From January 1, 2021, ETIAS visas will be required for US citizens to travel to

[BlueMTexpat]

Schengen member states.

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Last, Thursday night, I left the US to return to Switzerland, which has been my usual practice for the past several years. To my surprise, I was asked whether I had a Swiss visa. As I have a Swiss residence permit, I produced that and showed it to the ticket agent. This was the first time that I had EVER been asked whether I had any kind of visa.

It turned out that this was no mistake. I was also asked to produce my Swiss residence permit again at the gate before being allowed to depart. I had no troubles at all on my return to Switzerland as I automatically presented my Swiss residence permit along with my passport.

I was mystified as to why this had happened to me for the first time ever. Google provided me with an answer. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/switzerland-visa/us/

Do US citizens need a visa for Switzerland?

Citizens of the United States with a valid U.S. Tourist passport (blue passport) can travel to Switzerland for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period without having to apply or obtain a Schengen visa.

Despite of the fact that US citizens do not need to obtain a Switzerland visa prior to their travel to Switzerland, they still need to have some documents with them in order to be allowed to enter Switzerland. For more information check “What Documents do Americans Need to Enter Switzerland?

Apparently, I had triggered notice for the first time by having stayed in Switzerland for more than 90 days during my previous stay here and was returning to Switzerland within the 180-day period. But, as previously stated, I have been doing this for years and this had never happened to me before.

So I continued reading to discover the following:

Note: (Starting January 1, 2021, US citizens will have to apply for an ETIAS visa prior to their travel towards Switzerland and other Schengen member states, in order to be allowed to enter the territory.)

ETIAS is the European equivalent of the ESTA. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/etias/

What is ETIAS?
ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System. It is a completely electronic system which allows and keeps track of visitors from countries who do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Zone. In a way, it resembles the U.S Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which serves a similar purpose. The legal procedures to pass the ETIAS have started in 2016, and the system is expected to be in place by 2021.

The ETIAS will undergo a detailed security check of each applicant to determine whether they can be allowed to enter any Schengen Zone country. Since citizens of countries who do not need a visa for travel purposes of up to 90 days in the EU do not need to go through a long process of applying for the visa, the ETIAS will make sure that these people are not a security threat. This travel authorization system will gather, keep track of, and update necessary information regarding visitors to determine whether it is safe for them to enter Schengen countries.

The ETIAS, besides being used for business and tourist purposes, will also allow people to visit the Schengen countries for medical and transit reasons. In addition, it will be mandatory for all countries who are Schengen visa-free. [Last emphasis mine]

For more information about ESTA, please see https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/esta

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While these visa requirements have been reported by various sources before, this was my first encounter with any facet of the program. My Swiss residence permit allowed me to travel this time, but I am unsure as to whether it will suffice after 2021. Perhaps I will need the ETIAS visa as well. I will try to clarify this. Of course, given my advanced age, this could become moot, LOL.

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UK citizens will also be required to have an ETIAS visa after Brexit. https://www.etiasvisa.com/etias-news/etias-visa-how-will-it-affect-uk-citizens