Current Covid Travel Entry Requirements for US Residents

They have not. You can check the entry requirements here:

https://travelcheck.admin.ch/home

I thought Switzerland had dropped Covid related entry requirements on Feb 17.

Why any country would drop a vaccination requirement makes no sense.

I thought Switzerland had dropped Covid related entry requirements on
Feb 17.

The Feb. 17th press release did create some initial confusion. Entry restrictions still apply to countries on the high-risk list, which the US is on.

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

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/sem/aktuell/faq-einreiseverweigerung.html

I'm afraid that if you are not vaccinated you need to wait a while longer, given the current rules.

I'm not vaccinated, so I can wait a little longer till they change the rules.

I believe that one can travel from a neighboring country which does take unvaccinated American tourists such as Italy, France or Austria directly into Switzerland, as an unvaccinated American tourist. However, that same unvaccinated American tourist would not be able to fly direct from the US to Switzerland.

Was it the end of this month that Switzerland is evaluating whether to end all remaining covid restrictions such as mask wearing on public transportation? Perhaps at that point they will address the issue of whether they will become like Iceland, Ireland, England Norway, Mexico etc and totally scrap covid documentation or stay on the cautious side.

Rob, yes, the gov. meets on April 1 to discuss lifting the requirements to isolate in the event of a positive test and to wear masks on public transport and in healthcare institutions. I haven’t heard of any potential changes to the entry requirements set by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). But, anything is possible.

and with the new sub-variant now wreaking havoc in Germany and the UK - even lockdowns in China - they could just as easily clamp down again on the unvaccinated

I've heard that unvaccinated U.S. travelers can enter Denmark but if they plan to stay in the country for more than transit time between transportation hubs, they must take a C19 test within 24 hours. Apparently, entry into Switzerland is permitted if you're traveling from Denmark and are unvaccinated but not if you enter Switzerland directly from the U.S.

Does anyone know if this is accurate. It isn't clear from the Swiss website links regarding C19.

boston, the travel check above will ask you where you are coming from and what you need to enter.

Yes Carrie, I checked the Travel Check which says I can enter the country. However, it is not a firm answer since I am from the U.S. and unvaccinated. When I got to the links on Entering Switzerland it appears as though I can't enter unless I'm vaxxed.

Boston, then I would suggest following the rules for high-risk countries, which includes the US.

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/sem/aktuell/faq-einreiseverweigerung.html#1668147653

Carrie, that link is fascinating because it has a whole detailed discussion about what qualifies as travelling from a high risk area or not, in terms of airline flights, and it seems that they have all of these details laid out for a reason. That reason seems to me to be that it in terms of unvaccinated or non-qualified due to boosters it really does matter where you are coming from, or else why go to all the lengths to describe the differences?

The Swiss government did decide last week to consider recovered from covid as allowing one to travel direct from the US (and other non-European high risk areas) to Switzerland.

Thats probably why the travel check tool was updated. Next week apparently they will decide on lifting most or all of the remaining restrictions, the big ones being masks in public transport and quarantine after a positive test. I'll make no predictions on the outcome.

Rob/Carrie,
Our family is fully vaccinated and will be visiting Greece & Switzerland in June. Our friends that will be meeting us in Greece and traveling with us to Switzerland have unvaccinated kids (the oldest will turn 18 in June before the trip). Travelcheck says entry from Greece to Switzerland is currently possible even for unvaccinated. I was under the impression the adults had to be vaccinated and minors could enter with their fully vaccinated parent. Am I misunderstanding Travelcheck? Thanks for any feedback.

Mr&MrsSmith, currently, to enter Switzerland you need proof of vaccine OR proof of recovery. You can find the details here. Look under entering Switzerland and then who can enter. The 18-year old will need to meet this requirement as a child is under 18.

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/sem/aktuell/faq-einreiseverweigerung.html#-1871257744

The vaccine must have been administered in full within the past 270
days.

