Leaving Switzerland with personal goods

You generally do not have to observe any specific customs regulations for your personal goods when leaving Switzerland. No export customs duties are payable. However, clarify any bans, authorisations and restrictions with the relevant offices before leaving. These include, for example, animals, CITES species protection, weapons, cultural assets, etc.; more information

Temporary exportation

In order to avoid problems and discussions upon re-entry, you can have new or highly valuable personal effects (e.g. expensive cameras) noted or marked by the export customs office. Presenting a Swiss sales slip or an import duty receipt facilitates the procedure. Please note the border crossing clearance times. Opening hours and addresses
Returns, goods for repair or processing

Foreign import provisions

We are unable to provide information on foreign import provisions. For information, please contact the relevant customs administration, WCO - National customs websites, or the corresponding foreign representation in Switzerland, Foreign representations in Switzerland.

Tax-free shopping in Switzerland

The salesperson can explain how and under what conditions you can make tax-free purchases in Switzerland. The minimum purchase value per sales transaction is CHF 300 including VAT. There is no tax exemption for smaller purchases.

It is essential to leave Switzerland via a manned customs office at the border in order for us to be able to confirm the exportation. (Opening hours and addresses). The items are to be declared verbally when crossing the border and the "Export document in tourist traffic" is to be presented for confirmation.

Omitted export confirmations can be carried out by other offices at a later stage. Additional information on this is available from the Federal Tax Administration (www.estv.admin.ch → Value added tax VAT → VAT specialist information → VAT refund - tax free)

Our opening hours and addresses

For personal goods in tourist traffic, the largest border crossings are open 24 hours a day, Monday through Sunday, and are staffed by border guards. Special opening hours apply at airports. Numerous small border crossings, however, are open only at certain times, while some are no longer manned at all.

The detailed clearance times can be found in the list of customs offices.

Contact

Opening hours + addresses

Information office for customs regulations

Tel.
+41 58 467 15 15

Contact form

Print contact

https://www.bazg.admin.ch/content/bazg/en/home/information-individuals/travel-and-purchases--allowances-and-duty-free-limit/exportation-from-switzerland/leaving-switzerland-with-personal-goods.html