This guide covers the UK visa from Switzerland in 2026: the ETA Swiss passport holders now need, current fees, and the visa routes for work, study, and non-Swiss residents. Switzerland is not in the EU, but as an EFTA state its citizens were brought into the same ETA system as EU nationals in the 2025 rollout. Since then, Swiss travellers need a £20 (about €24) ETA approved before boarding.
UK Visas from Switzerland
UK Visa from Switzerland 2026: ETA Requirements, Fees & Swiss Passport Entry
UK Entry Requirements for Swiss Citizens
Swiss citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (£20, about €24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-Swiss residents need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) instead, with biometrics at a visa centre in Switzerland. For work, study, or family stays, Swiss nationals apply for the relevant visa and verify their identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App.
Switzerland and Britain have long-standing ties in finance, diplomacy, and tourism, and the Swiss are among the most frequent European visitors to the UK relative to population. The practical wrinkle is currency: Switzerland uses the franc, so UK fees are paid in pounds and converted at the rate applying at payment. Since Brexit, Swiss travellers face the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals, checked at boarding.
- A valid passport: covering the duration of the stay — a Swiss ID card is not accepted.
- An approved ETA: £20 (about €24), valid two years, via the UK ETA App.
- Evidence of return or onward travel.
- Accommodation details: a booking or a host's address.
- Enough funds: to support the visit without working.
- Genuine intention to leave within six months.
At the border, officers may ask about your plans, accommodation, and funds, though detailed questioning is rare for Swiss visitors. Keeping your booking and return ticket on your phone speeds things up. Travellers from elsewhere in Europe face the same system, including those covered by our France ETA guidance.
Do I Need a Visa for the UK from Switzerland?
It depends on your nationality, not your residence. Free movement between Switzerland and the UK ended on 31 December 2020 with the end of the UK–Swiss arrangements, so Swiss citizens are now visa-exempt nationals for short visits — they can visit without a visa but cannot work, study courses over six months, or access public funds. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, Swiss citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, with a 99.7% issue rate — approval is effectively automatic. Those settled before Brexit may hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme and need neither an ETA nor a visa.
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. The same ETA route applies to German citizens travelling to the UK.
UK Visa Fees from Switzerland 2026
Home Office fees are set in pounds; because Switzerland uses the franc, the amount in CHF depends on the card exchange rate at payment, and gov.uk displays euro figures for the region. The figures below are pulled from the official fee calculator and are non-refundable.
UK visitor and short-stay fees from Switzerland (2026)
| Visa Type | Fee | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (Swiss citizens) | £20 (≈ €24) | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €164 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €615 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,097 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,371 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €164 | 6 months |
| Private Medical Treatment | €284 | 11 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €91 | 48 hours |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros; ETA per GOV.UK.
UK work, study and family visa fees from Switzerland (2026)
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €678 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €995 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,966 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €394 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €413 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,508 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,417 |
| Priority service | +€608 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,215 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year — students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776. It is paid on top of the visa fee. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Tourist Visa from Switzerland
“UK tourist visa from Switzerland” means different things by nationality. A Swiss passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs the £20 ETA — covering tourism, family visits, business meetings and negotiations (never paid work), short courses up to 30 days, private medical treatment, and transit. A non-Swiss visa national living in Switzerland must apply for a Standard Visitor visa, regardless of how long they have lived there.
For repeat trips, the long-term visitor visa allows unlimited entries over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months — it spreads the cost for frequent travellers.
UK Visa from Switzerland for Non-Swiss Residents
Switzerland's international workforce — Indian, Turkish, and other non-EU nationals — often travels to the UK for business or tourism. A Swiss residence permit (the B or C permit) does not grant visa-free UK travel — only your passport nationality decides the requirement. Visa-national passport holders pay €164 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa; applications go through the visa centre network in Switzerland, with processing of about three weeks.
- Valid passport with adequate remaining validity.
- Swiss residence permit (B or C permit) proving legal stay.
- Employment contract or study enrolment in Switzerland.
- Bank statements: showing funds for the trip.
- Travel plan and accommodation for the UK visit.
- Ties to Switzerland: tenancy, family, or ongoing work.
