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Visa – Entry to and residence in Switzerland

Important

The Swiss Federal Council decided, that entry into Switzerland is generally prohibited (with only few exceptions ). This means, if you are holding a Schengen visa, you are not allowed to enter Switzerland. If you are holding a valid Swiss National visa type D, you are still allowed to enter.

The visa section now processes visa applications for National visa type D. Until further notice, no Schengen visa applications will be processed and no Schengen visa type C will be issued. This is also valid for unmarried couples and unregistered partnerships, where one of the partners living in Switzerland and the other partner is of a third country, as the timely departure from Switzerland is not guaranteed at the moment. There are currently no commercial flights back to India.

The Swiss Government has decided to temporarily increase the service fee for Visa applications in Visa Application Centers (VAC) of External Service Providers (ESP) due to supplementary expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health-related measures are issued by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). For information on such measures, please consult the homepage of the FOPH directly: Recommendations for travelers.

For additional information, please consult the webpage of the  State Secretariat for Migration SEM.

Do I need to go to quarantine when I arrive in Switzerland?

YES! If you were in INDIA at any point in the 14 days before entry into Switzerland you must go into quarantine for 10 days! Report your arrival to the cantonal authority responsible. 

People arriving in Switzerland from certain countries and areas are required to go into quarantine. The list of these countries and areas is regularly updated in line with the epidemiological situation. Starting from 20. August 2020 India is new on this list. A negative test result does not exempt you from the mandatory quarantine requirement. The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi is not able to provide further information regarding the quarantine. For more information please visit the Federal Office of Public Health FOPH.

Kindly consult the webpage of the Embassy of Switzerland, where changes and updates about Covid-19 will be published.

COVID-19 Guidelines Visa (PDF, 41.4 kB, English)

All visa applications submitted all over India will be processed by the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi.

Where to apply for Schengen visas:  VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd.

In order to allow you to plan your visit to Switzerland, kindly be informed that

  • the processing time at the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi is under normal circumstances between 7 to 10 working days after the submission at any VFS Visa Application Center in India. We however recommend  you to start the application procedure as early as possible, but not earlier than 6 months prior to your entry date to the Schengen states, in order to avoid any inconvenience with your travel dates.
  • Application accepted at VFS in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Kolkata,  Cochin, Mumbai, Puducherry, Chennai and Pune will be submitted to the Embassy on the 2nd or 3rd working day

We wish you a pleasant stay in Switzerland !

The Embassy of Switzerland is using personal information of our clients for the sole purpose of the visa application procedure; no information is disclosed to a third party.

Mutual Visa Exemption for Diplomats

Switzerland and India have signed an Agreement on mutual visa exemptions for holders of Swiss and Indian diplomatic passports. The agreement entered into force on 7th December 2016 and is valid for an indefinite period of time.

Holders of Swiss and Indian diplomatic passports are exempt for entries and stays of a maximum of 90 days per period of 180 days, provided that they do not pursue independent or other gainful employment in the visiting country. Not included in this agreement are professional transfers of Swiss and Indian diplomats to work at the Embassies, Consulates of Permanent Missions in India and Switzerland.

Holders of Swiss and Indian special or service passports are not included in this Agreement and need to apply for a visa before entering Switzerland and India.

Various regulations apply for entering Switzerland. A basic distinction is made between citizens of the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and those of other countries. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is the responsible authority in Switzerland.

SEM

Since Switzerland’s adherence to the Schengen and Dublin agreements came into force (12 December 2008), Swiss representations abroad are able to issue certain categories of visa, depending on the length of stay and purpose of the journey in Switzerland. Please select one of the following options.

Schengen visa for a stay of up to 90 days

For persons wishing to enter Switzerland for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period: for example, in a context of tourism, a visit to relatives or friends, short-term language studies, participating in a conference or in sporting/cultural events, etc.

National visa for a stay of more than 90 days

For persons wishing to enter Switzerland for a stay of more than 90 days within a 180-day period. It is subject to the authorisation of the cantonal migration authority competent for the intended place of residence. For example: long-term student, family reunification, marriage in Switzerland, etc.

Airport transit visa

For citizens of certain countries who need a transit visa even if they are staying in the international transit area of the airport and do not enter the Schengen territory.

Labour / Work permits

Admission of foreign workers to an employer in Switzerland is subject to the authorisation of the competent cantonal authority. The entry visa is granted only when the requested authorisations have been delivered.

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Last update 19.08.2020