Current entry restrictions in Switzerland

Following the adoption by the Swiss Federal Council of measures to control the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and to protect the population in Switzerland, the following rules are currently applicable:

All notifications must be made from the first day of activity, regardless of the sector or industry concerned.

In principle, only activities that meet an predominant public interest within the meaning of COVID-19 Ordinance 2 can be accepted:

• Visit in case of death of a close family member living in Switzerland;

• Continuation of necessary medical care started in Switzerland or abroad;

• Return to Switzerland from the previous foreign residence of a Swiss citizen together with his spouse and minor child(ren);

• Urgent official visits in order to fulfil international obligations;

• Entry of crew members of public means of transport (railways, buses, trams, scheduled and charter flights) and crew members of cargo, work and ambulance flights, maintenance flights and private flights (business and general flights) to carry persons entitled to enter; drivers of private schools;

• Care for sick, elderly or underage family members, regardless of the degree of kinship;

• The exercise of the right to visit children and their accompanying person, regulated by civil law, also includes the child’s entry into Switzerland;

• Visiting the nuclear family (spouses, registered partners and minor children). This is also possible for EU/EFTA nuclear family members who are staying in Switzerland for the purposes of temporary employment (namely seasonal workers, agricultural assistants).

• Attendance at business meetings in court or business meetings that cannot be postponed and require personal presence (e.g. negotiations and signing of contracts, business visits or other important representation tasks)

• The care or reception/delivery of animals, which must be carried out in person, as the animals would otherwise be damaged or die;

• Entry of health professionals and their family members (Article 3(1)(g) of COVID-19 Ordinance 2);

• Entry of persons who need to enter in order to carry out urgent maintenance work on basic infrastructure (Article 3(1)(f) of COVID-19 Regulation 2); e.g. specialists in the maintenance of nuclear power plants;

• Accompanying persons for persons entering and leaving Switzerland whose entry is permitted under Article 3 of COVID-19 of Regulation 2 and who need special assistance, e.g. children, elderly, disabled and sick persons;

• Entry of EU/EFTA workers with an employment contract (concluded before 25 March 2020) and a signed and valid rental contract (valid from 1 April 2020 at the latest) in Switzerland;

• Resumption of cross-border attendance at an earlier compulsory school or day-care centre in Switzerland with an accompanying person for minors.

Exceptions are possible in particular if the service contract or the employment contract with the Swiss employer was concluded before 25 March 2020. The same applies if the employee has already worked for the same employer at least twice. This should be indicated in the ‘comments’ box of the notification. In addition, documents providing evidence, such as a signed employment contract, must be sent by e-mail to the competent cantonal authority. Applications which do not meet these requirements will not be considered.

Entry into Switzerland is permitted only after confirmation of the notification. Suspended notifications shall be removed seven days after the end of the registration obligation.

Only the cantonal authorities are competent to handle notifications. Specific questions concerning the processing of notifications should be addressed to the competent cantonal authorities (list below).

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home/ueberuns/kontakt/kantonale_behoerden/Adressen_Meldeverfahren.html

Since 11 May, the Federal Council has been gradually relaxing restrictions. Swiss citizens and persons with a valid residence permit or work permit in Switzerland are allowed to enter Switzerland from abroad. It should be possible to issue work permits under a simplified procedure from 8 June. Transit and the movement of goods through Switzerland with appropriate supporting documents are also permitted.

The Federal Council intends to lift all restrictions on travel to and from Schengen States by 6 July at the latest.

Reference:

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/fza_schweiz-eu-efta/meldeverfahren.html

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home.html