Switzerland has joined France, Italy, Austria, Poland and Malta in rolling out the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES), a major leap toward fully digital borders. The Travel & Tour World deep-dive, published on 23 December, explains how the biometric platform—live in Zurich and Geneva since October—records facial images and fingerprints for every visa-exempt third-country national entering or leaving the Schengen Area. Queues of up to three hours have already been observed at Swiss airports during the enrolment phase, although only 10 % of eligible passengers are currently processed through EES kiosks. The threshold will rise to 35 % on 9 January and to 100 % by 10 April 2026.
Swiss border authorities argue the system will ultimately tighten security and end the cumbersome practice of stamping passports. Yet aviation body ACI Europe has warned of “serious safety hazards” if technical glitches and staffing gaps are not fixed before the next ramp-up. Airlines operating through Zurich fear missed connections and aircraft turn-around delays could erode the hub’s reputation for punctuality during the lucrative winter-sports season.
![Switzerland Takes Centre Stage in Europe’s New Biometric Border Era]()
For travellers and corporate mobility teams seeking guidance through Switzerland's evolving border formalities, specialist platforms such as VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Via its dedicated Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the service offers up-to-date briefings on EES enrolment, ETIAS applications and work-permit documentation, helping passengers pre-clear potential hurdles before they reach the airport.
For employers relocating talent into Switzerland the new rules carry operational implications. First-time arrivals from markets such as the United States, India or the United Arab Emirates should be briefed to allow extra time for biometric capture and to keep fingers free of bandages or henna, which can confuse scanners. Mobility teams should also budget for the ETIAS travel authorisation, due to launch later in 2026 and costing €7 per adult every three years.
Technology suppliers are circling the opportunity: Swiss start-ups specialising in self-service border kiosks and pre-registration apps are racing to secure government contracts before the April deadline. Analysts at UBS expect the European smart-border market to exceed CHF 2 billion by 2027, with Swiss firms poised to capture at least 10 %.
Swiss border authorities argue the system will ultimately tighten security and end the cumbersome practice of stamping passports. Yet aviation body ACI Europe has warned of “serious safety hazards” if technical glitches and staffing gaps are not fixed before the next ramp-up. Airlines operating through Zurich fear missed connections and aircraft turn-around delays could erode the hub’s reputation for punctuality during the lucrative winter-sports season.
For travellers and corporate mobility teams seeking guidance through Switzerland's evolving border formalities, specialist platforms such as VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork. Via its dedicated Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), the service offers up-to-date briefings on EES enrolment, ETIAS applications and work-permit documentation, helping passengers pre-clear potential hurdles before they reach the airport.
For employers relocating talent into Switzerland the new rules carry operational implications. First-time arrivals from markets such as the United States, India or the United Arab Emirates should be briefed to allow extra time for biometric capture and to keep fingers free of bandages or henna, which can confuse scanners. Mobility teams should also budget for the ETIAS travel authorisation, due to launch later in 2026 and costing €7 per adult every three years.
Technology suppliers are circling the opportunity: Swiss start-ups specialising in self-service border kiosks and pre-registration apps are racing to secure government contracts before the April deadline. Analysts at UBS expect the European smart-border market to exceed CHF 2 billion by 2027, with Swiss firms poised to capture at least 10 %.
