It remains at a Level 1.
Several news outlets are reporting that the U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory for Switzerland, with some describing the move as “sudden” or “unexpected,” while citing independent rankings that place the Central European country among the safest in the world.
The State Department currently lists Switzerland as Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. This is essentially a notice that American citizens need little additional consideration for their security and safety outside their normal practices when traveling to Switzerland. There is no travel advisory level below Level 1; it is the lowest possible rating, indicating the lowest threat to U.S. travelers.
The travel advisory level has also not changed. The travel advisory was reissued on May 20, which the State Department notes was done with minor edits.
A screen grab of the same page taken on May 16 shows that the previous update to the travel advisory was on July 26, 2023. At that time, the reason for the update was to remove the COVID-19 page links. Switzerland was also at a Level 1 in that notice.
What Changed in the Latest Switzerland Advisory?
In the most recent update to the U.S.’s advisory for Switzerland, the call to action for enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) was changed from “to receive Alerts” to “to receive messages and alerts.” A call to “Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter” was also removed.
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A line referencing the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) pages on travelers’ health was amended from “related to your travel” to “related to your travel and return to the United States.”
A paragraph was added encouraging travelers to purchase travel insurance, reminding travelers that the U.S. government does not provide insurance for U.S. citizens overseas.
It’s worth noting that the travel advisory for neighboring Austria, also currently at Level 1, was reissued in August of 2024, during the Biden Administration, with the same explanatory note: “reissued after periodic review without changes.” The format of the page and its advisory bullet points is virtually identical to the Switzerland page before its May 2025 revisions. The page for the tiny principality of Liechtenstein, between Switzerland and Austria, was reissued on May 23, also with minor edits.
Some social media users speculated that Eurovision results or crime in Geneva were the cause of the update, but it’s far more likely that the State Department is simply working through a list of countries to update them with minor formatting changes. Normally functioning bureaucracies in democratic governments tend to note the timing of minor changes on government posts or web pages and keep revision records in case other government agencies, the press, or private citizens request review.
Travel advisories are an assessment of the precautions U.S. citizens need to take prior to visiting any country. All countries are issued a travel advisory with a level ranking from Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions to Level 4: Do Not Travel.
Countries currently ranked Level 1 in addition to Switzerland and Austria include Canada, the Mexican states of Campeche and Yucatán, Norway, most E.U. member states (with the exception of France, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden, which are Level 2), Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, and Vietnam.
Among Level 1 countries, the page for Japan was reissued on May 15 without changes. Paraguay was reissued with minor edits on April 30, Czechia (formerly Czech Republic) was reissued on April 28 with minor edits, and Kuwait was reissued on April 8 with minor edits.
A full listing of the State Department’s Travel Advisories can be found here. Travelers may wish to check the advisories frequently in the days leading up to their intended travel to a country. Enrolling in the STEP program will also automatically send messages, alerts, and travel advisory level changes to a traveler’s chosen form of contact.
