The Swiss Federal Council has approved an update to its visa regulations, bringing Switzerland in line with the European Union’s strengthened Schengen rules. The new measures, effective December 17, 2025, aim to tighten controls over visa-free travel for third countries.
Under the revised EU regulation, adopted on November 17, 2025, the thresholds for suspending visa exemptions have been lowered, giving authorities a broader scope to respond to migration pressures. Key changes include:
- Irregular residents or refused entries: Visa-free travel may now be suspended if arrivals from a third country rise by 30%, down from the previous 50%.
- Asylum applications: If applications surge and the recognition rate is below 20%, visa exemptions may be reconsidered (previously, the threshold was 3%).
The regulation also introduces new grounds for reinstating visas, including threats to public order linked to the misuse of migration, changes in conditions that originally justified visa exemptions, and deteriorating EU relations due to human-rights violations in the third country.
In urgent situations, the European Commission can temporarily reintroduce visa requirements for up to 12 months through a simplified procedure, applicable across the entire Schengen Area.
To align with these developments, Switzerland will amend its Ordinance on Entry and the Granting of Visas (OEV), ensuring a seamless implementation of the EU’s updated framework.
The updated rules mark a significant step in Europe’s migration policy, balancing security concerns with mobility freedoms, and demonstrate Switzerland’s commitment to harmonizing its policies with the broader Schengen area.
