Travellers from visa-exempt third countries—including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia—will have to pay a €20 application fee to obtain an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) permit before entering Switzerland or any of the 29 other participating European states. The Czech news portal Prague Morning broke the story on 30 December after EU officials finalised the fee schedule in the run-up to a soft launch planned for late 2026.
ETIAS functions much like the U.S. ESTA. Applicants will complete an online form covering passport data, travel history and security questions. Most approvals should be issued within minutes and will remain valid for three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Children under 18 and adults over 70 are exempt from the fee but must still apply. The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) confirmed to local media that it will integrate ETIAS checks into existing border-control infrastructure at Zurich, Geneva and Basel airports.
The announcement has immediate implications for Swiss companies that rely on short-term visits from clients, contractors and conference speakers. Mobility managers must incorporate the fee and lead-time—industry bodies recommend applying at least 96 hours before departure—into invitation letters, travel policies and expense systems. While €20 is modest, the real risk is last-minute refusals that could derail high-stakes meetings.
![€20 ETIAS fee confirmed—Switzerland joins Schengen partners in new pre-travel authorisation]()
Travellers looking for practical help with the new ETIAS process can tap into VisaHQ’s Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), which offers real-time updates, step-by-step form guidance and corporate dashboards for tracking multiple applications—making compliance smoother for both individuals and companies.
Travel-industry associations are also warning about a proliferation of fraudulent websites already offering ‘express’ ETIAS approvals. Bern’s consumer-protection office urges applicants to use only the official EU portal once it goes live. The office plans a German-French-Italian information campaign in early 2026, complete with QR-coded posters at Swiss railway stations and airports.
In the medium term, ETIAS data will feed into Switzerland’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), enabling authorities to track overstays more accurately. Privacy groups, however, are gearing up for legal challenges, arguing that coupling biometric EES records with ETIAS security screening creates a de-facto travel-surveillance regime. The Federal Data-Protection Commissioner has asked Parliament for an oversight mandate similar to that applied to the existing API (Advanced Passenger Information) system.
ETIAS functions much like the U.S. ESTA. Applicants will complete an online form covering passport data, travel history and security questions. Most approvals should be issued within minutes and will remain valid for three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Children under 18 and adults over 70 are exempt from the fee but must still apply. The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) confirmed to local media that it will integrate ETIAS checks into existing border-control infrastructure at Zurich, Geneva and Basel airports.
The announcement has immediate implications for Swiss companies that rely on short-term visits from clients, contractors and conference speakers. Mobility managers must incorporate the fee and lead-time—industry bodies recommend applying at least 96 hours before departure—into invitation letters, travel policies and expense systems. While €20 is modest, the real risk is last-minute refusals that could derail high-stakes meetings.
Travellers looking for practical help with the new ETIAS process can tap into VisaHQ’s Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/), which offers real-time updates, step-by-step form guidance and corporate dashboards for tracking multiple applications—making compliance smoother for both individuals and companies.
Travel-industry associations are also warning about a proliferation of fraudulent websites already offering ‘express’ ETIAS approvals. Bern’s consumer-protection office urges applicants to use only the official EU portal once it goes live. The office plans a German-French-Italian information campaign in early 2026, complete with QR-coded posters at Swiss railway stations and airports.
In the medium term, ETIAS data will feed into Switzerland’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), enabling authorities to track overstays more accurately. Privacy groups, however, are gearing up for legal challenges, arguing that coupling biometric EES records with ETIAS security screening creates a de-facto travel-surveillance regime. The Federal Data-Protection Commissioner has asked Parliament for an oversight mandate similar to that applied to the existing API (Advanced Passenger Information) system.
