COVID-19

Travelling to Switzerland - Q&A

Can I enter Switzerland from Canada?  No.

Are there exceptions?    Yes

• Swiss citizens (if you do not have a valid Swiss passport, please contact the Consulate General in Montréal or Vancouver)
• Permanent residents in Switzerland with proof of permanent residency.
• EU/EFTA citizens with a valid passport
• Canadians citizens and permanent residents in Canada for documented essential purposes only, subject to authorization.

For details please check the website for Federal Office Migration FAQ "Who is not affected by the ban no entry to Switzerland"

What do I have to do to get an exemption for essential travels?
Please email us: vancouver.visa@eda.admin.ch

If I am entitled to enter Switzerland, do I need to go into quarantine?
No, not until further notice. See updates by the Federal Office of Public Health.

Can I transit through Switzerland to a third country?
Consult the entry FAQs by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). 

For all current information, consult our COVID-19 page.

Visit to the Consulate

Consular services are available, but for urgent and essential cases and by appointment only. Wearing a facial-mask is recommended.

Life Certificate for the Swiss pension AHV/AVS 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swiss Compensation Office (SCO) in Geneva is now accepting – and until the end of April 2021 – the life certificate, filled out and signed by the insured Swiss abroad, together with a copy of a valid identity document (with photo). The documents can be sent to the Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver, which will then forward them to the competent office in Geneva.

A scan of the life certificate (both sides) along with the copy of a valid identity document (with photo) can also be sent directly to the SCO.    Insured Foreign Nationals should have the life certificate legalized by a local authority before sending it to the Consulate, or, as stated above, sending it to the SCO.