Switzerland
Switzerland visa — Guinea passport
Visa required
This information applies to a short tourist stay with an ordinary passport. To work, study or stay longer, the rules are different.
Good to know
Visa required (Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, consolidated version of 30.12.2025).
Official source: EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annexes I and II (consolidated version of 30.12.2025)EUR-Lex — Règlement (UE) 2018/1806, annexes I et II (version consolidée du 30.12.2025) (new tab) Verified on 11 October 2026
VisaGuideline helps you prepare your application. The decision belongs to the country’s authority: check the official page before paying or applying.
Which procedure for your trip?
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Tourist visa
Tourist visa: documents, fees and steps
Document names stay visible. Open the details to read the conditions.
Documents requested
Schengen visa application form, completed online on the official visa portal or submitted to the competent Swiss representationConditions and details
According to the FAQ of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), a category C visa application is submitted online using the designated form, or directly to the Swiss representation competent for the place of residence. The SEM's "Visa Application Form" page offers the "Schengen visa application form" for short stays for tourism or visit purposes; other versions in local languages appear on the websites of the Swiss representations.Travel document recognised by Switzerland, issued less than ten years ago and valid for at least three months after the planned date of exit from the Schengen areaConditions and details
The SEM requires holders of a C visa to have a recognised travel document, established less than ten years ago and valid for at least three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen area; the date of issue counts only for entry into the Schengen area. The SEM FAQ refers to a table of recognised travel documents, which makes it possible to check that the passport is accepted by Switzerland.Identity photographConditions and details
The SEM FAQ cites the photograph among the items to be submitted for the Swiss representation to accept the C visa application. The pages consulted specify neither its format nor its standards: refer to the website of the competent representation.Evidence of the purpose of and conditions for the stay in Switzerland or in the other States visitedConditions and details
The SEM makes proof of the purpose of and conditions for the stay a condition of entry for third-country nationals subject to the visa requirement. The pages consulted do not detail the evidence accepted for a tourist stay: the competent representation specifies them.Proof of sufficient financial means for the duration of the stay and for the return or transit to a third countryConditions and details
The SEM requires sufficient financial means for the entire duration of the planned stay and for the return to the country of origin or transit to a third country, or the possibility of legally obtaining them. According to the FAQ, a person staying in Switzerland at their own expense must be able to prove at least CHF 100 per day of stay; these means are demonstrated by cash, travellers' cheques, credit cards or other guarantees, for example a bank guarantee.Travel health insurance covering the entire duration of the stay, for an amount of EUR 30 000, including repatriation for medical reasonsConditions and details
The SEM FAQ asks the Schengen visa applicant to prove health insurance for the entire duration of the stay, covering repatriation for medical reasons, emergency medical assistance, emergency hospital care and death expenses, including repatriation of the body. For multiple stays, the insurance covers the first stay and the applicant signs, in the form, the declaration relating to subsequent stays. The insurance is taken out with an insurer approved by the representation processing the application; it can also be taken out in Switzerland, in the applicant's name, by the person who signed the declaration of sponsorship.
Depending on your situation
Letter of invitation drawn up by the host in Switzerland, if the authorities request itConditions and details
According to the SEM FAQ, the authorities may ask third-country nationals visiting family or friends to present an invitation letter during the visa procedure or at entry; the letter is drawn up by the host in Switzerland. The selected condition, staying with a host, links this visit to the accommodation answer in the questionnaire. The SEM factsheet describes a letter written in an official Swiss language; if it is written in another language, a translation may be required. No particular form or official authentication is required. It contains the host's invitation statement, the full details of the host and the applicant (surname, first name, date of birth, address, telephone number, email address and nationality), the period of stay, the issue date and the host's signature. It explains the purpose of the stay and does not constitute a legally binding financial commitment. The representation may accept a scan or a copy, or request direct delivery by the host.Declaration of sponsorship signed by a person residing in Switzerland, where the applicant does not have sufficient financial meansConditions and details
The SEM FAQ describes the declaration of sponsorship as an official document by which a person residing in Switzerland undertakes to cover the costs of the stay in the Schengen area of a third-country national who does not have sufficient means. The guaranteed amount is CHF 30 000 for a single person or for a family of no more than ten persons; it covers illness, accidents, return and subsistence costs. The form is not public: Swiss embassies issue it directly. The questionnaire does not collect financial means: the condition is to be verified by the applicant.
Official fees
- Schengen visa fee (category C), adult applicant 90 €
Steps
- Check that a category C visa is suitable: it is valid for stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, in particular for tourism or visiting relatives.
- Indicate on the official visa portal the country of legal residence, and not nationality, in order to find out the possible places of submission.
- Complete the Schengen visa application form, online or in its downloadable version.
- Submit the application no earlier than six months before the planned trip and, ideally, at least two months before departure.
- Hand in the form, the travel document, the photograph and the other documents, have your fingerprints taken and pay the fee: the Swiss representation then accepts the application and processes it.
