Published on 9 January 2026

Entry without visa

• Swiss citizens

  As a Swiss citizen, you have the right to enter Switzerland. You must prove or provide credible evidence of your Swiss citizenship when crossing the border. The following documents are recommended for this purpose:

  • a valid swiss passport or identity card
  • Photocopy of the valid passport, temporary passport, or ID card,
  • An expired or invalidated Swiss travel document,
  • An official document showing the person’s identity and/or citizenship (e.g. driver’s licence).

• EU/EFTA citizens

  EU or EFTA citizens must satisfy the following entry requirements:

  • They must present valid personal identification, an ID card or a passport.
    Depending on the country, Switzerland may recognise other travel documents. Overview:
    Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality.
  • They must not pose a threat to public order and security.
  • You have not been sentenced to expulsion or to a measure of exclusion.

  Family members of EU/EFTA citizens

  As a third-country national and family member of an EU/EFTA citizen, you must meet the following entry requirements:

  • If you come from a country for which a visa is required (you can check this here: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), you must be in possession of a valid C visa (Schengen visa).
  • You must be in possession of a recognized travel document (see list: Identity card and visa requirements by nationality) that is valid for at least three months after the date of your planned departure from the Schengen area and was issued less than ten years ago (the date of issue is only relevant for entry into the Schengen area).
  • If necessary, you have a valid residence permit from a Schengen member state or a visa;
  • You are not listed in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for refusal of entry.
  • You do not pose a threat to public order, internal security, public health, or the international relations of any of the Schengen states.
  • You have not been sentenced to expulsion or a measure of exclusion.

  Who is considered a family member?

  Regardless of their citizenship, the following persons are considered as family members of EU and EFTA citizens:

  • The spouse or registered unmarried partner of an EU or EFTA citizen. Registered partnership status must be based on legislation in effect in the EU/EFTA member state and this status must be established as legally equivalent to marital status in both the EU/EFTA member state and host country;
  • The relatives in the direct descending line of the EU or EFTA citizen, or their spouse or registered partner, who are either under the age of 21 or are dependent on them;
    e.g. children, grandchildren
  • The relatives in the direct ascending line and those of the spouse who are dependent on the EU or EFTA citizen
    e.g. parents or grandparents