Who Needs to Apply for a Switzerland Tourist Visa?

Video script 

The list of countries that need a Switzerland tourist visa 

Online visa system for the Federal Department of Justice and Police website 

Paper application form 

Who Needs to Apply for a Switzerland Tourist Visa?

Some countries can enter Switzerland without a visa. Some countries and states are also visa-free for Switzerland. But many more need to apply for a Switzerland visa. The citizens of the EU/EEA, Schengen countries, the US are some examples. You can visit this blog to know if you need a visa to Switzerland or not.

What are the Required Documents for a Switzerland Tourist Visa?

Once you figured out that you need a visa to enter Switzerland, you should prepare the requirements to apply for a visa. The Required documents for a Switzerland Tourist Visa are as follows:

• Tourist/Visitor Visa application form. You should complete it with correct and honest details. Then print, sign, and date it.
• Two photos.
• Valid passport. It must be valid for three months after the date you will leave Switzerland. It must have been issued in the past ten years, not later than that. You need to provide a copy of the previous passports (if applicable)
• Medical insurance. It must cover your emergency expenses for €30.00 across all Schengen countries.
• Cover letter. It is from you to the Swiss authorities to prove the purpose of your visit is tourism.
• Proof of civil status.
• Proof to have enough funds. You must have at least €92.34 for each day of your stay in Switzerland.
• Proof of paid fees.
• An Evidence of a Place to Stay. You have to state proof of the place you will stay in Switzerland. It could be:
  
  • A receipt of a booked hotel. It must show the name of the hotel, its address, phone, and email.
  • Rental contract.
  • Invitation letter. In case you stay with a hots, you should provide his /her name, contact details.

• Proof that the purpose of your trip is tourism:
  
  • A copy of the travel itinerary.
  • In case of traveling with a travel agency, provide a reservation document with it. In some cases, the officials require a letter from the tour organizer.

You have to provide a few documents based on your job status. You can check them in this blog.

In case you want to visit friend/relatives, you have to provide:

• Your host’s invitation letter:
  
  • It will state that he/she has invited you, and you will stay with them.
  • It must contain your relationship with your relative/friend and the full dates of your stay.
  • The host has to provide his/her passport, address, and contact details.
• Proof of family connection. If your host is one of your family members, he/she has to provide the proof of that. It could be a birth certificate or marriage certificate.
• Proof to have somewhere to stay. In case will stay with your host, he/she must say this in the invitation letter.
• Your host’s financial capability. If your host covers your expenses, he must prove to have the ability to do so.

If employed

• Permission leave.
• Last three months pay slip

If self-employed

• The license of Business Registration, GST certificate
• The bank statements of the company for the latest three months.
• The Income Tax Returns of the company for the past three months.

If Retired

• Prove to receive a pension.
• In case you got retired from a private company, the bank statements for the latest six months.

If student

• Permission leave from School, College, Institute
• ID Card
• Bonfire certificates

Please remember the Swiss authorities might ask for more documents.

Interested in immigrating to Switzerland as a Pharmacist? Just click the link.

Eligibility for Switzerland Tourist Visa

You have to fulfill the eligibility criteria to be able to travel to Switzerland:

1. Be a real traveler.
2. Be able to cover your expenses.
3. Have a good character.
4. Enjoy good health.
5. Have an authentic trip purpose.

Application Process for a Switzerland Tourist Visa

The application process for almost all Switzerland visas is the same. Here are the procedures you have to follow:

1. Complete, print, date, and sign the application form.
2. Gather the required documents.
3. Reserve an interview with the Swiss embassy, consulate, or a visa center.
4. Take part in the interview, submit the application along with the required documents. Please remember you have to attend the interview in person.
5. Pay the Switzerland tourist visa fees.
6. Wait for processing.

The application process has a few details that you need to be careful about. Please remember that in applying for every visa, even one unwanted mistake could lead to a visa denial. You can learn more about Switzerland’s application process on this blog.

Where Can You Apply for a Switzerland Tourist Visa?

Depending on what the country you are living in, you could apply at:

• Swiss embassy/consulate in your home country
• A visa center authorized by the Swiss government in your home country.
• Swiss embassy/consulate or a visa center in a neighboring country.

Switzerland Tourist Visa Validity

All types of short-stay Schengen visas are valid for up to 90 days in a six month (180 days) period. The Switzerland tourist visa is no exception. But how many times you can enter Switzerland depends on the type of visa you receive. You could get:

• Single-entry. You may only enter Switzerland one time.
• Double-entry. You can only enter Switzerland twice.
• Multiple-entry. You have the right to enter Switzerland as many times as you want in six months.

Processing Time for Switzerland Tourist Visa

It often takes two weeks for a Switzerland Tourist Visa to get processed. Yet, depending on your special case, and the Swiss embassy workload, it might take up to two months.

Can You Extend Switzerland Tourist Visa?

You can only extend Switzerland Tourist Visa in the country on force majeure or emergencies. You must have a compelling reason to convince the Swiss authorities that you need to stay in the country. Otherwise, you have to leave the country. In case you need to stay in Switzerland for more than 90 days, you should apply for another type of visa.

Can You Apply for a Permanent Residence with a Switzerland Tourist Visa

No. You have to apply for a Permanent Residence from your home country.

Do You Have to Buy Health Insurance for Switzerland Tourist Visa

Yes. You have to buy health insurance to cover your medical expenses all across the Schengen Area. It must cover your expenses for 30.000 EUR.

Do you need a transit visa if you have a tourist visa?

No. When you have a Switzerland tourist visa or a tourist visa from any EU members or Schengen Area members, you do not need a transit visa to cross the region.

Let’s sum up…

In this blog, we explained all you need to know about Switzerland Tourist Visa.

The required documents, the application process, common questions about Switzerland Tourist Visa got covered.

To find out more about the visa that suits you, go through the menu of 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.