Those planning to transit Switzerland in their way to their destination country can no longer do so if they depart from one of the countries in Switzerland’s list of high-risk areas.

As of Monday, August 31, those departing from countries with a high number of Coronavirus cases, which have been marked as high-risk countries by the Swiss authorities, will no longer be able to transit through any of the international airports in Switzerland, upon a decision taken by the Swiss Federal Council, amid an increasing number of infections in the country.

The decision will, however, not affect those reaching Switzerland from a non-high-risk country, even if they have a stopover in a high-risk country. The sole condition for these travellers is that they must not leave the international area of the airport.

“Under the new rules, which apply from August 31, the country of departure, not the stopover country, determines whether travellers may enter Switzerland. For example, it is no longer possible for third-country nationals to fly to Switzerland from the USA via Toronto,” explains a press release published by the State Secretariat for Migration.

So far, the now-banned category of travellers, have been able to enter Switzerland as the decisive factor for entry into the country has been the country of departure of the incoming flight with which a person has reach the Swiss territory. The departure country of any previous connecting flights was not taken into account.
This new regulation intends to prevent people from using loopholes in the entry requirements by travelling in transit via countries which are not on the high-risk list

2. Passengers are not allowed to transit if arriving from a non-Schengen Member State to another Schengen Member State.

This does not apply to:
- nationals of EEA Member States and Switzerland;
- British nationals;
- passengers arriving directly from Andorra, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland (Rep.), Japan, Korea (Rep.), Monaco, New Zealand, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay or Vatican City (Holy See). If they transit through other countries, they must stay in the international transit area of the airport;
- family members of nationals of EEA Member States and Switzerland;
- family members of British nationals;
- residents of EEA Member States and Switzerland;
- passengers with a D visa issued by Switzerland;
- passengers with a Schengen C visa issued by Switzerland after 16 March 2020.

France Transit2.
Warning:
- A completed International Travel Certificate must be presented prior to boarding and to immigration upon arrival or when transiting France. The certificate can be obtained at consulates or at https://www.interieur.gouv.fr
- Passengers transiting through two airports in the Schengen Area must comply with entry regulations of the first Schengen Member State.