Published on 27 April 2026

Application for Schengen visa and procedure

For people travelling to Schengen with Switzerland as main destination, with the purpose of tourism, staying in a hotel or in a rented flat:

• Requirements for a Schengen Tourist Visa

  PDF239.53 kB18 June 2024

For people who wish to visit relatives or friends, staying in their homes:

• Requirements for a Schengen Visitor Visa

  PDF244.91 kB18 June 2024

For people invited for business reasons by a company based in Switzerland or participating in a conference in Switzerland:

• Requirements for a Schengen Business Visa

  PDF241.61 kB18 June 2024

The Embassy encourages online applications; please do not forget to print out your application at the end of the process, date and sign it before presenting together with all the documentation (see lists above).

Online version: Short term Schengen visa application form

Paper version: SEM – Visa Application Form

Please submit your application and all supporting documents by email in one PDF file for perusal and to arrange an appointment: [e-mail]

Apointment for a visa application

Please submit the application online first and then send the documents to the Embassy by email as described on the factsheets “Requirements for a Tourist/Visitor/Business visa”: Online application and Schengen visa requirements.
Appointments are limited. It is therefore recommended that you submit your visa application early (applications can be submitted up to 6 months before the planned trip).

• Visa application form

  SEM – Visa Application Form

• 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.

• Appointment

  Is your personal appearance at the visa section necessary?

  If your fingerprints have never been collected, your personal appearance is mandatory.

  If your fingerprints were collected within the last 59 months, then you won’t have to give new fingerprints for your visa application and personal appearance is not necessary. Your application can be sent per mail. However, you have to provide a copy of your previous biometric Schengen visa sticker.

  Attention – exception: You will still have to appear in person to give your fingerprints in case the previously collected fingerprints prove to be of insufficient quality. In this case, you will be contacted once your application has been received.

  The booking of an appointment is free of charge.

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

  The Swiss representation still reserves the right to ask the applicant to appear for a personal interview after checking his application.
  
  If the personal apperance is needed, an appointment with the visa section of the Embassy of Switzerland in Wellington can be booked after having lodged the online application and submitted all the documents in one PDF file for perusal to: [e-mail].

  Applications of walk-in visitors are not accepted.

  If you already have an appointment and need to change it, please send an email to the visa section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Wellington with the following data:

  • Online ID
  • Name, First name(s)
  • Date of birth
  • The new date and time you would like to come to the Embassy

• Applicants in Fiji

  As per 01.03.2023 thanks to an agreement between Switzerland and France, the Embassy of France in Singapore issues short stay visas on behalf of Switzerland.
  
  Applicants can submit their visa application through the VFS Global in Suva. VFS Global is the exclusive service provider for the Government of France, authorized to provide administrative support services to visa applicants in Fiji.
  
  More information about the visa application process for applicants in Fiji can be found on the official visa website of the Embassy of France: France-Visas.