Although Switzerland is not a part of the European Union, it follows Schengen rules due to a special agreement signed in 2024. So, if you’re planning a trip to Switzerland for tourism, business, or family reasons and intend to stay for up to 90 days, you may require a Swiss Short-stay visa, also known as a Swiss Schengen Visa.
Our visa experts have crafted the following guide to assist you at every stage of the Switzerland Schengen visa application process. Filled with valuable insights and in-depth information based on our expertise, this comprehensive guide will aid you in thoroughly preparing for your Switzerland visa application.
To apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa, you have to follow these steps:
Whether you need a visa for Switzerland depends on your nationality:
You will have to apply for a visa when travelling to Switzerland if you are:
You are exempt from applying for a visa to enter Switzerland if you fall into any of the following categories:
For those exempt from a visa, check out the required documents for entry into Switzerland. It’s always good to be prepared!
If your plan involves a short trip to Switzerland, lasting up to 90 days, whether it’s for tourism, visiting friends and family, or business purposes, you should apply for a short-stay visa, commonly referred to as a C-type or Schengen Visa.
However, if your visit involves other purposes or you plan to stay in Switzerland for more than 90 days, you’ll need a long-stay visa, also known as a D-type visa.
As you complete the application form, you must specify the purpose of your visit.
If you plan to stay in Switzerland for more than three months and your reasons include working, studying, or reuniting with family, you should apply for a D-visa, also known as a national visa.
You can choose from different types of Switzerland long-stay visas based on your purpose:
To figure out where to submit your Switzerland Short-Stay visa application, consider your place of residence. Depending on where you live, you may need to submit your application directly to the Swiss Embassy/Consulate or through authorized visa application centres.
Check below to find out whether you should apply directly to the Swiss Embassy/Consulate or through authorized visa application centres.
Another way to determine the right place to submit your Swiss Schengen visa application is through the official Swiss Online Visa System website.
Select your country of residence, and it will provide information on which Swiss representative office (embassy/consulate) is responsible for your application.
Afterwards, you can either proceed with the online application or be informed if an online application is not an option.
From there, you have two options: you can either proceed to apply online, or you will be notified that online application is not possible.
If there is no Swiss embassy/consulate or accredited visa application centre in your country, you can still apply for a visa through a neighbouring country’s representative. Find your country in the list below to discover where to submit your visa application.
Apply at: Swiss representation in Islamabad (Pakistan)
Note: This representation monitors all matters related to Afghanistan.
Apply at: Swiss Embassy in Prishtina, Kosovo.
Note: All matters related to Albania are monitored by this embassy.
Apply at: Swiss representation in Pretoria (South Africa)
Note: This representation monitors all matters related to Angola.
If Switzerland is the only Schengen Area country on your itinerary, the process is straightforward – submit your application at the Swiss embassy/consulate or the authorized Visa Application Center (VAC) in your country of residence.
However, if your trip involves Switzerland and at least one additional Schengen state, apply at the Swiss embassy/consulate/VAC in your country of residence only if:
Note: You cannot apply for a short-stay Swiss visa from a country where you currently hold a short-stay visa. A residence permit in the country where you are applying is mandatory.
You can complete the Swiss visa application form through the online system or through the relevant Swiss representation abroad.
If you cannot apply online, you will be redirected to the website of the relevant Swiss representation, which has detailed instructions on how to complete the application form, submit your application, and schedule your appointment.
Typically, you will have to apply through a third-party agency such as TLScontact or VFS Global. They will provide you with the version of the visa application form that you need.
If you can apply online, click on the “Online application” button to proceed with completing the application form.
You must register in the online system by providing your personal information, such as your name, surname, date of birth, phone number, and email address.
After you register, you will receive an email with the link to access the online application.
You are required to provide your personal data exactly as it appears in your travel documents.
You must provide information about your travel document and home address (street, PO Box, ZIP postcode, place, region, and phone number).
In this section, you must give details about your occupation and your employer’s address.
You must provide information about the purpose of your travel, your main destination, the number of entries, arrival and departure dates, and whether you had a Schengen visa before.
You must provide information about your host or accommodation, including here their name, address, canton, email and phone number.
In this section, you must specify who will cover your expenses while you stay in Switzerland. Click ‘Finish’ when you are done.
When you are done completing the application, you can click ‘Complete registration’ if you want to definitely complete the registration. If you want to add another application, you can do so by selecting ‘Enter another application’. You can also edit or delete your registered application by clicking the specific icons (see below).
You must confirm that you completed the registration process by clicking ‘I have checked the data. All data are correct and complete.’
You can download the application form as a PDF document and continue with the next step. Please print out the PDF document and sign it. The signed PDF, along with all requested documents, should be submitted to the relevant Swiss representation within 180 days.
In the next step, you can pay the application fee. If you choose ‘No online payment’ you must make the required payment when you attend the visa appointment. If you want to pay online, you must select the option ‘Payment with Visa or Mastercard’.
After you select the online payment option, you will be directed to the next step, where you need to provide your card number details. Click ‘Pay’ when you are done.
When you are done with the whole application procedure, you will receive an email telling you that you have successfully submitted your visa application online. You can book an appointment by clicking on the provided link in the email.
You will be sent to a webpage where you can book your visa appointment.