Will this be a problem for me? I received my Pfizer booster last October but my trip is at the end of July, a few weeks after the 270 days.

The fourth dose is on the way shortly . I had my third in October 2021 , so I'll take a second booster this coming July . That will work out the timing perfectly for my Autumn trip . https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fda-expected-to-authorize-second-coronavirus-booster-for-50-and-older/ar-AAVwUa8?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Thank you Carrie. That’s what I thought but got confused when Travelcheck and Airheart sites show unvaccinated travelers are allowed entering through Greece.

Edited to add that I also checked Sherpa and it shows unvaccinated US passport holder is allowed entry from Greece.

Greece has been removed from the SEM high-risk list if I read that correctly. If our friends were entering directly from the US (high-risk country) the 18 yr old would have to meet one of the requirements. But they will be entering after visiting Greece. I’ve have them email SEM for clarification.

I also read on The Federal Council site there will possibly be changes to entry rules next week.

Mr and Mrs Smith,

Yes, it does look like the unvaccinated 18 year old would be allowed to enter from Greece. Personally, however, I'd want to get as much documentation about this as possible. I wonder if the gate agents will even have dealt with a situation like this before. Its one thing to maybe travel on a train from Austria or Italy into Switzerland as an unvaccinated US resident/passport holder and then if you have a problem have an alternative plan b available, but to actually be flying in from a distant part of Europe and then have a problem, and to be stuck in Greece while everyone else goes on there way would be a vacation disaster.

Hopefully things get clarified/simplified in the coming weeks.

Rob, thank you for your feedback. It is one thing to see it is allowed from Sherpa, Travelcheck, & Airheart and another to actually hear first hand from someone who entered Switzerland this way. I haven’t read of anyone who’s done this yet. We’ll see what changes this week brings.

So correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that if you are boosted you are OK for entry, even if your booster was over 270 days. If it has been more than 270 days since your initial sequence of (2) doses (or single JnJ), then you must get a booster prior to entry.

Kevin, I don't think that is correct. From the Swiss travel check site as of March 29:

The duration of validity of a vaccination is 270 days from the date of
complete vaccination; for the Janssen vaccine, the duration is 270
days from the 22nd day after vaccination.

This may be relaxed in the near future but who knows.

I found information that states 270 days from last vaccination which would mean booster as well.

It definitely means your booster …so if booster was mid October 2021 …you would be considered unvaccinated by July 13.

I emailed the Ministry of Immigration who is over this. I changed my trip from Switzerland to England

From the Swiss Minister of Migration:
Dear Madams,
According to the actual restrictions, US citizens can enter (from the USA, which is considered to be a high-risk country) for tourism purposes only if vaccinated with an authorised vaccine (like Moderna).
The vaccine must have been administered in full within the past 270 days. Proof of vaccination may take the form of a COVID-19 certificate. If the certificate has not yet been introduced, vaccination must be proven by another suitable document. This must contain the following information
§ Surname, first name(s)
§ Date of birth
§ Date of vaccination,
§ Vaccine used
In your case, you’re considered vaccinated until the 29th of June 2022 (traveller 1) or 12 July 2022 (traveller 2).
Unfortunately, at the date of the entry to Switzerland (according to the actual rules), traveller 1 would no more be considered as vaccinated. Entry would not be allowed.
My email to him specified our 3 doses - 2 primary - taken 1/1/2021 & 2/4/2021… the 3rd shot was our booster taken 10/2/2021 & 10/15/21.

Does anyone have any intel on Switzerland dropping vaccine requirement for U.S. travelers flying directly into Switzerland?

mmnafletcher, I have not heard anything. I check a local paper, the tages-anzeiger, daily and also check the Swiss gov meeting press releases.

We need for the US to be taken off the high-risk country list before any vaccine requirement will be dropped.

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/sem/aktuell/faq-einreiseverweigerung.html#1668147653

If I hear anything official, I will create a new post with details.