🇨🇭 Switzerland— Cash & Currency
Federal Customs Administration (Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung — EZV / Office fédéral de la douane et de la sécurité des frontières — BAZG)
2026-04-25
Declaration Threshold
US$11,000
CHF
You must declare to customs if you are carrying cash, traveler's cheques, money orders, or negotiable bearer instruments totaling above this amount when entering or leaving Switzerland.
What Must Be Declared
| Instrument | Declaration Required |
|---|---|
| Physical currency (any currency) | Yes, if above threshold |
| Traveler's cheques | Yes, if above threshold |
| Bank drafts / money orders | Yes, if above threshold |
| Bearer bonds / negotiable instruments | Yes, if above threshold |
| Credit cards / debit cards | Generally no |
| Electronic payment apps | Generally no |
Failure to declare
Carrying undeclared cash above the threshold can result in seizure of funds, fines, and in some jurisdictions criminal prosecution. When in doubt, declare.
Additional Country Notes
- 01Switzerland is not a member of the EU but has bilateral agreements with the EU covering many goods — the Bilateral Agreements I (1999) include mutual recognition of product conformity and other trade facilitation measures.
- 02Switzerland is a member of EFTA (European Free Trade Association) and has an FTA with China and numerous other countries.
- 03Swiss VAT (MWST/TVA/IVA) standard rate is 8.1% (raised from 7.7% in 2024); reduced rate 2.6% for food, books, medicines; special rate 3.8% for hotel accommodation.
- 04Switzerland is the world center of luxury watchmaking — Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, IWC, and hundreds of others are Swiss. Import and export rules for watches are important to understand.
- 05Geneva is a center for international organizations and diplomatic activity — certain goods may be imported duty-free by accredited diplomats.
- 06Liechtenstein forms a customs union with Switzerland — goods move freely between the two countries.
- 07Switzerland uses the e-dec system for customs declarations.