When you choose a date and a time in the calendar, select ‘Confirm appointment’.
After you confirm the appointment, you can print the confirmation, and you will also receive an email with instructions on how to reschedule or cancel your appointment if you need to.
Once you complete your Swiss visa application form, you will need to book an appointment with the Swiss representative or a visa centre to submit your documents and biometric information (photo and fingerprints).
The Swiss authorities advise you to set an appointment for your application as early as you can. The latest you can apply is 15 days before you plan to travel; the earliest you can apply for a visa is six months.
Appointment scheduling and the application review process can be accelerated for individuals seeking entry into Switzerland for humanitarian or medical purposes by completing the online form for an urgent appointment. The representation will promptly provide information on the visa application procedures to be followed.
When you attend the appointment, you must submit the required documents for a Swiss Schengen visa.
To meet the short-term stay visa requirements for Switzerland, applicants must submit the following documents to the Swiss embassy or consulate:
Swiss visa applicants can obtain visa insurance from either Europ Assistance or vti.travel , a European insurance comparison website, comparing insurance policies of AXA, Allianz, Europ Assistance and Mutuaide. These insurance providers are acknowledged and accepted by Swiss Embassies and Consulates worldwide. Moreover, you can cancel the insurance at no cost by submitting proof of a visa rejection.
Each visa application undergoes a personalized review, so the required documents may differ. The Swiss authorities may also ask for additional documentation in some cases.
Upon applying for the visa, you will receive the required form along with detailed instructions.
Please ensure that you have all the documents with you since you may risk getting your visa denied if something is missing from your application.
To obtain a Swiss visa, you must have at least €105 per day to cover your expenses in Switzerland for the duration of your stay.
On the day of your appointment at the Swiss embassy or visa center, you have to submit your document file and filled-in and signed application form. During the appointment, you may be required to enter a short interview and (if you haven’t paid already) pay the visa application fee.
If you did not pay the required fee during the online application, you have to pay an €90 visa for the visa fee. If you are applying through a visa application center, you may also need to pay an additional service fee, €10 to €40. In most cases, you must pay the fee according to the currency of the country where the application is being submitted.
At the appointment, you have to submit your visa photo and fingerprint scans. If you have provided these during the last five years, you may be exempt. The purpose of collecting and storing biometric data is to verify identities and prevent document fraud.
Your biometric information will be stored in the Visa Information System (VIS).
When attending your appointment, the consular or visa officer might ask you questions relating to your trip to Switzerland, such as the purpose of your trip, travel itinerary, accommodation, as well as personal information about yourself such as your work, studies, family background, etc.
Make sure you answer all questions truthfully and without hesitation. These questions are to determine the genuineness of your visit to Switzerland.
Yes, someone else can apply for a Schengen visa on your behalf, but only if you’ve granted them authorization to do so and you’re not required to submit your biometric data.
Your Swiss visa will be processed in 15 working days. However, depending on the specific circumstances of your application, the processing time can be prolonged up to 30 days or more.
If the Swiss embassy or consulate has outsourced visa applications to agencies such as TLS or VFS Global, they may offer visa tracking services. You will be provided with a reference number to check the relevant tracking system.
If your visa is granted, you can enter Switzerland within the dates specified in the visa sticker. Your visa will be issued for single, double, or multiple entries.
If your Swiss visa is refused, you have two options:
The reason why your visa was rejected will be stated in the rejection letter.
No, you will not. Swiss visa fees are non-refundable even if the outcome is negative.
After a decision is made, you have to collect your passport from the Swiss embassy, or the third-party agency (TLScontact, VFS Global, etc). At the time of application, the visa officer in charge will let you know how you can get your passport back: either pick it up in-person or you can pay for a courier service to deliver it to you.
You can enter Switzerland within the validity period of your visa. You must have the following documents when you enter the border control authorities:
A Schengen Switzerland visa is typically valid for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. However, it can be issued for a shorter duration depending on the decision of the consular office. You can use the Schengen calculator to correctly count your days.
You can request an extension of your visa, but only for specific reasons, such as force majeure or humanitarian reasons. Visa extension requests have to be made while you are in Switzerland, before your visa expires. You must direct them to the relevant Migration Office of the Swiss canton where you are in.
If you exceed your visa’s allowed stay in Switzerland, you could face serious repercussions such as fines, deportation, entry bans, or even arrest. You must follow your visa’s rules to avoid these consequences.
Yes, you can visit other countries within the Schengen Area with a Switzerland visa (unless you have a Limited Territorial Validity Visa). However, your primary destination must be Switzerland, and the days spent in other Schengen countries will count towards your 90-day limit.
You can visit other non-Schengen countries with a Switzerland Schengen visa if you fulfill certain conditions and entry requirements.
No, you cannot work in Switzerland with a Schengen visa. This visa is typically for short-stay visits such as tourism, business, or other non-employment purposes.
Other Information:
Your personal data during the Swiss visa application process is protected and stored in accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation).
If you have any concerns about the security of your data, you can contact the Federal Foreign Office Data Protection Commissioner as follows:
Switzerland, while not an EU member, is surrounded by EU member countries. It maintains close economic and political ties with the EU through various bilateral agreements.
In 2004, Switzerland signed the Schengen Association Agreement, making it an associated member of the Schengen Area. This agreement meant:
Official Sources:
