Switzerland recommends citizens leave Russia immediately
Switzerland’s Foreign Affairs Department (EDA) on Friday said any citizens currently in Russia should return immediately.
In a tweet from Friday, the EDA said it was ultimately up to individuals whether they wanted to return to Switzerland and said the recommendation was only temporary.
Das EDA empfiehlt Schweizer Staatsangehörigen, deren Anwesenheit in #Russland 🇷🇺nicht dringend erforderlich ist, das Land vorübergehend und mit eigenen Mitteln zu verlassen. Der Entscheid zur Ausreise ist ein individueller Entscheid. https://t.co/ViUhLUX9kS
— travel_EDA-DFAE (@travel_edadfae) March 11, 2022
“The FDFA recommends that Swiss nationals whose presence in #Russia is not urgently required leave the country temporarily and by their own means. The decision to leave is an individual decision.”
The EDA said Swiss nationals should use commercial transport to return home.
In its advice, the government acknowledged that there are currently no direct flights between Russia and Switzerland, due to a reciprocal ban on travel between the nations.
Flights however are possible between the two countries via an airport which is not participating in the ban, for instance Istanbul.
Switzerland has cancelled tourist visas for Russians, however Russian nationals in Switzerland with a legitimate residency permit are not required to leave.
Reader question: Do Russians now have to leave Switzerland?
Russia on Monday placed Switzerland on a list of ‘enemy states’ after the Swiss government decided to support sanctions on Russia.
At this stage, the consequence of being placed on this list have been largely diplomatic, however the EDA said it could not rule out Russia taking actions directly against Swiss citizens.
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In a tweet from Friday, the EDA said it was ultimately up to individuals whether they wanted to return to Switzerland and said the recommendation was only temporary.
Das EDA empfiehlt Schweizer Staatsangehörigen, deren Anwesenheit in #Russland 🇷🇺nicht dringend erforderlich ist, das Land vorübergehend und mit eigenen Mitteln zu verlassen. Der Entscheid zur Ausreise ist ein individueller Entscheid. https://t.co/ViUhLUX9kS
— travel_EDA-DFAE (@travel_edadfae) March 11, 2022
“The FDFA recommends that Swiss nationals whose presence in #Russia is not urgently required leave the country temporarily and by their own means. The decision to leave is an individual decision.”
The EDA said Swiss nationals should use commercial transport to return home.
In its advice, the government acknowledged that there are currently no direct flights between Russia and Switzerland, due to a reciprocal ban on travel between the nations.
Flights however are possible between the two countries via an airport which is not participating in the ban, for instance Istanbul.
Switzerland has cancelled tourist visas for Russians, however Russian nationals in Switzerland with a legitimate residency permit are not required to leave.
Reader question: Do Russians now have to leave Switzerland?
Russia on Monday placed Switzerland on a list of ‘enemy states’ after the Swiss government decided to support sanctions on Russia.
At this stage, the consequence of being placed on this list have been largely diplomatic, however the EDA said it could not rule out Russia taking actions directly against Swiss citizens.
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