | | Agreed (adjusted my earlier post) and also what I'd pasted earlier but my comment was more to vladest who was implying EU passport is ok to enter, which it isnt necessarily. For example if you try and fly from the UK direct to Switzerland on a EU passport with no residence permit they won't let you and will insist you would have to fly to a Schengen country first.
| This user would like to thank Spaceghost for this useful post: | | 
24.03.2021, 15:35
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wallis
Posts: 6,596
Groaned at 115 Times in 80 Posts
Thanked 7,381 Times in 3,365 Posts
| | Re: Flying TO Switzerland in Light of Covid | Quote: | |  | | | Agreed and also what I pasted earlier but my comment was more to vladest who was implying EU passport is ok to enter, which it isnt necessarily. For example if you try and fly from the UK direct to Switzerland on a EU passport they won't let you and will insist you would have to fly to a Schengen country first. | | | | | This is wrong.
There was a time back in December when only Swiss residents could enter from the U.K.
Then it changed and anyone with EU zone freedom of movement could enter from U.K. and other Non-EU. Countries.
Then it changed again, and if the country was not on the at risk list, anyone can enter (risk list only Swiss & EU cit/res).
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 17:43. | |