Schengen visa application for stays up to 90 days 

Only duly completed applications are accepted. Incomplete applications (items not presented/missing photocopies) will be returned to the applicant without being processed. The requirements to enter the Schengen Area vary depending on the reason of your travel. Please check the leaflet related to your travel reason: Schengen visa requirements.

Online visa application form

All applicants for a Schengen visa (type C, stays up to 90 days) have to complete the visa application form online. Please go to www.swiss-visa.ch.

At the end of the process, you have to print the application and click send to transmit the data online to the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Embassy”).

Sign the printed PDF form and submit it to the Embassy with all the required documents. Make sure you have the complete file with all the needed documents or your application will be reject: Schengen visa requirements.

Personal Appearance

If your finger prints have not yet been collected, personal appearance is mandatory (absolutely no exceptions). You will need to schedule an appointment through www.swiss-visa.ch.

If your fingerprints have been collected within the last 59 months for a Schengen visa, you will not have to give new fingerprints for your next visa application and personal appearance is not necessary. Please provide a photocopy of all Schengen visas issued within the last 59 months, in addition to all other required documents: Schengen visa requirements. In case the previously collected fingerprints prove to be of insufficient quality, you will still have to appear in person to give your fingerprints.

Personal appearance and fingerprints is not necessary for children under the age of 12.

The Embassy still reserves the right to ask the applicant to appear for a personal interview after checking the application.

Appointment system

Residents living within our consular district, who are applying for their first Schengen visa or have not received a Schengen visa within the last 59 months need to apply in person with an appointment. If you qualify for mailing your visa application (see Personal Appearance), but you prefer to file in person, you need to schedule an appointment.

Appointments must be booked through www.swiss-visa.ch after submitting the online application (see Online Visa Application Form).

Walk-ins are not accepted. Each individual applicant requires an appointment. This also applies to each member of a group application. Do not schedule several appointments for the same person. No appointments can be scheduled by e-mail, at the counter or by phone. 

The waiting time for an appointment may take several weeks, especially during high season. It is suggested, that you apply at least two months prior to departure, but not more than six months before the planned entry into the Schengen area.

Only duly completed applications are accepted. Incomplete applications (items not presented/missing photocopies) will be returned to the applicant without being processed. The requirements to enter the Schengen Area vary depending on the reason of your travel. Please check the leaflet related to your travel reason: Schengen visa requirements.

Requirements

Please check the leaflet related to your travel reason for the requested documents. If necessary, you might be asked to bring/send additional documents. Schengen visa requirements

Questions

General visa questions are not answered. Please visit first the FAQ Page. Only if you have a specific question, which is not answered on the Swiss Visa Desk website, you can send an email to tokyo.visa@eda.admin.ch indicating your first name, family name, date of birth, nationality and visa application online ID. 

Long stay visas (stays more than 90 days, Type D visa application)

Only duly completed applications are accepted. Incomplete applications (items not presented/missing photocopies) will be returned to the applicant without being processed. The requirements to obtain a long-term visa vary, depending on the reason of your travel. Please check the leaflet related to your reason of stay: National visa requirements.

There are different types of long stay visas, e.g. family reunion, student, work, international organizations, general residence. Some long stay visas are pre-approved by the Swiss authorities and can be collected using a simple process at the Embassy. Other long stay visa applications will need to be initiated at the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan. For more information, please see here: National visa for a stay of more than 90 days. 

Please mail in your complete long stay visa application to the Embassy. The Swiss representation still reserves the right, to ask the applicant to appear for a personal interview after checking the application.

Your valid passport must have been issued within the last ten years and must have at least two empty pages. The passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the planned stay.

A passport that has been extended for a period exceeding ten years from the time of issuance cannot be accepted. Please make sure your passport is signed. 

General visa questions are not answered. Please visit first the FAQ Page. Only if you have a specific question, which is not answered on the Swiss Visa Desk website, you can send an email to tokyo.visa@eda.admin.ch indicating your first name, family name, date of birth and nationality.

International Organizations (UN, WHO, IMO, CERN etc.) 

Any internship or employment (less than 90 days, as well as more than 90 days) at an international organization in Geneva requires a visa. Please contact us via email for more detailed information on how to obtain the visa (tokyo.visa@eda.admin.ch).

Mailing

Passport with issued visas can be returned by mail to the applicant. In this case, please provide a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope with a tracking number of a secure carrier. Applicants must indicate their name and address as both sender and recipient. The Swiss representation does not assume any liability for loss of documents submitted or returned by mail.

Payment options

The Schengen visa fee should be paid during the online application process in Euro with a valid credit card.

If that is not possible, the fee can be paid in cash (JPY) at the time of your appointment at the embassy.

If you apply by mail, fees have to be sent by registered postal cash envelope (genkin kakitome / 現金書留) / Currency registration).

Look up the current Schengen visa fee or National visa fee.