Switzerland joined the Schengen area on 12 December 2008

On 27 November 2008 the EU-Ministers of Home affairs gave the green light to Switzerland to effectively apply the Schengen rules.

Since 12 December 2008, Switzerland dropped passport checks at their terrestrial borders to Germany, France, Italy and Austria. Airport controls will continue until 29 March 2009. As a result visas issued by Switzerland will be recognized for entry into the territory of all the other Schengen Member States and vice versa. Third-country nationals in possession of a long-stay Swiss residence permit may freely enter and stay in any other Schengen Member State for a period that does not exceed 3 months over a six-month period.

The Schengen Member States include the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain and now also Switzerland.