Missions abroad

Swiss embassies and consulates abroad

  • 317 missions
  • 136 countries
  • 109 embassies

The directory records 317 missions of Switzerland abroad (109 embassies, 50 consulates, 144 honorary consulates and 14 other offices), in 136 countries. The largest networks are in the United States (26), France (13) and Germany (11).

Countries with missions

Map

Swiss embassies and consulates abroad

Visa rules for Switzerland passport holders

Entry rules for Switzerland passport holders199 in total

  • Visa-free120
  • Visa on arrival30
  • Electronic travel authorisation11
  • e-Visa25
  • Visa required13

Visa rules for Switzerland passport holders

Schengen visas issued by Switzerland

YearApplicationsVisas issuedRefusedRefusal rateMultiple-entry share
2023 603,261506,49964,39710.7% 69.1%
2024 636,077560,49371,66411.3% 72.9%
2025 619,323538,34177,37112.5% 66.7%

Busiest countries, 2025

CountryApplicationsRefusal rate
India 226,04413.6%
China 84,8294.4%
Saudi Arabia 31,1464.7%
Thailand 26,9894.5%
United Arab Emirates 25,60321.3%
Turkey 23,0729.8%
Indonesia 19,1629.2%
United Kingdom 16,12310.6%
Philippines 16,0014.3%
Qatar 12,5497.2%

Switzerland’s embassies and consulates outside the Schengen area received 619,323 short-stay visa applications in 2025, the 7th highest number among the 28 Schengen states, and issued 538,341 visas. The refusal rate was 12.5%. That is barely different from 2024 (11.3%). Applications fell by 3% compared with 2024 (636,077).

The busiest countries were India (226,044), China (84,829), Saudi Arabia (31,146), Thailand (26,989) and the United Arab Emirates (25,603). Among the ten busiest, refusal rates ranged from 4.3% in the Philippines to 21.3% in the United Arab Emirates.

Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made

Good to know

Switzerland’s missions by continent

By continent, 108 of Switzerland’s missions are in Europe, 84 in the Americas, 73 in Asia, 40 in Africa and 12 in Oceania; Europe accounts for 34%.

Where Switzerland has the most missions

After the United States (26), Switzerland’s largest networks are in France (13), Germany (11), Italy (11), Australia (8), Brazil (8) and Canada (8).

Embassies of Switzerland

Switzerland has an embassy in 109 countries. In 27 other countries it has consulates, honorary consulates or other offices but no embassy.

Honorary consuls of Switzerland

Switzerland has 144 honorary consulates, 45% of its network; honorary consulates handle emergencies and simple certifications rather than visas or passports. In Guadeloupe, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Puerto Rico and Suriname, honorary consuls are its only representation.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Switzerland have the most consulates?

In the United States, with 26 missions, followed by France (13).

In which countries is Switzerland represented only by honorary consuls?

Guadeloupe, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Puerto Rico and Suriname.