You are a Swiss citizen or national on a trip to a beautiful destination. How would you return to the country if your Residence Permit gets lost or stolen? The Switzerland Return Visa is the option that officials have made for you.
This article will explain who needs a Switzerland Return Visa, its requirements, and how to apply for it.
Who needs a Switzerland Return Visa?
Providing that your Swiss residence permit has been stolen or lost, you can apply for a Switzerland Return Visa. It permits your legal return to the country. The officials have considered such cases. You can avoid wandering in a foreign country and return to Switzerland.
Who is eligible for a Switzerland Return Visa?
You are only eligible for a Return Visa if your Residence permit was stolen or lost. In case you have lost the Residence Permit due to your own fault, you may not apply for a Return Visa.
When you stay for too long outside Switzerland, the officials will revoke your Residence permit. In this case, you may not apply for a return visa.
You might not apply for a Switzerland Visa if you were staying in Switzerland for longer than three months. If you were in Switzerland on a tourist visa and lost your visa, you may not apply for a return visa.
If the officials are renewing your residence permit and you are outside of the country, you can apply for a return visa.
Want to immigrate to Switzerland as a data scientist? Read our article.
What are the requirements for a Return Visa?
Application form
Download a long-stay application form from the Swiss embassy in the country you are.
Photo
Two recent photos of yourself are required. They must be passport-sized, with a clear white background.
Passport
It must possess validity for at least three months. Holding two blank pages is also a must.
Copy of passport
Submit a copy of all the pages of your passport.
Police certificate (if required)
When your residence permit gets lost or stolen, you must report it to the police. The Swiss embassy might require you to submit this report at the time of your application.
Attention: don’t forget to leave a contact number with the embassy. When they issue the visa, they need to inform you.
How to apply for a Switzerland Return Visa?
The application process for a Switzerland Return Visa is as follows:
1. Application
Get the long-stay application form from the Swiss embassy in the country you are. Complete it with your information.
The embassy’s officials require some requirements. Prepare all of them as instructed above.
2. Meeting with the embassy
You have to visit the Swiss embassy in person to submit the requirements. Depending on the country you are in, you might have to schedule a date to get there.
When you submit the application to the embassy, they will send it to the canton you were living in Switzerland. The officials at the canton will evaluate it and send the result to the embassy.
If the answer is yes, then the embassy issues the visa.
3. Processing
It takes about a week for the Swiss embassy to issue the visa. As the connection between the embassy and the canton is online, there isn’t much delay. When the Swiss embassy issues the visa, they will inform you.
Let’s sum up…
Your Swiss Residence permit might get lost or stolen. In this situation, you can apply for a Switzerland return visa to go back to the country. This article will explain all you should know about it. The application process and the requirements you have to gather all got explained.
Providing that you should know about other types of Switzerland visas, visit the left sidebar. If you seek to know about other countries’ visas, go to the home page of the Visa Library.
If you have experience with visas, share it in the comment section below. Visa applicants would love to know about them.
- Published by
- Max-B.