UK solicitors gain visa-free travel

In a significant development for UK legal professionals, the UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement (FTA) allows solicitors to travel to Switzerland for short-term business visits without needing a visa for up to 90 days each year. The Law Society of England and Wales has expressed strong support for this landmark agreement, which ensures stability and continuity for legal practitioners and firms by making permanent the business mobility provisions that were previously established under the UK's Services Mobility Agreement (SMA). This SMA was set to expire in 2029, but the FTA secures these vital arrangements well into the future.

Mark Evans, president of the Law Society, stated that “the UK-Switzerland FTA is an important milestone for legal services and for the trading relationship between the two countries.” With Switzerland already an essential market for UK legal services, boasting exports worth £391 million in 2025, the agreement is anticipated to facilitate further growth by removing existing barriers for legal professionals working across both the UK and Switzerland.

Key features of the new agreement include the continuation of the 90-day visa-free travel for UK professionals past 2029, maintaining the ability for UK solicitors to advise on English, Welsh, and international law within Switzerland, and bolstering enhanced business mobility provisions to support secondments and transfers between UK and Swiss offices.

Evans added, “While we wait to review the full text of the agreement once it is available, today’s announcement suggests that the government is delivering on the Law Society’s key priorities for these negotiations." He acknowledged that “by making business mobility arrangements permanent and protecting UK solicitors’ ability to advise on English, Welsh and international law in Switzerland, the agreement facilitates trade, supports market access and strengthens professional links between the two countries.”

Furthermore, he pointed out that this agreement works in conjunction with the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement, which became effective in January 2025. Evans remarked that “this new agreement reinforces the value of trusted legal expertise and offers new opportunities for our profession.” As the implementation of this agreement begins, the Law Society looks forward to strengthening legal collaboration between the UK and Switzerland while supporting its members both at home and abroad.