ETIAS Switzerland entry requirements for Canadian citizens

What is the ETIAS Switzerland for Canadian citizens?

ETIAS is a new system that will pre-screen visitors travelling to Switzerland from Canada. Its key goal is to speed up the process of entering Schengen’s borders for foreign travellers and to safeguard against any potential security risks.

In addition to being a mandatory Switzerland entry requirement, it will allow nationals of Canada to visit the following European countries:

This travel authorisation will be available online. Canadians will have to register their details in a quick questionnaire to get the ETIAS Switzerland from Canada.

The ETIAS visa waiver will allow Canadian tourists a maximum stay of 90 days within a 180-day period in Switzerland. It will permit multiple short-term visits while the ETIAS and the applicant’s passport are still valid.

Do Canadians need a visa for Switzerland?

No, a Canadian citizen does not need a visa for Switzerland. This is because Canada is one of the countries whose citizens are visa-exempt for the Schengen Area.

Canadians can travel to Switzerland visa-free for up to 90 days per 180-day period for tourism. This can be for tourism, business, or transit. From 2026, Canadians will need to register online with the ETIAS Switzerland platform for stays of the same length.

A Switzerland visa for Canadians is only needed:

If this is the case, you should apply for a visa for Switzerland from Canada through the nearest Swiss embassy (in Ottowa) or one of the various consulates. They should apply for a visa several weeks before travelling to Switzerland to allow enough time for processing.

How can a Canadian move to Switzerland?

Nationals of Canada may be required to obtain the relevant type of Swiss visa or permit to move to the country and/or work there.

However, for short-term visits, visa exemption will still apply. The only requirement for Canadians to enter Switzerland will be the ETIAS.

How can Canadians apply to visit Switzerland with ETIAS?

To travel to Switzerland from Canada, visitors must first complete a quick online application form.

Applicants for a Switzerland ETIAS from Canada are required to provide the following data:

All the information given by the applicant is checked against international security databases. Applicants must also pay a small processing fee in order to submit the form and receive the ETIAS for Switzerland from Canada. This can be paid using a valid debit/credit card.

Care should be taken while reviewing the application to ensure that the information matches the data shown on the traveller’s Canadian passport. Otherwise, it might create complications or delay travel plans.

Passport and document requirements for Canadians

The ETIAS application for Canadians will be simpler than meeting the Swiss visa requirements. You simply need to meet the passport requirements for Switzerland.

All Canadian travellers will need to meet the following Switzerland passport requirements before applying for the ETIAS visa waiver:

The ETIAS visa waiver is electronically linked to a specific passport and is non-transferable. If you have an approved ETIAS, no other documents are needed to travel to Switzerland.

If the Canadian passport is expired, lost, stolen, or damaged, the travel authorisation will also become invalid. It will be necessary to apply for the ETIAS again using a replacement passport before travelling to Switzerland from Canada.

Travelling to Switzerland from Canada with an ETIAS Authorisation

The processing of the ETIAS visa waiver application will be very swift. In most cases, the travel authorisation for Switzerland will be granted to the Canadian applicant within 72 hours.

However, in some cases, the processing time may be longer. It is in the traveller’s interest to apply for the ETIAS visa waiver well ahead of their planned trip to Switzerland from Canada to account for any delays.

How can Canadians travel to Switzerland?

The easiest way to travel to Switzerland from Canada is by air. Major international airports in Switzerland include the following:

The ETIAS also allows Canadians to travel to any of the countries that border Switzerland and then cross the Swiss frontier by land. These states are:

Health information for travellers to Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the top destinations in the world for medical tourism. It offers world-class treatments through its 500 hospitals — some of which have ISO accreditation and JCI accreditation.

The cost of medical treatment is also quite low compared to other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

However, when travelling to Switzerland from Canada, visitors should consider investing in a comprehensive travel health insurance program to cover any medical emergencies that may arise during their trip.

Travel facts for Canadians visiting Switzerland

Pre-pandemic, the number of Candians travelling to Switzerland was firmly on the rise, as you can see in the table below:

Although the COVID pandemic affected travel to Switzerland from Canada, the tourism industry is recovering now that entry restrictions have been lifted and people can travel freely once more.

If you are unsure how much you need to budget for your trip to Switzerland, take a look at the average costs for a traveller to the country listed below.

Note: the costs are calculated for one person, and displayed in both Swiss Francs and Canadian dollars.

Average costs for travellers to Switzerland

When does a Canadian need a visa for Switzerland?

As explained above Canadians do not need a visa to visit Switzerland short term provided they meet all the Switzerland entry requirements for Canadian citizens.

If you are simply visiting for a holiday, for example, you do not need to obtain a Switzerland tourist visa from Canada. However, a Swiss visa for Canadian citizens is required for:

If this applies to you, you need to get a Swiss visa from Canada through the nearest embassy or consulate of Switzerland.

Travellers need to apply for a visa several weeks before travelling to Switzerland to allow enough time for processing.

Canadian embassies and consulates in Switzerland

Canadian Embassy in Bern, Switzerland