Switzerland Removes All Entry Requirements
In more travel news this week, officials in Switzerland announced on Thursday that the nation will be removing its covid-related entry requirements for travelers. The updated guidance will come into effect on May 2nd, 2022.
The announcement was made by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) on Thursday via a post on Twitter, confirming that “the entry restrictions currently in place will be lifted from May 2. As of that date, the usual rules for entering Switzerland will apply.”
This week’s news makes Switzerland the 34th country so far to remove all Covid-related entry requirements that were originally put in place at the beginning of the pandemic.
Testing And Vaccination Requirements To Be Removed From May 2
Thursday’s official announcement means that effective Monday, May 2nd, all Covid-related entry requirements will be lifted for travelers, including those coming from countries still on Switzerland’s “high-risk” list.
This means that travelers, regardless of the country they are arriving from, or what their vaccination status is, will be able to enter Switzerland without any travel restrictions.
What Are The Current Travel Restrictions For Switzerland?
Until May 2, all current entry rules will stay in place.
At this time, only fully vaccinated travelers from third countries can travel to Switzerland for non-essential purposes.
To be admitted, the last vaccine dosage must have been given no later than 9 months (270 days) prior to departure. Travelers may also provide official proof of recovery from the virus as an alternative, and also have a negative Covid test result for travel. But as of Monday, May 2nd, these requirements will be dropped.
Switzerland’s Travel Restrictions Updated Back In February
This isn’t the first time Switzerland has announced that it will be scrapping entry requirements for travelers.
Back in February, the SEM stated that the country would be dropping its Covid-related travel restrictions, but the guidance was quickly amended the following day for travelers coming from third countries, which included those from the United States and Canada.
The move would have made Switzerland part of the first group of countries to fully remove Covid restrictions for international travelers, but disagreements between different levels of government kept the restrictions from being removed early on in 2022.
Entry Requirements For Switzerland To Be Lifted – Information For Travelers
From May 2, 2022, all Covid-related entry restrictions will no longer be required for international arrivals to Switzerland. The travel restrictions that will be removed include:
- No pre-departure or on arrival testing for travelers, regardless of vaccination status
- No proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid required
- No quarantine requirements
- No countries banned due to varients or cases
This means that once the new guidance goes into effect, international visitors to Switzerland as well as domestic returning travelers can travel to Switzerland as in pre-pandemic times, with no Covid-related entry restrictions at the land or air crossing.
What About If I’m Transiting/Traveling Through Switzerland?
Switzerland shares a land border with a number of other popular destinations with tourists, including Germany, Italy, France, and Austria via Liechtenstein. Considering this, it’s inevitable that travelers will find themselves passing through Switzerland at some point during their Europe trip.
So if you are planning on spending some time traveling around a few countries in the area, know that transiting through Switzerland from a neighboring country in the Schengen zone is allowed for travelers from the US, Canada, and other third countries without any entry requirements.
What About Masks And Other Internal Restrictions?
Switzerland’s official SEM guidance states that while masks and social distancing continues to be recommended, they are no longer required. As of April 1st, the country scrapped its internal restrictions, including the mask mandate for public transportation.
With the mask mandate gone for transportation, tourists should know that flights into Switzerland from countries that have also dropped mask mandates will be mask-free as well.
How To Prepare For Your Trip
As always, make sure to read up on the official government guidance before booking your trip as well as before setting off to travel.
You can read more about the full official guidance for travelers to Switzerland on the State Secretariat for Migration website.
Keep in mind that Switzerland does not require travelers to have insurance to visit, but it is always recommended. You can see some of the best options for Covid-related coverage here.
Source: https://bit.ly/3OvUWko
