United States
Switzerland
Switzerland visa for US citizens
Entry requirement
Switzerland admits US citizens without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Where to apply
- Nothing to apply for in advance
Checked 31 October 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at eda.admin.ch
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Switzerland: visa decisions in the United States
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 8,999 | 8,438 | 500 | 5.6% | 99.1% |
| 2024 | 9,863 | 9,485 | 312 | 3.2% | 99.5% |
| 2025 | 9,589 | 9,140 | 410 | 4.3% | 99.8% |
In 2025, Switzerland’s embassy and consulates in the United States (San Francisco, New York, Atlanta and Washington D.C.) received 9,589 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 9,140. The refusal rate was 4.3%. That is barely different from 2024 (3.2%). Applications fell by 3% compared with 2024 (9,863).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 4.9% of the applications lodged in the United States that year, from 0.4% at the consulates of Greece to 20.5% at those of Sweden. Switzerland’s consulates worldwide refused 12.5%. Switzerland was the 6th most applied-for Schengen state in the United States.
You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. The figures cover applications lodged in the United States, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
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
Swiss citizens travelling to the United States
SwitzerlandUnited States Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) United States visa for citizens of Switzerland
Travel advice for Switzerland
- US State Department Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
US citizens planning a trip to Switzerland can compare how foreign ministries rate it: the US State Department rates Switzerland at Level 1, exercise normal precautions (updated 13 August 2026), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Switzerland (updated 11 August 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Switzerland (updated 13 October 2026).
Good to know
How long US citizens can stay in Switzerland
US citizens may stay in Switzerland for up to 90 days. Days in Switzerland count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Switzerland and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of US citizens in Switzerland count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Switzerland’s neighbours for US citizens
Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, France and Austria admit US citizens visa-free.
Swiss citizens travelling to the United States
Swiss citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the United States, obtained online before travel, for stays of up to 90 days.
Frequently asked questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Switzerland?
Switzerland admits US citizens without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
How long can US citizens stay in Switzerland?
US citizens can stay in Switzerland for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Swiss citizens need a visa for the United States?
Swiss citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the United States, obtained online before travel, for stays of up to 90 days.
Can US citizens enter Switzerland visa-free?
Yes, US citizens can enter Switzerland without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 31 October 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.