Subject: Health Alert: COVID-19 Information for Switzerland and Liechtenstein (July 20, 2020) Location: Switzerland and Liechtenstein Event:
Latest update for U.S. citizens regarding COVID-19 in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The Department of State and the CDC advise U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. Please see the Global Level 4 Health Advisory – Do Not Travel for details.
Consular Services:
Although services for U.S. citizens are still limited, passport production has resumed. Visit our website to apply for a U.S. passport or U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad as well as Notarial Services. Appointments are available at the U.S. Embassy in Bern and the consular agencies in Geneva and Zurich.
Visa services are still suspended. The travel restrictions from Schengen countries to the United States under Presidential Proclamation 9984 still apply. U.S. Embassy Bern recommends that individuals who meet one of the categorial exemptions under the PP 9984 (i.e. spouse of U.S. citizen/LPR, parent of U.S. citizen/LPR child, etc.) apply for a B1/B2 visa in order to document that they meet the exemption. If you are planning to travel to the U.S., please visit the CDC’s Website for Travelers.
Any person entering the consular section will be required to wear a face covering; children under six years old and those unable to wear a covering are exempt from this requirement.
U.S. citizens living outside the country are eligible for the Economic Impact Payment. To check your eligibility, the status of your payment, or for additional information, please contact the IRS directly: www.irs.gov
Election Day in the U.S. is November 3rd — just 106 days away!
U.S. Citizens overseas can vote from wherever they are! Do you have questions about overseas voting? Then JOIN US for our final pre-election Live Virtual Voting Q& A to answer your questions about registering to vote, receiving & submitting your ballot and making your vote count. Our Q&A event is happening this TUESDAY, August 4th at 3:00 PM.
To attend the live sessions, please RSVP to VoteBern@state.gov and we will send you the live link.
You can also find most of the information you need to vote at the Federal Voting Assistance Program website at www.FVAP.gov
Current Information:
An overview of the measures eased and the restrictions still in place can be found on the website of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. Although many measures have been eased, people should continue to protect themselves and others by washing their hands regularly and observing social distancing.
Masks compulsory on public transport
Persons over the age of 12 are required to wear a mask in trains, trams, and buses, as well as on mountain rail and cableways and on lake and river boats. See the FOPH website for ask requirements, including how to wear masks correctly.
Mandatory quarantine for persons arriving in Switzerland
As of July 6, people arriving in Switzerland from certain countries (including the USA) are required to go into a MANDATORY 10-day quarantine. This list of countries will be updated continuously.
If you are arriving in Switzerland from one of the countries with a high risk of infection you will be required to:
- Go immediately on arrival to your home or to other suitable accommodation.
- Stay there for 10 days from the day of your arrival without going out. Follow the instructions on quarantine(PDF, 142 kB, 06.07.2020).
- Report your arrival within two days to the responsible cantonal authority.
- Follow the instructions from the authorities.
Entry Restrictions
As of July 20, the Switzerland has largely followed the EU Council recommendations regarding entry requirements of non-EU citizens. Third country nationals who do not have rights of free movement and do not hold a valid permit allowing them to live or work in Switzerland will be refused entry.
Citizens from high risk countries are restricted from entering Switzerland. Entry rules can change very quickly depending on the epidemiological situation. This list is subject to change and U.S. Embassy Bern recommends regularly checking the FOPH’s list of high-risk countries.
At this time the United States remains on the list of high-risk countries and U.S. citizens will remain subject to the current entry restrictions.
For further information:
- on the current entry restrictions
- on persons with rights of free movement
- on the lifting of restrictions that apply to third countries from 20 July 2020
Country-Specific Information:
The measures put in place to address the spread of the coronavirus are subject to change, and we recommend confirming directly with Swiss authorities for the most current information. For more details please visit the website of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health.
Hygiene and social distancing rules remain in place.
For more information visit Embassy Bern’s COVID-19 Information for Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Local Resources:
For the most up-to-date information on numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Switzerland visit the website of the Federal Office of Public Health.
For questions on entry requirements and permitted stay visit the website of the Swiss Migration Authority (SEM).
For information on quarantine requirements and entering Switzerland visit the website of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health.
Infoline for people travelling to Switzerland: +41 58 464 44 88
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Bern, Switzerland
031 357 70 11 (dialing within Switzerland)
+41 31 357 70 11 (dialing from overseas)
BernACS@state.gov
State Department – Bureau of Consular Affairs
+1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada)
+1-202-501-4444 (from other countries)Swiss Federal Office of Public Health Hotline
+41 58 463 00 00 (staffed 24 hours in German, French, Italian and
English)Switzerland Country Specific Information
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Get Alertswiss, a mobile app by the Federal Office for Civil Protection, to help you plan for and stay safe in an emergency while in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
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