Please find below the 6 most important topics regarding Brexit and travel from the UK to Switzerland for British citizens as of 1 January 2021.
The below doesn’t apply to UK citizens who are residents in Switzerland and vice-versa (including their family members, frontier works and services providers but not leisure or business travellers).
- Passports
Travellers may need to renew their British passport earlier if they’re travelling from 1 January 2021.
Required passport validity:
- the validity of the travel document must extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area; AND
- the travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years
- Visas for short trips
As tourists, travellers do not need a visa for short trips to Switzerland. They can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- Entering Switzerland
At border control, travellers from the UK may need to:
– show a return or onward ticket – a return ticket is not a formal requirement, but there is a possibility that border control might ask to show it in order to confirm the return.
– show they have enough money for their stay
It is also expected that they will have to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing (‘all passports’).
- Healthcare
Travellers should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before they go abroad.
They should also make sure it covers any pre-existing conditions that were previously covered by your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Information for UK nationals visiting Switzerland is available on the NHS website.
- Driving Licence
Switzerland continues to recognise valid UK driving licences and the International Driving Permit is not required in order to drive a motor vehicle in Switzerland.
Drivers with valid UK licence plates do not have to present an international motor insurance certificate (Green Card) when entering Switzerland and driving in Switzerland.
However the rules are different for other EU/EEA countries. Drivers with UK licence plates are advised to have a Green Card when entering an EU/EEA country in the future.
- Mobile roaming
Check with your phone operator to find out about any roaming charges you may have to pay.
For more information: