Foreign nationals who wish to enter Switzerland must observe the entry and customs regulations. In any case, they must be in possession of a valid travel document recognized by the Swiss authorities. In addition, a visa is required in certain cases.
The EDA provides detailed information on visa requirements and the entry procedure:
Information sheet for entry to Switzerland
The following document will help you to find out whether you need a visa:
ID and visa provisions according to nationality
For further questions the EDA offers a comprehensive FAQ site:
In case you need a Letter of Invitation for the embassy stating that you will participate in the conference, please contact us via 
desrist2010@unisg.ch.
In order for us to issue the letter, please
St.Gallen is situated south-east of Lake Constance and forms the "Happy End" of the north-east of Switzerland. It may be reached by plane, train, and car.
Zurich Airport is the primary airport for St.Gallen and the surrounding area and serves 174 national and international destinations. Airlines flying in and leaving from Zurich Airport can be found here. Moreover, Zurich Airport offers a variety of services to its passengers.
Once landed in Zurich, the easiest and probably most comfortable way to travel to St.Gallen is via train. The train station is located right in the centre of Zurich Airport and is signposted well. Tickets may be bought at staffed stations or ticket machines directly in the airport. The train ride takes approximately one hour.
There is a regular rail service between both Zurich City and Zurich Airport and St.Gallen. Timetables, ticket prices and all other information regarding rail travel in Switzerland can be found on the Swiss Rail web site: http://www.sbb.ch/en/ Tickets may be bought online or at staffed stations or ticket machines.
The A1 Motorway provides direct connections between St.Gallen and Zurich Airport and all Switzerland's major cities.
The No. 5 and 9 buses provide direct connections between the main railway station and the University.
Please not that there is only a very limited number of parking spaces on Campus.
The local currency is Swiss Francs (CHF). Currency exchange facilities are available at the airport and at all financial institutions in St.Gallen City Centre. ATMs were widely available. Traveller cheques and credit cards were accepted in most hotels restaurants and shops. For up to date currency conversion rates DESRIST participants are advised to visit www.oanda.com.
The line voltage is 230V and electric sockets take Swiss plugs. Please, remember to bring a plug adaptor if you want to use your computer or the like in your hotel room. Swiss sockets accept both Swiss plugs (SEV 1011) and Europlugs (CEE 7/16). If you already have a Europlug, you should be fine (see Lonely Planet).
