¹ This Ordinance aims to prevent the cross-border spread of the Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus.

² It regulates the following for persons entering Switzerland:

a.

the recording of contact data and any other health data required;

b.

the test requirement.

³ It also regulates for persons who enter Switzerland from a country or region with a variant of the virus of concern, quarantine and its enforcement.

¹ Categorisation as a country or region with a variant of the virus of concern requires proof or the presumption that in this country or region a variant of the virus is widespread:

a.

that carries a higher risk of infection or causes a more severe form of the disease than the variants of the virus that are present in Switzerland; or

b.

that escapes detection and for which there is no defence through pre-existing immunity to the variants of the virus present in Switzerland (immune evasive).⁵

² The list of countries and regions with a variant of the virus of concern that is immune evasive or the immune evasive status of which is unclear is provided in Annex 1 number 1.

³ The list of countries and regions with a variant of the virus of concern that is not immune evasive is provided in Annex 1 number 2.

⁴ Regions on the border with Switzerland which have close economic, social and cultural ties with Switzerland may be exempted from inclusion in the lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 3 even if they meet the requirements set out in paragraph 1. The regions deemed to be border regions are listed in Annex 1a.⁶

¹ The requirement to record contact data pursuant to Article 49 of the Epidemics Ordinance of 29 April 2015⁷ and where necessary to record health data applies to all persons entering the country.⁸

² An exemption to the requirement under paragraph 1 applies to persons who:⁹

a.

carry goods or passengers across the border in terms of their professional activities;

b.

travel through Switzerland without a stopover;

c.¹⁰

enter the country as a cross-border commuter; or

d.¹¹

enter the country from a region listed in Annex 1a.

³ The exemptions under paragraph 2 letters c and d do not apply to persons entering Switzerland with an airline or coach company that offers long-distance travel.¹²

¹ The persons specified in Article 3 must record their contact data before entry as follows:

a.

online by means of the platform for recording contact data for travellers¹³ provided by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH); or

b.¹⁴

on the paper passenger locator forms provided by the FOPH, in duplicate.

² Persons who enter Switzerland but not as a passenger with a travel operator pursuant to Article 5 and who record their contact details on a passenger locator form must retain the form for 14 days.¹⁵

¹ Rail, coach, ship or airline operators carrying passengers specified in Article 3 internationally shall ensure that passengers provide their contact data in accordance with Article 4 paragraph 1.

² They shall send the contact data under Article 4 paragraph 1 letter b to the FOPH on request within 24 hours.

³ They shall retain the contact data for 14 days and thereafter destroy the data.

⁴ They shall send the FOPH on request within 48 hours lists of all cross-border train, coach or ship journeys or flights that they have scheduled for the following month.

⁵ They shall send the contact data under Article 4 paragraph 1 letter b and the lists under paragraph 4 via the platform for travel operators¹⁶ provided by the FOPH.

¹ The FOPH shall ensure that the contact data is available in order to enforce the provisions on the test requirement under Article 8 and the quarantine requirement under Article 9. It shall also ensure that the data is forwarded immediately to the cantons responsible for the persons entering Switzerland.¹⁷

² As soon as it is notified that a person infected with Sars-CoV-2 has entered Switzerland, the FOPH shall take the following measures:

a.

It shall request the travel operator to provide the contact data recorded on paper relating to the persons who entered Switzerland at the same time as the person infected with Sars-CoV-2.

b.

It shall establish the identity of the persons who were in close contact with the person infected with Sars-CoV-2 on the basis of contact data recorded online and the contact data in accordance with letter a.

c.

It shall forward the processed contact data immediately to the cantons responsible for the persons entering Switzerland.

³ The FOPH may delegate its duties under paragraphs 1 and 2 to third parties. In doing so, it shall ensure that data protection and data security are guaranteed.

⁴ The FOPH or the third parties shall destroy the data one month after the entry of the persons concerned.

⁵ The cantons shall destroy the data one month after they have received the same from the FOPH or from third parties.

¹ Airlines and coach companies offering long-distance journeys must inform their passengers that they must be tested for Sars-CoV-2 before departure for Switzerland and that they will only be permitted to board the aircraft or coach if they can provide a negative test result.¹⁹

² Airlines must verify before departure whether a negative test result is available. The requirements for the test and for proof of testing are regulated in Annex 2a.²⁰

³ Airlines and coach companies must not permit passengers who are unable to provide a negative test result to board the aircraft or coach.

