Switzerland requires the same ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip standard as the EU. If your pet already has a chip from outside Europe that isn't ISO-compliant, you'll need to bring your own scanner capable of reading it, or have a compliant chip implanted before travel.

Does the microchip go in before the rabies vaccine?

The order matters as much as the chip itself: the microchip has to be implanted before the rabies vaccination is given. If the vaccine came first, Switzerland — like the EU — won't count it as valid, and it has to be repeated after the chip is in place, restarting the waiting period.

Why should the vet scan the chip at every step?

Ask your vet to scan the chip at every step: implantation, vaccination, and the final health certificate or passport appointment. The number has to match exactly across every document, and a mismatch is one of the more common reasons pets get held up at a Swiss border check.