Third-country nationals

Citizens of all other countries must meet the following entry requirements:

  • Third-country nationals (non EU/EFTA), regardless of their visa obligation status,  wishing to enter  Schengen Area for a short-term stay (without exercising a gainful occupation) not exceeding 90 days per 180-day period must be in possession of a recognised travel document that meets both of the following two requirements:
    •  The travel document is valid  for at least three months after the intended date of departure from Schengen Area; and
    •  it was issued within the last 10 years (the date of issue only concerns entry into the Schengen Area).

    The travel document’s date of issue is the determining factor, regardless of any decision made by the authorities to extend the period of validity.

    The two conditions mentioned above do not apply to travel documents of third-country nationals who hold a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen country,
    List of residence permits issued by Schengen Member States (PDF, 926 kB, 06.03.2024)
    or to persons who were issued a valid category D visa for a long-term stay by a Schengen country (national visa, considered as equivalent to a residence permit[1]). In such cases, the travel document must be valid at the time of entry and remain valid for the entire duration of the planned stay in Switzerland or in any other Schengen country.

    Please find travel documents entitling the holder to cross the external borders in the following document:
    Table of recognised travel documents
    To ensure that the most recent documents are available at all times, reference is made to the website of the European Commission. The documents can be found at the bottom of the page under «Related documents»: (Travel documents issued by third countries and territorial entities (Part I); Travel documents issued by Member States (Part II); Travel documents issued by international organisations and other entities subject to international law (Part III); List of known fantasy and camouflage passports).
  • They must not remain longer than the maximum period of time established for stays within the Schengen Area.
    The maximum stay within the Schengen Area is 90 days per 180-day period. Use the short-stay calculator to determine/verify the amount of time available for any given stay:
    Calculation of short-term stays / short-stay calculator
  • They are able to demonstrate the purpose and circumstances of their stay in Switzerland and/or the Schengen country(ies) to be visited.
  • They have sufficient financial resources to cover the entire duration of their intended stay as well as the return trip to their country of origin, the transit trip through a third country, or can obtain the necessary financial resources by some other lawful means.

    Sufficient financial resources can be demonstrated by showing cash, traveller’s cheques, credit cards or other collateral (e.g. bank guarantee).

    Third-country nationals who remain in Switzerland at their own expense must be able to demonstrate that they have enough financial resources to cover at least CHF 100 per day of their stay. The reference amount for students with a valid student permit is CHF 30 per day.

    If a stay in another Schengen country is planned, the calculation of adequate financial resources shall be based on the reference amounts established by national authorities. See
    Reference amounts required for the crossing of the external border fixed by national authorities (PDF, 175 kB, 13.03.2013)

    If the entry takes place through a Schengen country that is not the main destination, the State Secretariat for Migration SEM recommends – particularly to third-country nationals who are not required to hold a visa in order to enter Switzerland – that they carry traveller’s cheques, debit cards or credit cards as well as cash in the currency of the transit country in question.
  • The Schengen Information System (SIS) or national database does not list their names as persons who have been denied entry.

    Persons wishing to query SIS data should contact:
      Bundesamt für Polizei fedpol
      Datenschutzberaterin
      Nussbaumstrasse 29
      3003 Bern
    Further information see Information about SIS data

    Persons wishing to obtain information regarding an entry ban should contact:
      State Secretariat for Migration
      Authorisation of Stays Division
      Quellenweg 6
      3003 Bern-Wabern
      Tel. +41 58 465 11 11
      Fax +41 58 465 93 79
      aufenthalt@sem.admin.ch
  • You may not be expelled from Switzerland.
  • They pose no risk to public order, domestic security, public health or international relations with a Schengen country. 

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[1] Temporary stay permits shall not be considered as equivalent to a residence permit, since these documents are only issued for the time period required to review an initial application for a residence permit or an application for asylum.


Glossary

EU
European Union

EFTA
European Free Trade Association

Short stay
90 days in any 180 days period

Third countries
Countries that are not members of the European Union and/or the Schengen Area

Travel document
Swiss passport, temporary passport or ID card

   

Last modification 14.09.2021

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