US government issues sudden warning on Switzerland travel

While it lags behind larger countries such as France and Italy in visitor numbers, the European nation of Switzerland is consistently ranked among the best places in the world to both visit and reside.

According to the Global Peace Index reported by the Institute for Economics & Peace, Switzerland fell just behind countries such as Iceland and Singapore as the sixth-safest country in the world.

The ranking looks at factors such as rates of internal and external conflict, militarization, and relations with neighboring countries. While the United States landed in 132nd place between Brazil and Iran, the State Department unexpectedly issued a new travel warning for citizens who may be going to Switzerland in the near future.

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‘Prepare a plan for emergency situations': U.S. State Department on Switzerland

“If you decide to travel to Switzerland, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy and make it easier to locate you in an emergency,” the advisory reissued on May 20 reads. “Prepare a plan for emergency situations.”

As the official rating remains at level four's “exercise normal precautions” (the lowest on a four-tier system in which the highest level is used for war zones and authoritarian governments), the new advisory came unexpectedly and without explanation on why it was issued. The State Department page for Switzerland states simply that it was “reissued after periodic review with minor edits.”

Due to the risk of terrorism in larger metropolises like Paris and London, other European nations like France and the United Kingdom have for years been ranked at level two's “exercise increased caution.”

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“The most common types of criminal activity include shoplifting, pocket picking, petty theft, and larceny,” the updated advisory reads. “These crimes are particularly prevalent in transportation hubs and tourist areas. Exercise good situational awareness and take commonsense precautions with belongings when out in public, especially in larger cities, to mitigate risk.”

An SBB train offers several popular scenic routes across the Alps.

Image source: Shutterstock

Why was the Switzerland warning issued? Advisory provides no answers

In identical statements issued for other nations with the same rating, the government also tells travelers to check on “evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage” with their insurance provider.

Given the disarray caused by the current Trump administration and Switzerland's reputation as a much safer place than the United States, the advisory was met with widespread mockery on various social media platforms.

Since Trump's inauguration, multiple countries upped their travel warnings for the U.S. amid high-profile stories of citizens being detained when trying to cross the border legally.

“A criminal conviction in the United States, false information regarding the purpose of stay, or even a slight overstay of the visa upon entry or exit can lead to arrest, detention, and deportation upon entry or exit,” Germany's Foreign Ministry wrote in an advisory reissued in March.

The United Kingdom's Foreign Office issued a similar warning telling tourists that “the authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules strictly.” Such advisories and stories of tourist detentions have resulted in a major downward trend in international travel to the U.S.