⁴ They may carry the following passengers without these passengers being required to produce a negative test result:

a.

persons under 16 years of age;

b.

persons who can provide a medical certificate to prove that they must be transported to Switzerland as a matter of urgency on medical grounds;

c.²¹

persons who enter Switzerland from from countries or regions that are not specified in Annex 1 number 1 and are using a Swiss airport while in transit without leaving that airport before continuing their journey;

c^bis.²²

persons who travel through Switzerland with a coach company without leaving the coach;

d. and e.²³ …

f.

persons who provide proof in the form of a medical certificate that they are unable on medical grounds to take a Sars-CoV-2 test.

⁵ Persons aged six and over who enter Switzerland from a country or region specified in Annex 1 number 1 must be able to provide a negative test result in accordance with paragraph 2.²⁴

¹ Persons entering Switzerland must be able to show a negative test result. The requirements for tests and proof of testing are regulated in Annex 2a.²⁶

² Persons who are unable to provide proof of a negative test under paragraph 1 on entering Switzerland must immediately undergo one of the following tests on entry:²⁷

a.

a molecular-biological analysis for Sars-CoV-2; or

b.²⁸

a Sars-CoV-2 rapid test for specialist use in accordance with Article 24a paragraph 1 of COVID-19 Ordinance 3 of 19 June 2020²⁹ unless it is based on a sample taken solely from the nasal cavity or on a saliva sample;

c.³⁰

a laboratory immunological analysis for Sars-CoV-2 antigens in accordance with Article 19 paragraph 1 letter c of the COVID-19 Certificates Ordinance of 4 June 2021³¹.

^2bis The persons specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 must also take a test between the fourth and seventh day after entering Switzerland. The test and the proof of testing requirements are regulated in Annex 2a.³²

³ Persons who test negative between the fourth and seventh day after entering Switzerland must provide the canton with a COVID-19 test certificate in accordance with the COVID-19 Certificates Ordinance of 4 June 2021³³. Persons who test positive must notify the canton of the test result.³⁴

⁴ On entry into Switzerland from a country or region specified in Annex 1 number 1, paragraph 1 applies to all persons aged six or over.³⁵

¹ On entering Switzerland, persons who in the ten days before entry have stayed in a country or region listed in Annex 1 must travel immediately and directly to their home or to other suitable accommodation. They must remain there without leaving at any time for 10 days following their entry (quarantine on entry).³⁷

² Where a person has entered Switzerland from a country or region that does not have a variant of the virus of concern, the competent cantonal authority may take account of the duration of the person’s stay in that country or region when calculating the time to be spent in quarantine.

³ Persons required to quarantine on entry who have entered Switzerland from a country that is not specified in Annex 1 number 1 may leave quarantine within 10 days provided they undergo either a molecular-biological analysis for Sars-CoV-2, a Sars-CoV-2-rapid test for specialist use in accordance with Article 24a paragraph 1 of COVID-19 Ordinance 3 of 19 June 2020³⁸ or a laboratory immunological analysis for Sars-CoV-2 antigens in accordance with Article 19 paragraph 1 letter c of the COVID-19 Certificates Ordinance of 4 June 2021³⁹ and the result is negative. The test may be carried out at the earliest on the seventh day of quarantine. The competent cantonal authority may, in justified cases, suspend the early termination of quarantine.⁴⁰

^3bis The persons mentioned in paragraph 3 may leave quarantine in order to be tested. When doing so, they must wear a face mask and maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from other persons.⁴¹

⁴ Persons who leave quarantine early pursuant to paragraph 5 must wear a face mask and maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from other persons when outside their home or accommodation until the point in time at which quarantine under paragraph 2 would have ended.

¹ The following persons are exempt from the requirement to be tested under Article 8 and to quarantine from the requirement to under Article 9:

a.

... ⁴³

b.

persons who in the course of their professional activities transport passengers or goods across borders;

c.⁴⁴

…

d.

persons who travel through Switzerland without stopping;

e. and f.⁴⁵

…

g.

who enter Switzerland on important and immediate medical grounds;

h.

who enter Switzerland as cross-border commuters.

² The following persons are also exempt from the requirement to be tested in Article 8:

a.⁴⁶

persons under the age of 16, unless they are entering Switzerland from a country or region specified in Annex 1 number 1;

b.

persons who can prove that they are unable on medical grounds to take a Sars-CoV-2 test.

c.⁴⁷

persons who enter Switzerland from a region listed in Annex 1a, provided the country or region concerned is not listed in Annex 1 number 1.

d.⁴⁸

persons whose activity in Switzerland is essential to maintain the proper functioning of institutional beneficiaries in terms of Article 2 paragraph 1 of the Host State Act of 22 June 2007⁴⁹ and who can prove this by providing confirmation from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA);

e.⁵⁰

persons whose activity in Switzerland is essential to maintain Switzerland's diplomatic and consular relations and who can prove this by providing confirmation from the FDFA.

