Speaking at the presentation of Switzerland’s 2026 Intelligence Report, Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) director Serge Bavaud warned that the country’s security environment is “eroding from the east, west and south” as Russia intensifies hybrid operations, Iran’s conflict drives extremist plots and organised crime exploits migration routes. Bavaud told journalists that dozens of suspected foreign spies—some with diplomatic cover—remain active and that digital disinformation campaigns increasingly target the expat community and critical infrastructure such as airports and rail hubs. Although the report makes no direct policy proposals, federal parliamentarians from across the spectrum immediately called for stricter screening of diplomatic staff, more funding for the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) and faster implementation of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), now scheduled for October 2026. Several MPs also want biometric checks extended to private-aviation terminals and to night-train arrivals from neighbouring states.
![Swiss intelligence chief flags rising hybrid threats, fuelling calls for tighter border vetting]()
Whether you are an individual traveller or a corporate mobility manager, VisaHQ can help you keep pace with these changes. The company’s Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers current visa and residence-permit guidance, digital document submission and real-time application tracking, simplifying compliance as biometric checks expand and the EES comes online.
For multinational employers, the debate foreshadows closer cooperation between security and migration authorities. Expect more background-verification requests for work-permit sponsored staff, particularly in sensitive sectors such as pharma, fintech and energy. Companies operating data centres or R&D labs were urged to reassess physical-access privileges for visiting contractors and to develop response plans for reputational attacks online. Travel-risk managers should note that temporary reinforcement of border checks—similar to those imposed during the recent G7 summit in Évian—could become more common around high-profile events or referendums. Additional scrutiny may prolong passport-control times for non-EU assignees; advance appointment systems and digital travel passes could mitigate delays once EES goes live.
Whether you are an individual traveller or a corporate mobility manager, VisaHQ can help you keep pace with these changes. The company’s Switzerland portal (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers current visa and residence-permit guidance, digital document submission and real-time application tracking, simplifying compliance as biometric checks expand and the EES comes online.
For multinational employers, the debate foreshadows closer cooperation between security and migration authorities. Expect more background-verification requests for work-permit sponsored staff, particularly in sensitive sectors such as pharma, fintech and energy. Companies operating data centres or R&D labs were urged to reassess physical-access privileges for visiting contractors and to develop response plans for reputational attacks online. Travel-risk managers should note that temporary reinforcement of border checks—similar to those imposed during the recent G7 summit in Évian—could become more common around high-profile events or referendums. Additional scrutiny may prolong passport-control times for non-EU assignees; advance appointment systems and digital travel passes could mitigate delays once EES goes live.
