Switzerland ends fast-track visas for Russian nationals
The Swiss government decided on Friday to stop issuing facilitated visas for Russian nationals. This brings Swiss visa rules in line with the European Union.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
Português
pt
Suíça acaba com vistos acelerados para cidadãos russos
At its meeting on September 16, the Federal Council (executive body) agreed to suspend completely its fast-track visa agreement with Russia. The suspension of the agreement does not mean a general visa freeze for Russians but rather they will need to use the ordinary visa procedure to enter Switzerland.
This follows the EU’s decision on September 9 to suspend its agreement on facilitated visas with the Russian Federation in light of the invasion of Ukraine.
More
More
Tourist visa ban for Russians divides Europe
This content was published on
If the EU decides to impose a visa ban on all Russian citizens, Switzerland would have to follow suit.
“Switzerland has every interest in contributing to a common and uniform visa policy at the European level,” said the government in a media releaseExternal link. “Otherwise, it would risk being faced with an increase in the number of visa applications submitted to its representations abroad by Russian nationals seeking to circumvent EU decisions.”
In the spring Switzerland had already lifted the facilitations for obtaining visas for certain categories of people, such as Russian businessmen and women, as well as the exemption from the visa requirement for Russian diplomats.
The facilitated visa agreement between Switzerland and the Russian Federation was agreed in 2009. It simplified the visa procedure for certain groups of people and reduced or waived certain fees.
Tax exchange frozen
The government has also confirmed that Switzerland has suspended the exchange of tax information with Russia, including both automatic exchanges and spontaneous appeals for assistance.
This brings Swiss policy in line with the EU, United States, Canada and Britain.
In practice, no information has been exchanged with Russia for some time as Swiss courts and other resonsible bodies have refused to comply with such requests.
External Content
Popular Stories
More
Foreign affairs
What Trump’s return or a new Harris administration would mean for Switzerland
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
This content was published on
Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife, Eva Pavlova, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday at the start of a two-day state visit.
Study shows proliferation of non-native plants is driver of insect invasions
This content was published on
A global study has revealed that insect invasions are being driven by the proliferation of non-native plants. This can can massively disrupt ecological processes, often leading to serious economic impacts.
Swiss set record for world’s longest hyperloop test
This content was published on
Swiss scientists have established a record for the longest-ever hyperloop journey at a facility in Lausanne, Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Swiss army wants to purchase new German armoured howitzers to replace its existing artillery system which has been in operation for over 50 years.
Poll suggests Donald Trump has many fans in Switzerland
This content was published on
Around a quarter of Swiss citizens would vote for Donald Trump if they had the chance, according to a recent poll. This percentage is higher than in many other European countries.
Swiss court rejects special assistance for student with disabilities
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Court has rejected an application for special assistance from a student with disabilities at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
Police arrest 15 drug dealers in Verbier in southern Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss and French police have arrested 15 suspected drug dealers operating in the mountain resort of Verbier in southern Switzerland.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Russia says Switzerland cannot represent its interests in Ukraine
This content was published on
Russia has said Switzerland cannot represent Ukrainian interests in Russia and Moscow’s interests in Ukraine because it is no longer neutral.
Switzerland condemns Russia strike on Ukraine port
This content was published on
Switzerland calls a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian port of Odesa a “blatant disregard for the looming food insecurity worldwide”.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.