Published on 20 August 2026

Application for Schengen visa and procedure

• Visa application form

  SEM – Visa Application Form

• Documentation to submit with a Schengen visa application

  • 20260824 Schengen Business visa

    PDF218.41 kB27 August 2026

  • 20260824 Schengen Swiss Tourism visa

    PDF253.32 kB27 August 2026

  • 20260824 Schengen Visitor visa

    PDF255.56 kB27 August 2026

  • 20260824 Schengen Domestic Helper visa

    PDF211.73 kB27 August 2026

  • 20260824 Schengen Swiss EU EFTA Spouse visa

    PDF202.80 kB27 August 2026

  • 20260824 Schengen visa application Brunei and Papua New Guinea

    PDF303.23 kB27 August 2026

• Information for hosts in Switzerland

  • SEM – Number 8 (For hosts in Switzerland) of FAQ – Frequently asked questions
  • SEM – Factsheet on letter of invitation
  • SEM – Information on Declaration of Sponsorship

• Photograph quality

  International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – MRTD Photo Guidelines

• Processing time of a visa application

  As a general rule, a decision is taken by the Consulate within 15 days. This period may, in individual cases, be extended.

  Some Schengen States require that they be consulted on visa applications submitted to other Schengen States by citizens of certain countries. The consultation process may take up to 14 calendar days. Such consultation is currently required for nationals of the countries listed here:

  List of countries

  It is therefore recommended to submit the visa application early, at the earliest 6 months before the planned journey.

• Refusal of a visa and appeal

  The reasons for refusal are notified to the applicant using a standard form.

  You have the right to appeal within 30 days of receipt of the refusal. For information on appeal procedures, please refer to the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration.

  SEM

• Biometric data acquisition

  Biometric data (fingerprints) are generally collected every 59 months from the age of 12 years from the first recording.

• Family members of CH, EU or EFTA nationals

  If you are a family member of a Swiss, European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) citizen, you are entitled to submit your application directly at the responsible Embassy or Consulate of Switzerland. An appointment is mandatory and must be booked in advance.

  Citizens of the EU and the EFTA and their family members

• Complaints procedure

  If you wish to complain about the behavior of the consular staff and, if applicable, about the external service provider or about the process, please contact the competent representation in writing.

• Appointments

  To set up an appointment, please contact VFS Global through their website or call-center:

  Website VFS Global

  Telephone: [phone] (Monday to Friday excluding scheduled holidays) 8:00 to 16:00pm

  Email: [e-mail]

  The visa application can be submitted at the earliest 3 months and at the latest 15 working days before the scheduled journey.

  In certain well justified cases (accident, death, medical treatment, and other unforeseen circumstances) a fast-track appointment can be requested.

  Applicants who do not wish to submit their application to VFS Global may continue to submit them directly to this Embassy. Also family members (this includes a spouse, a registered partner, or a child) of Swiss citizens may hand in their application directly at the Embassy. In both cases, however, it is necessary to make an appointment through VFS Global in advance.

  If no appointment has been made in advance, neither VFS Global nor this Embassy will accept the application.

• Biometrics / Personal appearance

  The Schengen representations require biometric data (finger scans and facial image) of persons applying for a Schengen visa. The data is being kept in the Visa Information System (VIS) for 5 years.

  If your finger scans have not been collected yet, personal appearance when applying for a Schengen visa is mandatory. If your finger scans were previously collected (within the last 5 years) and a visa with the mention “VIS” has been granted, then you won’t have to give new finger scans for your next visa application(s) and personal appearance is not mandatory.

  You will still have to appear in person to give your fingerprints should the previously collected fingerprints prove to be of insufficient quality or should the Embassy wish to conduct an interview with you.

  Finger scans are not required from children under the age of 12.