Switzerland Visa Requirements and Application

Discover the type of Switzerland Visa you need.

Once you know whether you need a visa or not, you should find the type of visa you need. Your stay in Switzerland is either short-stay or long-stay. The application process and requirements for each visa may be different.

A. The short-stay Switzerland visas are as follows:

• Switzerland Transit Visa
• Tourist Visa
• Business Visa

B. The long-stay Switzerland visas are these visas:

• Switzerland Student Visa
• Switzerland Work Visa
• Switzerland Family Reunion Visa

Gather all the required documents

A. Application form

You should download the related application form and complete it. Please be careful with what you fill in. The information you put should be the same as your documents. Then sign and date it. Keep it to submit at your interview.

B. Two photos

They must have been taken in the past three months, 35x45mm dimensions with a light background.

C. Passport/travel document

It must get issued in the past ten years, not later than that, with two blank pages. Its validity must be for three months beyond the date your trip ends. If you have had other passports, provide a copy of their personal details page. You need to submit a copy of your previous visas too.

D. Medical health insurance

It must be valid and cover your medical costs in Switzerland, and the Schengen states for €30,000.

E. Cover letter

It is from you to the Swiss government explaining:

• The purpose of your visit to Switzerland.
• How you will cover your expenses.
• In case your host will cover you, his name, address, and your relationship with him.
• Proving that you have ties to return to your home country.
• Your itinerary.

F. Proof of accommodation

You must provide a document of the place you will stay in Switzerland. It is either a hotel reservation receipt, invitation form, or rental contract.

G. Civil status

It includes your marriage certificate, your child’s birth certificate, your spouse’s death certificate, etc.

H. Proof of having enough funds

You must prove to the Swiss officials that you have enough funds to cover your expenses in Switzerland. You will need at least €92.34 for every day you stay in this country.

The Required Documents According to Your Job Status

Employed

• Contract of employment.
• Bank statements for the past six months.
• Permission letter from your employer.
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

Self-employed

• A copy of your business certificate/ registration
• The bank statements of your company for the past six months.
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

Students

• Enrollment proof

Permission leaves from your university/school.

Retired

• Pension statement for the past six months.

Visa Requirements for Underage Children

• Proof of parent’s regular income. It could be:
  
  •  work contract that shows monthly income
  •  bank statement
  •  business license)

• Parent’s formal travel permission.
• If the child is traveling with one parent, formal permission from both is required.

Want to immigrate to Switzerland as a software engineer? Read our article.

Find Where You Can Submit Your Application

You can submit your application and documents to a:

• Swiss embassy/consulate in your country
• Visa Application Center authorized by the Swiss government
• If not, the Swiss embassy, consulate, or visa center in a neighboring country.

Arrange interview

When you find out where to apply, book an interview with them. You could do it through its website or by phone call.

Attend the interview/appointment

When you get the time for an appointment, you should attend it in person. Please keep in mind to bring the completed, dated, and signed application form along with documents and passport.

During the interview, the Swiss visa officer might ask questions about your:

• Background
• Education
• Personal life
• The purpose of your trip to Switzerland
• How you will cover your expenses
• Where you will stay in Switzerland, Etc.

Pay the fees

Once you take part in the interview, you have to pay the fee for application processing. Please remember that if your visa gets denied, you won’t get your money back. The fee for Switzerland fee is €80. But the fee for a different visa might be different. Some groups are exempt from the visa fee, and some have to pay less. To find out more, you can visit this blog.

Wait for processing

When you reached to this stage, you just have to wait. The needed time for a Switzerland visa processing is about 15 days. Yet, it might change.

The Swiss officials will inform you of their decision in two ways:

If your Switzerland visa application gets accepted, you will receive your passport with the visa sticker on it. It shows the dates you can enter Switzerland, validity, and exit time.

If your Switzerland visa application got denied, the authorities would send you a letter explaining the reason why your application got rejected.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Switzerland Visa?

It often takes two weeks for your visa to get processed. Yet, in serious political situations or special cases, it might take up to two months.

For How Long is the Switzerland Schengen Visa Valid?

Switzerland’s short-stay visa is valid for up to 90 days in a six months period. You can disperse your days in other Schengen-area countries as well. But the Switzerland visa validity depends on your visa.

How Many Times Can You Enter Switzerland with Its Visa?

Whether you can leave Switzerland (Schengen area) and return to it in six months depends on the type of visa the officials issue you:

• Single-entry. You can only enter Switzerland once during the time your visa is valid. When you leave Switzerland (or the Schengen area), you can not return to it, even if you have not used your 90 days.
• Double-entry. With this type, you may enter Switzerland (or the Schengen area) twice during the time your visa is valid.
• Multiple-entry. As the name implies, you have the right to enter Switzerland (or the Schengen area) many times.

Can You Extend Your Switzerland Schengen Visa?

YES. You can extend a Switzerland visa but only in Force majeure/emergencies. You must have a compelling reason to convince the Swiss authorities to extend your visa.

Please remember that you can not extend your visa to apply for another type of Switzerland visa.

Let’s sum up…

In this blog, we explained the Switzerland visa requirements and application process.

The requirements in detail, the needed documents based on your job, the requirements for minors, and the application process got explained.

To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu on the site. You can find all the Switzerland types of visas at the left sidebar.

You can check the Visa Library to find more information about other countries’ visas.

In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.