Swiss Residence Strengthens Your Application
Legal residence in Switzerland — especially permanent residence — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Build the file using our UK visa supporting documents checklist, and if a relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor's invitation letter shows what to include. If a visit was refused before, see why UK visas are refused and the odds when reapplying.
Working and Studying in the UK
A Swiss passport no longer confers UK work rights — free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so Swiss nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as a Swiss national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre, and UK visa grant rates for Swiss applicants are high across all routes.
Skilled Worker, Youth Mobility and Student Routes
The Skilled Worker route needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the £41,700 general threshold; the fee is €995 for up to three years or €1,966 beyond, leading to settlement after five years. Swiss citizens aged 18 to 35 can use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413, two years). For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €678; after a degree the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. A partner visa (€2,508) carries a £29,000 income requirement.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Switzerland
Swiss citizens do almost everything by app: the ETA App for short visits, and the ID Check App for full visa applications — no visa centre visit needed. Non-Swiss residents use the visa centre network for biometrics. For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee at gov.uk.
- Swiss citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home.
- Non-Swiss residents: book biometrics at a visa centre in Switzerland.
- Upload your supporting documents.
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority.
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport.
Processing Times and Delays
Standard processing is about three weeks for non-settlement visas and up to twelve weeks for settlement routes; ETAs are usually decided within minutes. If a decision runs late, our guide on UK visa delays explains how to chase it, priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available, and you can track timelines with our guide to processing after biometrics.
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Neighbouring guides cover the Netherlands guide, the Belgium fees guide, the Austria fees guide, and travellers from Ireland. Sources: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; GOV.UK ETA guidance. Figures verified August 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas from Switzerland
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but Swiss citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs £20 (about €24), lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let Swiss travellers board transport to the UK. For work or study, the appropriate visa is required.
For Swiss citizens the cost of a UK visit is simply the £20 ETA (about €24) — there is no visit visa to buy. Non-Swiss residents pay €164 for the six-month Standard Visitor visa, with longer options at €615 for two years, €1,097 for five, and €1,371 for ten. Those applications run through the Swiss visa centres and take about three weeks.
No. Since 1 October 2021, EU, EEA, and Swiss identity cards are no longer accepted at the UK border for most travellers, so Swiss visitors need a full passport plus the ETA. The main exceptions are those with EU Settlement Scheme status, who can still use a national ID card. If your passport has expired, renew it before booking — the ETA links to the passport you apply with.
Not without a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€995–€1,966), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Swiss nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413). Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
No. A B or C permit proves your status in Switzerland but carries no UK travel rights. Visa-national passport holders — Indian, Pakistani, Iranian, and others — still need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) for any UK trip, while visa-exempt nationals need an ETA. Only your passport nationality decides the requirement, however long you have lived in Switzerland.
ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days. Standard visa processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€608) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,215) aims for the next working day where available.
A Swiss citizen with an ETA can stay up to six months per visit for tourism, family, or business. There is no annual cap on visits, but frequent or very long stays may prompt questions about whether you are a genuine visitor. Working, studying long-term, or settling all require the relevant visa with its own conditions.
The UK ETA App is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which Swiss citizens use for short visits up to six months. The UK Immigration: ID Check App is for giving biometrics when applying for an actual visa — work, study, or family. In short, the ETA app is for visiting and the ID Check app is for longer stays that need a visa.
Nein — für Besuche bis zu sechs Monaten genügt die ETA, die £20 (etwa €24) kostet, zwei Jahre gültig ist und über die UK ETA App beantragt wird. Die Pflicht gilt seit dem 2. April 2025 und wird beim Boarding kontrolliert. Für Arbeit, ein Studium länger als sechs Monate oder Familiennachzug ist das entsprechende Visum erforderlich; wer einen Status nach dem EU Settlement Scheme hat, braucht weder ETA noch Visum.
L'ETA pour les visites coûte £20 (environ €24). Les visas complets : Standard Visitor €164 (six mois), visa étudiant €678, Skilled Worker €995 (jusqu'à 3 ans), Youth Mobility €413 et visa de partenaire €2,508. Les frais se paient en ligne lors de la demande, et les citoyens suisses vérifient leur identité via l'application UK Immigration: ID Check — sans passer par un centre de visas. Les résidents non suisses donnent leurs données biométriques dans un centre en Suisse.