The Swiss Federal Council has repealed the special visa restrictions it imposed on Ethiopia in April 2024. The measures—mirroring an EU decision taken under Article 25a of the Schengen Visa Code—had required Ethiopian travellers to supply extra documentation, pay full fees and wait longer for decisions. Brussels rescinded its sanctions in May 2026 after judging Addis Ababa’s cooperation on migrant returns to have ‘significantly improved’; Bern, bound to apply Schengen developments, followed suit at its 12 June meeting. Effective immediately, Swiss consulates may once again waive supporting documents, issue gratis visas to holders of diplomatic and service passports, grant multiple-entry C-visas, and decide most applications within 15 days.
If you need practical help navigating these reinstated rules, VisaHQ’s online platform can simplify the entire Swiss Schengen visa process—from tailored document checklists to secure application submission and real-time status tracking. Visit https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ to see how the service saves both travellers and corporate mobility teams time and effort.
Business travellers and international organisations with Ethiopian staff will particularly welcome the faster turnaround and reduced paperwork, which restore parity with other African markets such as Kenya and Ghana. Swiss employers hiring Ethiopian talent on short assignments should nonetheless remember that a Schengen visa only authorises stays of up to 90 days per 180; activities that constitute gainful employment in Switzerland still require a cantonal work authorisation. Immigration advisers therefore recommend a two-step assessment: first, whether the visit is ‘business’ or ‘work’ under Swiss rules; second, whether the individual can benefit from the newly normalised visa facilitation. The episode illustrates how closely Swiss mobility rules are entwined with EU policy. Companies with diverse mobility footprints should monitor Brussels as closely as Bern, because any future Article 25a action—positive or negative—will cascade to Switzerland with minimal lead-time. For now, however, the government’s decision removes a bottleneck on Swiss–Ethiopian travel just as trade missions prepare for next month’s Swiss-Africa Business Forum in Zurich.
If you need practical help navigating these reinstated rules, VisaHQ’s online platform can simplify the entire Swiss Schengen visa process—from tailored document checklists to secure application submission and real-time status tracking. Visit https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ to see how the service saves both travellers and corporate mobility teams time and effort.
Business travellers and international organisations with Ethiopian staff will particularly welcome the faster turnaround and reduced paperwork, which restore parity with other African markets such as Kenya and Ghana. Swiss employers hiring Ethiopian talent on short assignments should nonetheless remember that a Schengen visa only authorises stays of up to 90 days per 180; activities that constitute gainful employment in Switzerland still require a cantonal work authorisation. Immigration advisers therefore recommend a two-step assessment: first, whether the visit is ‘business’ or ‘work’ under Swiss rules; second, whether the individual can benefit from the newly normalised visa facilitation. The episode illustrates how closely Swiss mobility rules are entwined with EU policy. Companies with diverse mobility footprints should monitor Brussels as closely as Bern, because any future Article 25a action—positive or negative—will cascade to Switzerland with minimal lead-time. For now, however, the government’s decision removes a bottleneck on Swiss–Ethiopian travel just as trade missions prepare for next month’s Swiss-Africa Business Forum in Zurich.