^2bis The test requirement in accordance with Article 8 paragraph 2^bis does not apply to:

a.

persons who enter Switzerland from countries or regions that are not specified in Annex 1 number 1 and who provide proof that they have been vaccinated against Sars-CoV-2; the persons who are regarded as having been vaccinated, the duration for which the vaccination is regarded as effective and the accepted forms of proof are regulated in Annex 2;

b.

persons who enter Switzerland from countries or regions that are not specified in Annex 1 number 1 and who provide proof that they have been infected with Sars-CoV-2 and have recovered; the duration of the exemption and the accepted forms of proof are regulated in Annex 2.⁵¹

^2ter The quarantine requirement in accordance with Article 9 does not apply to the following persons:

a.

persons whose activity in Switzerland is essential to maintaining:

1.

the proper functioning of the health service,

2.

public security and order,

3.

the proper functioning of institutional beneficiaries in terms of Article 2 paragraph 1 of the Host State Act,

4.

Switzerland's diplomatic and consular relations;

b.

persons who as transit passengers have spent less than 24 hours in a country or region specified in Annex 1;

c.

persons who re-enter Switzerland after participating in an event in a country or region specified in Annex 1, provided they can prove that their participation and stay took place in compliance with a specific precautionary measures plan; participation in an event includes in particular participation on a professional basis in a sporting competition, cultural event or specialist conference;

d.

persons who enter Switzerland from a country or region specified in Annex 1 in order to participate in an event in Switzerland; participation in an event includes in particular participation on a professional basis in a sporting competition, cultural event or specialist conference;

e.

persons who enter Switzerland from countries or regions that are not specified in Annex 1 number 1 and who provide proof that they have been vaccinated against Sars-CoV-2; the persons who are regarded as having been vaccinated, the duration for which the vaccination is regarded as effective and the accepted forms of proof are regulated in Annex 2;

f.

persons who enter Switzerland from countries or regions that are not specified in Annex 1 number 1 and who provide proof that they have been infected with Sars-CoV-2 and have recovered; the duration of the exemption and the accepted forms of proof are regulated in Annex 2.⁵²

³ The exemptions under paragraphs 1–2^ter do not apply to persons displaying symptoms of COVID-19, unless the person concerned can provide certified medical evidence that the symptoms have a different cause.⁵³

⁴ The competent cantonal authority may in justified cases permit further exemptions from the requirement to be tested and to quarantine or may relax certain conditions.

¹ Persons who must take a test under Article 8 paragraph 3 must provide the competent cantonal authorities with the COVID-19 test certificate in accordance with the COVID-19 Certificates Ordinance of 4 June 2021⁵⁵ or the positive test result within two days and:⁵⁶

a.

inform them of the number of the passenger locator form completed in accordance with Article 4 paragraph 1 letter a; or

b.

provide them with a copy of the paper passenger locator form in accordance with Article 4 paragraph 1 letter b.

² Persons required to quarantine on entry under Article 9 must report to the competent cantonal authority within two days of their arrival in Switzerland and must follow the instructions given by the authority.

¹ The border control authorities may conduct risk-based checks on persons entering Switzerland. In doing so, they shall verify:⁵⁹

a.⁶⁰

that the person checked has tested negative in accordance with Article 8 paragraphs 1 and 4;

b.

that the contact data of the person checked has been recorded in accordance with Article 4 paragraph 1.

² If the person checked is unable to produce a negative test result or show that their contact data has been recorded, the border control authority shall report the matter to the competent cantonal authority. The report shall include the details of the person checked, the time and place of the check, the address the person has specified in Switzerland, and the outcome of the check.

³ The border control authorities may impose fixed penalty fines.

The cantons may check that a negative test result has been provided in accordance with Article 8 paragraph 3.

¹ Any person who provides accommodation on a commercial basis to persons staying in Switzerland for tourist or business purposes must check whether they can provide test results pursuant to Article 8 paragraphs 1, 2^bis and 4.

² Persons who are unable to provide a negative test result must be reported to the competent cantonal authority.

¹ The Federal Department of Home Affairs shall update Annex 1 continuously in consultation with the Federal Department of Justice and Police, the Federal Department of Finance and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

² It shall update Annex 2 in accordance with the latest scientific knowledge and in consultation with the Federal Commission for Vaccination.

³ It shall update Annex 2a in accordance with the latest scientific knowledge.⁶³

¹ The COVID-19-Ordinance on International Passenger Transport of 27 January 2021⁶⁴ is repealed.

² The amendment of other legislation is regulated in Annex 3.

This Ordinance comes into force on 26 June 2021 at 00.00.