Visa Requirements for Swiss Citizens

Visa requirements for Swiss citizens are the specified by foreign countries' rules and conditions applicable to citizens of Switzerland upon arrival to their territories.

These pre-established requirements determine what documents will Swiss passport holders need to travel abroad.

Of course, each country stipulates its own entry requirements and makes it clear on who can enter visa-free and who needs a visa to enter. Swiss citizens are amongst those countries with great international travel liberty with over a hundred destinations that do not require Swiss passport holders to have a visa upon arrival.

Swiss citizens can apply for the following types of visas:

  • Embassy visa - a traditional type of visa that is handled upon visiting an official institution, such as an Embassy or a Consulate. This type of visa can serve for both short and long-term trips, even those relating to studying or working abroad. Its long processing times and complicated application processes are what make this visa type hard to get.
  • Visa on Arrival - is a short-term visa that is obtainable after arriving into the selected country. This visa type is collected at any entrance border point of the chosen destination after waiting in lines and completing a VoA application process.
  • eVisa - is the easiest to obtain among all visa options for Swiss citizens. Electronic visas are available online upon completing a simple application process. The approved documents get delivered to each applicant via email.

As was already mentioned, Swiss citizens can enjoy quite significant international travel liberty, which results in only around 30 countries that do require an Embassy visa from Swiss passport holders upon arrival.

A Visa on Arrival is granted upon entering more than 30 countries. This visa type is connected with long waiting lines and uncertainty since travelers don't have their visas until arrival.

Whatsmore, another 32 destinations have come forward with an eVisa option for Swiss citizens to use. This allows them to travel prepared and receive the necessary documents online without waiting in lines or visiting an Embassy!

Further information on which countries Swiss citizens can visit visa-free, what types of visas do they need for other destinations, and what requirements need to be met upon traveling abroad are available below.

Electronic visa

An eVisa is a type of visa that can be received online and later on delivered to the applicant's email box. eVisa application process does not require an in-person interaction and is granted entirely electronically!

List of countries offering an eVisa option for Swiss passport holders

There are 32 destinations that offer an eVisa option for Swiss passport holders to use. Visiting any of the above-listed countries can be done with an eVisa and a valid Swiss passport on hand.

To apply for an eVisa, Swiss citizens need to complete a simple online application process, which can be done using any working device with an internet connection.

Applications for eVisas are processed within 1-3 days, but in some cases, it can take up to a week or so. Travelers will be notified about their eVisa status via email after submitting their applications.

Approved eVisas usually allow Swiss passport holders to stay abroad for either one or three months. However, besides these two most commonly seen options, there are different lengths of the permitted stay, which are always pre-established by the authorities of the selected country.

Swiss citizens can use eVisas for all short-term trips abroad relating to:

  • leisure: leisure activities (sightseeing, visiting museums and other points of interest, participating in cultural activities, enjoying tourist sites)
  • business: attending meetings or conferences (participating in congresses or similar events)
  • transit: taking a layover in a foreign country if reaching a final destination requires this.

Visa on Arrival

A Visa on Arrival is a type of visa that can be collected at any entrance border point of the chosen destination after waiting in lines. The process of issuing visas on arrival varies from one country to another, but what they all have in common is the need to go through the application process. This is when applicants fill out an application form, pay their visa fees, and receive their visas, all completed after arrival.

List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival for Swiss citizens

  • Angola
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cambodia
  • Comoros
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Iran
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Lebanon
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • The Maldives
  • The Marshall Islands
  • Mauritania
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Rwanda
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Somalia
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

35 countries make it possible for Swiss passport holders to get a Visa on Arrival. There is no need to handle any type of visa prior to arrival at any of the above-listed destinations.

How to get a Visa on Arrival?

To get a Visa on Arrival, travelers must first check if there are any required supporting documents/requirements to meet before visiting the selected destination.

Once prepared and already at the selected VoA destination, Swiss citizens should go to the nearest border control point and ask for a VoA application. Next, it's necessary to fill it out carefully, attach the supporting documents (if necessary), cover the VoA issuing fee (if applicable), and wait for approval.

Please note! Many VoA countries have an additional eVisa option for those travelers who wish to arrive prepared, with a visa already on hand. This allows Swiss citizens to omit the long waiting lines upon arrival.

Citizens of Switzerland can use VoAs to travel for enjoyment, leisure, or recreational purposes. For some travelers, it's a desire to explore an unknown destination and learn about the culture and people who live there. For others, it's simply going on a relaxing getaway.

VoAs are also perfectly suitable for business-related trips, including attending conferences, seminars, and meetings. Lastly, transit travel is also available, that is, when a traveler passes through a country's international airport or land border without leaving the terminal or checkpoint.

Embassy visa

An Embassy visa is a type of visa that can be collected at any Embassy of the selected destination. The process of issuing visas at Embassies varies from one country to another, but they all have in common the need to go through a complicated application process and validate the planned trip with many supporting documents.

List of countries that require Swiss citizens to have a valid Embassy visa upon arrival

  • Afghanistan
  • Algeria
  • Bhutan
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • The Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • China
  • The Republic of the Congo
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Cuba
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Iraq
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Mali
  • Mongolia
  • Nauru
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • Sierra Leone
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Turkmenistan
  • Yemen

Nearly 30 countries have made it a requirement for Swiss citizens to have an Embassy visa upon arrival. Visiting the above-listed destinations from Switzerland requires applying for a traditional visa at an Embassy or a Consulate.

How can one apply for an Embassy visa? It may be difficult to comprise the Embassy visa application process into a few simple steps. That is because this process differs and depends on many factors, including a selected Embassy visa type, the selected country, and the applicant's country of origin.

However, it usually requires first checking the current requirements and preparing the needed documents. Next, filling the application form and later on submitting the complete paperwork to an Embassy and covering the issuing fee.

Applying for this visa type requires an in-person visit to the Embassy. The processing time may take up to a few weeks; thus, submitting the visa application appropriately ahead of the planned trip is crucial.

Please note! Embassy visas can also be used for long-term trips, including those relating to taking up employment, studying, or even living abroad. For leisure, business, or transit trips, choose an appropriate short-term Embassy visa type.

Visa-free countries

Over 100 destinations welcome Swiss citizens visa-free. But does this mean that travelers can visit them without any preparations? Well, it depends on the selected country.

List of visa-free countries for Swiss citizens

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Cape Verde
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • The Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • The Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Indonesia
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kiribati
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lesotho
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Namibia
  • The Netherlands
  • Nicaragua
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Palau
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • The Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Slovenia
  • Slovakia
  • The Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Tuvalu
  • Ukraine
  • The United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City
  • Venezuela

Countries with the Freedom of Movement agreement with Switzerland will require Swiss citizens to travel with a valid ID.

Other destinations require travelers from Switzerland to have a valid passport and sometimes additional documents to validate the purpose of the planned trip, such as a return ticket or hotel bookings proof.

With visa-free travel, Swiss citizens can:

  • explore new cultures, identities, languages, and landscapes
  • indulge in experiences, such as biking through the woods or hiking on a sunny peak
  • get away from the pressures of work and life and relax
  • handle any business affairs abroad, including attending a business meeting, conference, or seminar
  • transit while on the way to another final destination
Bogdan T
2022-09-28

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