Embassy of Switzerland in Russia
As the official representation of Switzerland, the embassy covers all matters concerning diplomatic relations between the two countries. It represents Swiss interests in the areas of political, economic and financial affairs, legal arrangements, science, education and culture.
Coronavirus: Update of the travel restrictions
Travelling to Switzerland (no quarantine)
Swiss nationals and holders of a Swiss residence permit B or C, citizens of a of a Member State of the European Union and citizens of a Member State of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) are allowed to enter Switzerland. There are regular direct flights between Russia and Switzerland (Zurich and Geneva).
The issuing of Schengen visas to third-country nationals is suspended until further notice. Persons from third countries, including Russia, are only allowed to enter Switzerland in exceptional cases (cf. Ordinance 3 on Measures to Combat the Coronavirus).
The visa counters of the Embassy and those of our partner TLS Russia remain closed. No visas for tourism are being issued for the time being. Russian citizens who are in a situation of necessity and have to travel to Switzerland, need a special authorization (laissez-passer) from the Embassy of Switzerland to enter Switzerland even if they have a valid Schengen visa.
If you wish to receive such an authorization or have other specific questions, please contact the Visa Section of the Embassy by email: moscow.visa@eda.admin.ch
Travellers from Russia are obliged to fill in an entry form before crossing the border. The obligation to provide contact details when flying into the country also applies to travellers who have been vaccinated or have recovered.
Travellers who do not have a vaccination certificate that is recognised in Switzerland or who have not recovered must presented a negative PCR test at the airline's check-in counter at the airport of departure which is not older than 72 hours at the time of entering Switzerland. In addition, from 20 September 2021 travellers must be retested for COVID-19 four to seven days after their arrival in Switzerland. Children under 16 years are exempt from compulsory testing.
A certificate of a vaccination with Sputnik-V (Gamvac) or another Russian anti-coronavirus vaccine does not exempt from compulsory testing. Travellers from Russia are not obliged to undergo a quarantine of 14 days upon arrival.
For further details regarding the entry to Switzerland, please check the page "Rules for entering Switzerland" or do the following test "travelcheck".
For frequently asked questions about returning to Switzerland in times of coronavirus, please visit the page "What does the FDFA advise?".
For further information on travel restrictions worldwide, please check the FDFA travel advice.
Travelling to Russia (no quarantine)
The Russian Government has decided that until further notice:
Russian boarders are partly open (for travelling on business, education and medical purposes). International commercial air traffic from and to Russia is temporarily restricted.
According to the government decree of 1 August 2020, Swiss nationals and people with a residence permit for Switzerland are excluded from the restrictions to enter Russia. They can now enter Russia by airway either directly from Switzerland or through one of the countries which also resumed flights with Russia. The official list of these countries can be found on the website of the Russian Federation in Russian. Information in English is also regularly updated on the website of Aeroflot.
The Russian travel restrictions also do not apply to diplomatic and consular staff in Russia and their families, to professional drivers of international shipping and bus companies, to crew members of airlines, maritime and river vessels, to liaison staff of international railways, to official delegation members, to holders of diplomatic, service and regular private visas attending funeral services of immediate relatives, and to persons holding permanent residence in Russia.
To enter Russia, foreign nationals are obliged to provide a medical certificate in English or Russian of a negative test for the coronavirus (PCR test) that is no more than 72 hours old before their arrival in Russia. This certificate has to be presented at the airline's check-in counter at the airport of departure.
Foreign nationals who enter Russia with a work permit must undergo a quarantine for 14 days from the date of their arrival in Russia.
For more information, please consult the Consulate of Russia in Switzerland.
Due to the current situation, Swiss nationals may extend the validity of their residence permit or visa in Russia, if these have expired. To do so, please consult the nearest office of the Main Directorate for migration of the Russian Ministry of the Interior.
If you contract the COVID-19 during your stay in Russia and overstay your visa due to the subsequent quarantine, you may need an exit visa. In this case, please contact the nearest office of the Main Directorate for migration of the Russian Ministry of Interior. The Embassy cannot assist you in obtaining the visa.
We remind you that it is necessary to respect the sanitary measures in force in your place of stay and to follow the evolution of these measures. The following websites will inform you about the measures in place:
- Official Russian coronavirus website (hotline: 8-800-2000-112)
- For the city of Moscow (hotline: +7 495 870 45 09)
We kindly ask all Swiss nationals or residents in Switzerland, who currently travel in Russia, to register on the Travel Admin application.
For specific questions regarding the current situation, please contact the Embassy of Switzerland in Russia: moscow@eda.admin.ch
Services and visa
All consular services and visa support for residents of the countries listed below are provided by the Regional Consular Centre Moscow. Information can be found on the websites concerned:
