Swiss passport does not guarantee visa-free entry everywhere

Swiss nationals can visit 44 European destinations without a visa. Keystone-SDA

The Swiss passport takes 9th place in a global ranking, with 119 visa-free destinations and 54 countries requiring a visa on arrival or other entry formalities for Swiss citizens. A standard visa is required for 25 destinations.

There are no downsides for European destinations, according to the Passport Reports ranking published on Tuesday. As such, Swiss nationals can visit 44 European destinations without a visa. For Russia, a visa on arrival is required, and for the United Kingdom, an electronic travel authorisation is required.

The situation is also favourable for travel to North and South America, the Gulf states and the Caribbean. These destinations are all accessible either visa-free, with a visa on arrival or with an electronic travel authorisation.

In Oceania, the Swiss passport offers an overall access rate of nearly 93%, including visas on arrival and electronic travel authorisations. In Asia, this rate stands at 82%; in the Middle East, 82.4%; in Central Asia, 80%; and in Africa, 72.2%.

At European level, however, the Swiss passport ranks only 13th out of 47. Ahead of Switzerland are European Union countries such as Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany and Greece, as well as countries in Northern Europe. The differences in terms of the number of visa-free destinations and visa requirements are, however, minimal.

Singapore tops the list

Globally, according to the passport rankings, Singapore tops the list with 129 visa-free destinations, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 128. Afghanistan occupies the bottom place in the ranking, behind Syria and other countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. From Afghanistan, only three countries are accessible without a visa.

Conversely, Switzerland applies stricter entry requirements than it faces itself. In the hospitality ranking, Switzerland is in 92nd place out of the 199 countries surveyed. This means that nationals of many countries, where Swiss nationals are welcomed without difficulty, require a visa to enter Switzerland.

Passport Reports presents itself as an independent platform, with no links to any government or official body. Its aim is to present complex data on entry requirements for countries in the form of a clear and practical reference guide.

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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.