In future, travellers to the Schengen Area will be subject to new entry requirements and processes, thanks to the launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and later the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Here’s what you need to know about the new systems and how they will impact travel to Switzerland.
From October 2025, people travelling to and from the Schengen Area, including Switzerland, will be subject to the EES system. The new programme is designed to digitise and monitor people crossing into and out of the area’s borders, to boost security and help identify overstayers.
The new system will apply to non-EU/EFTA nationals, regardless of whether they need a visa to enter the Schengen Area or not. This means all arrivals and departures who are not EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian or Swiss citizens will be subject to the EES.
For passengers, the new system should speed up the process of entering the Schengen Area. Police and border agents will no longer have to stamp your passport upon entering and exiting the area. Instead, the system will use names, dates of birth, fingerprints, facial recognition and other biometrics to log travellers as they pass through.
While the EES will have a small impact on how travellers pass through Schengen borders, the upcoming ETIAS system will radically change travel to the region. Similar to the ESTA in the US and the ETA in the UK, the new ETIAS is an entry requirement for all visa-exempt nationals travelling to 26 EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
The new rules will apply to citizens from the 59 nations which have a visa-exemption for visiting the Schengen Area. This includes UK, US, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, Brazilian and Japanese nationals, among many others. You can check which countries' citizens need an ETIAS at the official website.
Importantly, you are exempt from applying for an ETIAS if you have a valid residence permit for Switzerland or another Schengen state.
Travellers to the Schengen Area should apply for an ETIAS well in advance of their journeys. While most applications will be processed in minutes, waiting times can be as long as 30 days if further information or an interview is required. The ETIAS will cost 7 euros (6,50 francs at the time of writing).
If your application is successful, it will be automatically applied to your passport. However, bear in mind that an ETIAS is not a visa, so other entry conditions may apply when you reach the border. Once applied for, passport checks at the border remain the same.
The EES and ETIAS will not impact travel between Schengen states.
A valid ETIAS allows holders to stay in member nations for up to 90 days in every 180-day period. It is valid for a total of three years, or whenever the passport or travel document it is attached to expires - whichever is earlier.
If you feel like you’ve been hearing about the ETIAS for a while, it’s because it has been in the pipeline since 2016. However, due to technical difficulties and integration issues, the system has been delayed repeatedly since 2021. Delays have been so persistent, in fact, that on May 21, 2025, the Swiss government announced that it would soon be adapting the law to accommodate the ETIAS, before it has even got off the ground.
However, the European Union has now confirmed that the first part of the system will be activated in May 2025 - though it will still take a long time for passengers to be affected. The ETIAS is expected to become mandatory in the last quarter of 2026.