The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) completely rewrote its country advice for Venezuela on 4 January 2026, moving the South-American country into the highest risk category and explicitly advising Swiss nationals to avoid all travel. The update follows overnight U.S. air-strikes on Venezuelan military installations and the temporary closure of large sections of Caribbean airspace, which left hundreds of European flights— including those operated by SWISS and Edelweiss—diverted or cancelled.
According to the EDA, the security situation in Venezuela has deteriorated sharply: airports have been placed under heightened military control, land borders with Brazil and Colombia were intermittently closed, and fuel shortages are once again disrupting internal mobility. Swiss travellers already in the country are urged to register on the Travel Admin app, keep travel documents ready, maintain low profiles and prepare contingency plans for rapid departure. The embassy in Caracas remains open but warns that consular assistance could become severely restricted if the crisis escalates further.
In such uncertain circumstances, VisaHQ’s Swiss portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) can serve as a valuable lifeline, expediting visa extensions, passport renewals and document legalisations while providing up-to-date guidance on evolving entry rules. Their digital platform lets both corporate mobility teams and individual travellers track processing times and receive real-time alerts, helping ensure that essential paperwork is secured as swiftly as possible despite the fluid situation.
![Switzerland issues ‘Do Not Travel’ warning for Venezuela after U.S. strikes]()
For corporate mobility managers the new advisory effectively triggers a duty-of-care escalation: business trips to Venezuela now require C-suite approval, evacuation and medical-assistance contracts must be verified, and short-term assignments should be relocated to neighbouring hubs such as Bogotá or Panama City. Multinationals with Venezuelan subsidiaries are also reviewing their rotational-staff models; several Geneva-based commodity traders told the Swiss press that they will shift key personnel to Switzerland or to offices in Miami until safe commercial air links resume.
The advisory may have insurance implications. Most Swiss corporate travel-risk policies exclude cover for countries under a government “do not travel” order, meaning companies will need special-risk endorsements or bespoke policies if critical staff must remain in country. HR teams are therefore updating pre-trip approval workflows to include real-time checks against EDA risk ratings.
Finally, the EDA reminds travellers that Venezuela’s consular services in Bern and Geneva are currently overwhelmed and cannot guarantee visa issuance or passport renewals. Companies with Venezuelan assignees in Switzerland should initiate renewal procedures well ahead of time and prepare for potential delays in obtaining legalised documents from Caracas.
According to the EDA, the security situation in Venezuela has deteriorated sharply: airports have been placed under heightened military control, land borders with Brazil and Colombia were intermittently closed, and fuel shortages are once again disrupting internal mobility. Swiss travellers already in the country are urged to register on the Travel Admin app, keep travel documents ready, maintain low profiles and prepare contingency plans for rapid departure. The embassy in Caracas remains open but warns that consular assistance could become severely restricted if the crisis escalates further.
In such uncertain circumstances, VisaHQ’s Swiss portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) can serve as a valuable lifeline, expediting visa extensions, passport renewals and document legalisations while providing up-to-date guidance on evolving entry rules. Their digital platform lets both corporate mobility teams and individual travellers track processing times and receive real-time alerts, helping ensure that essential paperwork is secured as swiftly as possible despite the fluid situation.
For corporate mobility managers the new advisory effectively triggers a duty-of-care escalation: business trips to Venezuela now require C-suite approval, evacuation and medical-assistance contracts must be verified, and short-term assignments should be relocated to neighbouring hubs such as Bogotá or Panama City. Multinationals with Venezuelan subsidiaries are also reviewing their rotational-staff models; several Geneva-based commodity traders told the Swiss press that they will shift key personnel to Switzerland or to offices in Miami until safe commercial air links resume.
The advisory may have insurance implications. Most Swiss corporate travel-risk policies exclude cover for countries under a government “do not travel” order, meaning companies will need special-risk endorsements or bespoke policies if critical staff must remain in country. HR teams are therefore updating pre-trip approval workflows to include real-time checks against EDA risk ratings.
Finally, the EDA reminds travellers that Venezuela’s consular services in Bern and Geneva are currently overwhelmed and cannot guarantee visa issuance or passport renewals. Companies with Venezuelan assignees in Switzerland should initiate renewal procedures well ahead of time and prepare for potential delays in obtaining legalised documents from Caracas.
