Schengen rules apply in full, so your 90 days are shared with the rest of Europe. But Switzerland is outside the EU customs union, which is the part that catches people out at the border.
- Switzerland is in Schengen but not the EU, so there are no routine passport checks on the land borders - but there are customs checks, because it is outside the EU customs union.
- The stay is 90 days in any rolling 180, counted across the whole Schengen area, and since 10 April 2026 there is no stamp - your face and fingerprints are registered instead.
- ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected; the Q4 2026 target was withdrawn in July 2026. It will cost EUR 20 when it arrives.
- The tax-free import limit halved to CHF 150 per person per day on 1 January 2025, and once you go over, 8.1 percent VAT is charged on the entire value - CHF 160 of shopping means CHF 12.96, not 81 centimes.
- Meat is capped at 1 kg a person, and customs officers do stop cars at the French and German borders, particularly on Saturdays. Declare with the QuickZoll app.
Schengen, but not the EU
Switzerland joined Schengen in December 2008 and has never joined the EU. That split explains almost everything odd about arriving here.
- Your stay is capped at 90 days in any rolling 180, counted across the whole Schengen area.
- There are no routine passport checks on the land borders with France, Germany, Italy and Austria.
- There are customs checks, because Switzerland is outside the EU customs union. Officers at land borders and airports are looking at what you are carrying, not at your passport.
- Arriving from outside Schengen means a full border check at Zurich, Geneva or Basel.
No more stamps
- The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. Your face and fingerprints are registered instead.
- Children under 12 give no fingerprints.
- The first registration takes a few extra minutes. Later crossings are quick.
- Keep your own record of dates, because there is no stamp to count and the database is not visible to you.
ETIAS is not running
- The official EU site states that ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected.
- The Q4 2026 launch target was withdrawn in July 2026. Advice telling you to apply before travelling this year is out of date.
- It will cost EUR 20 when it does arrive.
Where your nationality lands
| You hold | What you need |
|---|---|
| Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland | Nothing. Free movement under the Swiss and EU agreement |
| USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan | No visa. 90 days in any 180 |
| China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia | Schengen visa in advance |
- The Schengen visa fee rose to EUR 90 on 11 June 2026. Swiss representations charge the franc equivalent, around CHF 95, and adjusted their tables in May 2026.
- EU citizens use free movement rights under the bilateral agreement rather than EU law, but in practice a passport or national ID card is all you need.
- Russian applicants inside Russia are now issued single-entry visas as a rule, following the Commission's decision of 7 November 2025.
- Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 is a visa condition.
What you may bring in
This is the Swiss-specific part, and it changed on 1 January 2025.
- The tax-free value limit halved from CHF 300 to CHF 150 per person per day.
- Once you go over, VAT of 8.1 percent is charged on the entire value, not just the excess. CHF 160 of shopping means CHF 12.96 of VAT, not 81 centimes.
- Meat is limited to 1 kg a person, which catches people driving back from an Italian butcher.
- Alcohol: 5 litres up to 18 percent plus 1 litre above 18 percent, for over 17s.
- Declare with the QuickZoll app if you are over the limits. It calculates and takes payment before you cross.
- Customs officers do stop cars at the French and German borders, particularly on Saturdays, and the fines are not nominal.
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