ETIAS to Switzerland
Landlocked in the alpine heart of Europe between Italy, France, Germany and Austria the Swiss Confederation is a politically and culturally unique country even in the much diverse scenery of the old continent.
Switzerland ETIAS: main points
Swiss Confederation to be come recipient of the ETIAS System starting from 2025
ETIAS necessary to enter Switzerland for visitors from 60 Visa Waiver Countries
ETIAS allows for a stay in the EU/Schengen Area in its entirety, with the exception of Ireland, not to exceed 90 days in 6 months and only for either leisure, business, transit or medical treatment
ETIAS holder’s passport must have 3 months of remaining validity since the days they plan to leave Europe.
Switzerland and Europe
Being the only European country famously able not be involved in World War II, Switzerland gave along the years proof of its fierce diplomatic powers both exteriorly and interiorly. 3 major linguistic groups and 26 cantonal authorities created the landscape for a country whose existence demanded a deep-rooted mediation talent.
Such a predisposition embedded in the Swiss cultural heritage also contributed towards creating a winning business culture that made Switzerland’s trading and banking firms among the most renewed in the world.
This one-of-a-kind tendency to seek for total political independence on the international side while at the same time pursuing a relentless growth of its commercial interests, led Switzerland to never join the European Union on the one hand while on the other hand it joined the Schengen Area in year 2008.
Being therefore a Schengen Area Member Switzerland will, from early 2025, be requiring an ETIAS to short term visitors coming from outside the aforementioned area and holders of a passport issued by one of the sixty Visa Waiver eligible countries.To candidate for Switzerland ETIAS
With its inception ETIAS System aims to present vistors to the Swiss Confederation and Europe in General more efficient border control checks upon arrival from outside the Union.
ETIAS System is also expected to have the effect of remarkably reducing occurrence of border rejections.
Building a more secure travel environment without de facto creating any obstacle to travellers; this is the aim the whole ETIAS system has been designed with. The ETIAS application procedure has been therefore drafted so as to be easy to approach and should require each applicant no more than a few minutes of time.
In order to put their application for ETIAS forward all future eligible travelers to Switzerland, are required to fill out a short form where they are to report a short set of data such as:- Full name and surname
- Surname at birth
- Date, place and country of birth
- Passport number
- Passport’s authority and place of issue
- Passport’s issue and expiry date
- Contact details
- First country of intended stay in ETIAS Area
- Background questions
Receiving ETIAS application outcome
Once the application has been sent through by mean of ETIAS taxes payment and feedback becomes available, in most cases within 72 hours and with a positive response, ETIAS Visa Waiver will be sent to the personal e-mail of each applicant.
Visa Waiver validity
Once issued ETIAS Visa Waiver is valid for 3 years from its date of issue and allows for multiple entries in Switzerland and the other 33 Member Countries as long as each travel complies with the general ETIAS limitations for purpose and duration of stay as previously summarized in the Main Notes and additionally analyzed here.Main terms of use of ETIAS to Switzerland
Visa Waiver visitors that already hold a valid Schengen Visa or a Permit of Stay issued by a Schengen Member Country are not required to have a valid ETIAS to enter the Confederation or any other ETIAS Area Country. Such exception currently does not apply to Visa Waiver visitors that hold a National Visa, or a Residence Permit issued by any of those 3 EU Nations that are bound to join Schengen Area but have still not perfected their membership. These countries are: Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria.
Any individual holding Visa Waiver rights to Europe whose aim is to work or study in the EU/Schengen Area on a long-term basis will not be considered eligible for ETIAS and will still be required to apply for Consular Schengen Visa.
Although ETIAS is not fit for long term study programs in the EU, ETIAS Visa Waiver can be used to enter the Switzerland for short training programs if the stay in the ETIAS countries area will not pass the threshold of ninety days within six months.Additional requirements
When arriving in the Switzerland from outside the Schengen Area, Border Control Officers will have the authority to ask ETIAS holders to present additional documents to assess the purpose of their travel and to make sure no passenger plans to overstay in the ETIAS Area.
Among the supporting documents that might be required are:- Return ticket to the country of origin
- Onwards ticket to a non-ETIAS country
- Proof of sufficient funds to support one’s stay in the ETIAS Area