Visa requirements for EFTA nationals

Visa requirements for EFTA nationals are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states.

Current member states of EFTA are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Member states' citizens enjoy freedom of movement in each other's territories in accordance with the EFTA convention. EFTA nationals also enjoy freedom of movement in the European Union (EU). EFTA nationals and EU citizens and are not only visa-exempt but are legally entitled to enter and reside in each other's countries. The Citizens’ Rights Directive (also sometimes called the "Free Movement Directive") defines the right of free movement for citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the three EFTA members Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein and the member states of the EU. Switzerland, which is a member of EFTA but not of the EEA, is not bound by the Directive but rather has a separate bilateral agreement on free movement with the EU.

Visa requirements maps

Visa free access This table lists all countries, as of this date with source information as it is cited inline, for which citizens of at least one EFTA member state may enter without a visa on an ordinary passport. Information regarding visas on arrival and on exit fees is not listed in the table, regarding which, see the relevant section below.

Africa Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 90 days within 12 months. All states.Visa policy of Cape Verde 30 days. Norway, Switzerland. Iceland, Liechtenstein 30 days. All states. 90 days. All others. Liechtenstein 14 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 3 months within a calendar year. All states. 90 days. All states. 3 months. All states. 90 days. All states. 3 months Caribbean Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 3 months. All states. 3 months. All states. 3 months. All states. 21 days (90 days for Norway). All states. 90 days (30-day tourist cards required). All states. 3 months. All states. 3 months. All states. 90 days All states. 3 months. All states. 6 weeks. All states. 1 month. All states. 90 days within any 180 day period. Central and North America Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 1 month for Switzerland. All states. 6 months, eTA required if arriving by air. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 180 days. All states. 90 days (30-day tourist cards required). All states. 180 days. All states (VWP) 90 days on every arrival from overseas, ESTA (issued for 2 years) required when arriving by air and cruise ship. South America Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days - extendable up to 180-days stay within a one-year period. All states. 90 days. Norway, Switzerland. Iceland, Liechtenstein 3 months. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days, extendable once. All states. 90 days, extendable once. Asia Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 90 days.All states.All others. Except short term visits in transit and Hainan.30 days. Temporarily until 31 December 2025. Notice of Extension of Visa Exemption Policy for Citizens of 12 Countries including Switzerland. Notice on Visa-free Policy to Citizens of Norway and Other Countries. All states. 30 days. All states. 90 days. All others. Liechtenstein 30 days. All states 60 days. Switzerland All others. 15 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 30 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days (30 days for Iceland and Liechtenstein). All states. 30 days, extendable once. All states 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 30 days. Norway. All others. 15 days. Middle East and Caucasus Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 180 days. All states. 1 year. All states.German citizens born before January 1, 1928 need a visa for Israel, which will be issued for free if one was not a member of the Nazi party or involved in crimes committed during the time of the Nazi Germany. 3 months. Europe Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states. 90 days. All states. All states. 5 days. Must enter through the Minsk National Airport. All states. 90 days within 180 days. All states. Freedom of movement. All states. 90 days within 180 days. All states. 90 days within 180 days. All states.90 days within 180 days. All states. All states. All states. 90 days within 180 days. All states. 90 days within 180 days. All states. 90 days within 180 days.All states (ETA).6 months. ETA (issued for 2 years) required, unless holding rights under the EU Settlement Scheme. All states. Oceania Country Visa not required Visa required Notes All states (eVisitor).90 days on each visit in 12-month period if granted. All states. 4 months. All states. 90 days. All states.90 days within 180 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days. All states. 90 days within any 180 day period. All states. 90 days. All states 90 days. All states. 90 days. All others. Iceland 90 days. All EFTA nationals can visit the following partially recognised countries or territories with autonomous immigration policies without a visa:

Asia

Europe

Reciprocity

The EFTA member states are all part of the Schengen Area, an area comprising 29 European states that have eliminated border controls with other Schengen members and strengthened border controls with non-Schengen countries. The Schengen area mostly functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. Since 2001, the European Union has issued two lists regarding visas for the Schengen Area: a white list of countries whose nationals do not require visas (Annex II)As listed in Annex II of the Council Regulation 539/2001. and a black list of countries whose nationals do require visas (Annex I).As listed in annex I of the Council Regulation 539/2001. As per Regulation No 539/2001 (amended by Regulation No 1289/2013) reciprocity is required from all Annex II countries and territories. That means that these countries must offer visa-free access for 90 days to citizens of the 29 Schengen member states.

