Switzerland’s travel document has reached its highest-ever position on the Henley Passport Index, published on 14 January. The index ranks the Swiss passport joint third worldwide—alongside Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain and Sweden—granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations. While Switzerland did not add new visa waivers in the past year, several competitor nations lost access to key markets, allowing the country to move up the table.
For Swiss citizens, the improvement reinforces already strong global mobility: only six countries now require advance visas. Corporate travellers benefit from smoother last-minute itineraries, especially across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, where bilateral agreements have steadily expanded since 2022.
![Swiss passport climbs to joint-3rd on Henley Passport Index 2026]()
Whether arranging a weekend getaway or a complex multi-leg business trip, Swiss travellers can turn to VisaHQ for streamlined visa solutions. The platform provides up-to-date requirements, application assistance and real-time tracking for the handful of destinations that still demand advance paperwork, as well as guidance on upcoming systems like the EU’s EES and the UK ETA. Explore the service here: https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/.
Mobility managers should nonetheless remember that upcoming schemes such as the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will still apply to Swiss nationals. Companies are therefore advised to integrate automated passport-validity checks and pre-travel authorisation workflows into booking tools.
From a policy standpoint, the ranking bolsters Switzerland’s reputation as an attractive base for multinational HQs and expatriate managers, supporting talent-acquisition efforts. Immigration lawyers predict that the Federal Council will cite the result when negotiating future bilateral mobility accords.
For Swiss citizens, the improvement reinforces already strong global mobility: only six countries now require advance visas. Corporate travellers benefit from smoother last-minute itineraries, especially across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, where bilateral agreements have steadily expanded since 2022.
Whether arranging a weekend getaway or a complex multi-leg business trip, Swiss travellers can turn to VisaHQ for streamlined visa solutions. The platform provides up-to-date requirements, application assistance and real-time tracking for the handful of destinations that still demand advance paperwork, as well as guidance on upcoming systems like the EU’s EES and the UK ETA. Explore the service here: https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/.
Mobility managers should nonetheless remember that upcoming schemes such as the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will still apply to Swiss nationals. Companies are therefore advised to integrate automated passport-validity checks and pre-travel authorisation workflows into booking tools.
From a policy standpoint, the ranking bolsters Switzerland’s reputation as an attractive base for multinational HQs and expatriate managers, supporting talent-acquisition efforts. Immigration lawyers predict that the Federal Council will cite the result when negotiating future bilateral mobility accords.