When this is not the case, the affected Schengen member state is expected to notify the European Commission. Starting six months after the notification, the Commission may adopt an implementing act to suspend the visa-free regime for certain categories of nationals of the third country concerned, for a period of up to six months, with a possible prolongation by further periods of up to six months. If the Commission decides not to adopt such an act, it has to present a report explaining the reasons why it did not propose the measure. If after two years from the notification the third country is still requiring visas from citizens of one or more Member States, the Commission shall adopt a delegated act to re-impose the visa obligation on all citizens of the third country, for a period of 12 months. Either the European Parliament or the Council could oppose the entry into force of the delegated acts. All of the states that implement the common visa rules – including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania – may notify the European Commission about non-compliant third states.State of play and the possible ways forward as regards the situation of non-reciprocity with certain third countries in the area of visa policy, European Commission, 12 April 2016.

According to a report from April 2015, the Commission dismissed notifications by both Bulgaria and Romania of a general visa requirement by Australia. It concluded that the Australian electronic visa 'manual processing' treatment should not be considered as equivalent to the Schengen visa application procedures and consequently will not be covered by the reciprocity mechanism. In its previous report, the Commission also committed to assessing certain provisions of the US electronic visa system — such as the application fee. In its previous report, the Commission also committed to assessing certain provisions of the US ESTA system — such as the application fee — and the Australian eVisitor system.

Special requirements The following countries require electronic registrations for all EFTA nationals: Australia requires EFTA nationals to obtain an eVisitor, which is issued free of charge. Canada requires EFTA nationals to obtain an eTA. The application fee is 7 CAD. New Zealand requires EFTA nationals to obtain an NZeTA and IVL if arriving by air. The application fee is NZD 9 or 12 and NZD 35. United Kingdom requires EFTA nationals to obtain an ETA. The application fee is 16 GBP. United States requires EFTA nationals to obtain an ESTA. The application fee is 21 USD.

Visa on arrival The following countries provide visa on arrival to EFTA nationals. Some countries may not provide visa on arrival facilities at all entry points.

Visa on arrivalfor citizensof all EFTA states Notes 14 days. BD 25. Available at Shahjalal International Airport, Shah Amanat International Airport and Osmani International Airport only. 30 days. Fees vary per country.Extensions are possible. 1 month, extension possible.XOF 47,000 to XOF 61,000. 30 days. USD 20. Obtainable at Nelson Mandela International Airport, Cesária Évora Airport, Amílcar Cabral International Airport and Aristides Pereira International Airport. EUR 25. 50 USD. EUR 30. Obtainable at Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport. 1 month. EUR 75. Visa not required for up to 15 days in Sinai resorts. 30 days. USD 25. 90 days. EUR 85. 30 days. USD 35. Obtainable at the airports in Chah-Bahar, Qeshm, Kish, Mashad, Esfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Tehran international airports. 30 days. EUR 30–80. Visa on arrival obtainable at most international ports of entry and at most international land border crossings (except King Hussein/Allenby Bridge crossing). 30 days. Free of charge. 3 months, extendable once. USD 50. 3 months. KWD 3. Available at international airports Wattay Vientiane, Pakse Savannakhet and Luang Prabang, and at land borders Friendship Bridge, Vientiane and Savannakhet; Nam Heuang Friendship Bridge, Sayabouly Province; and border crossings at Boten-Mohan, Dansavan-Lao Bao, Houaysay-Chiang Khong, Thakhek-Nakhon Phanom, Nong Haet-Nam Kan, Nam Phao-Kao Cheo, Veun Kham-Dong Calor, and Vangtao-Chong Mek as well as Tha Naleng train station in Vientiane, which connects to the train station in Nongkhai, Thailand. Entry points Napao-Chalo, Taichang-Sophoun, Pakxan-Bungkan, and Xiengkok are open only to visa holders. 30 days. USD 30. Obtainable at the land border with Syria, the port of Beirut, or Beirut International Airport. 1 month extendable for 2 additional months. 30 days. Free of charge. 30 days. Extendable up to 90 days. Fees vary. 30 days. Free of charge. Extendable up to 90 days, MVR 750. 30 days, extendable up to 60 days. Obtainable at Tribhuvan International Airport and certain land borders. 90 days. USD 25-100. 3 months. OMR 5-20. 60 days. Free of charge. 59 days. USD 50. Available only at Doha International Airport. 1 month. QAR 50-150. ETA obtainable on arrival or online prior to arrival. 30 days, extendable up to 150 days. Fees vary. Obtainable at Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport. 90 days. USD 20. USD 50 - USD 100. 7 days, extendable for 90 days.XOF 10,000-90,000. USD 100. 90 days. USD 50 - USD 80. 3 months. USD 30 - USD 70.

Visa on arrival available to the citizens of some EFTA countries. Some countries may not provide visa on arrival facilities at all entry points. Country Visa on arrival available to citizens of Notes Obtainable at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Norway, Switzerland USD 20.Iceland, Norway, Switzerland USD 100

Limited visa on arrival