- Wait for the decision of the Swiss representation, which alone is competent to issue or refuse the visa: the SEM does not issue visas.
Where to apply
- Official online visa portal (swiss-visa.ch), reserved for short-stay Schengen visa applications (90 days at most)
- Swiss representation abroad competent for the place of residence
- External service provider, through which most Swiss representations have applications submitted, for a service fee in addition to the visa fee
- Representation of another Schengen State, depending on the place of residence
Good to know
- Switzerland, main destinationThe Swiss representation is competent when Switzerland is the sole destination or the main destination of the trip, generally the one with the longest stay.
AppointmentConditions and details
Depending on the representation, an appointment may be made; it is free of charge. Before starting the application, consult the website of the competent Swiss representation to find out about any possible waiting time.Questions about the appointment and the documentsConditions and details
The SEM does not provide information on appointments or on the submission of documents: these questions fall within the remit of the Swiss consulate competent for the applicant's place of residence, whose website generally provides the useful information.- Find the Swiss representationThe Federal Department of Foreign Affairs publishes the contact details of Swiss representations abroad, sorted by continent.
- Announced processing timesOnce the C visa application is accepted, the decision is as a general rule made within 15 days; exceptionally, processing may take longer, for example up to 30 or 60 days.
- Exemptions from the feeSome applicants do not pay the fee; visas for family members of EU or EFTA citizens are issued free of charge. The page does not detail the other cases of exemption.
Duration of stay fixed by the visaConditions and details
For a traveller subject to the visa requirement, the duration of stay is the one fixed by the visa. Both the days of entry and exit count; a rolling 180-day period applies, over which stays in the Schengen area do not exceed 90 days. SEM refers to a stay calculator.Multiple-entry visaConditions and details
A Schengen visa may be for one, two or multiple entries and be valid for up to five years; the representation decides on a case-by-case basis. Even then, stays do not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period and travel insurance, including medical insurance, is required for each stay.- Territorial validity of the visaUnless otherwise stated on the sticker, a C visa is valid for all Schengen States, including Switzerland. It is accepted at entry only with a recognised and valid travel document.
Schengen Area StatesConditions and details
The Schengen Area comprises 25 Member States of the European Union and 4 EFTA States, including Switzerland. Cyprus and Ireland, which are European Union members, are not part of it.Other conditions verified at entryConditions and details
Besides the visa, the travel document, the purpose of stay and the financial means, the traveller must not be flagged for the purposes of non-admission in the Schengen Information System (SIS), must not represent a threat to public order, internal security, public health or the international relations of a Schengen State, and must not be subject to an expulsion order.Appeal against a refusalConditions and details
The refusal is notified by means of a standard form. The appeal is made in writing, in German, French or Italian, with reasons, within 30 days of receiving the refusal. The person concerned or their representative, for example the host in Switzerland, addresses it to the SEM; without a representative, it may be filed with a Swiss representation. The SEM then requests an advance of fees of 200 CHF, to be paid within 30 days.- ExtensionAn application for extension is addressed to the cantonal migration authorities; as a general rule, the stay in Switzerland does not exceed 90 days over any 180-day period.
Visa valid in an expired passportConditions and details
A visa that is still valid contained in an expired or cancelled passport may be presented together with a valid and recognized passport; entry may however be refused on other grounds.Entry/Exit System (EES)Conditions and details
The Entry/Exit System (EES) has been introduced gradually in the Schengen area since 12 October 2025; the SEM invites travellers to inform themselves on the official website of the European Commission.
Frequently asked questions
Switzerland, Guinea passport: is a visa required?
Visa required for a short tourist stay with an ordinary passport.
Tourist visa: which documents are requested?
Schengen visa application form, completed online on the official visa portal or submitted to the competent Swiss representation ; Travel document recognised by Switzerland, issued less than ten years ago and valid for at least three months after the planned date of exit from the Schengen area ; Identity photograph ; Evidence of the purpose of and conditions for the stay in Switzerland or in the other States visited ; Proof of sufficient financial means for the duration of the stay and for the return or transit to a third country ; Travel health insurance covering the entire duration of the stay, for an amount of EUR 30 000, including repatriation for medical reasons.
Tourist visa: what are the official fees?
Schengen visa fee (category C), adult applicant : 90 €.
Tourist visa: where do I apply?
Official online visa portal (swiss-visa.ch), reserved for short-stay Schengen visa applications (90 days at most) ; Swiss representation abroad competent for the place of residence ; External service provider, through which most Swiss representations have applications submitted, for a service fee in addition to the visa fee ; Representation of another Schengen State, depending on the place of residence.
Tourist visa: how long can I stay?
Stay of up to 90 days.
Official links
- FAQ – Entry (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
- Entry with visa (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
- Secrétariat d'État aux migrations (SEM) (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
- Online visa system (new tab) www.swiss-visa.ch
- Contact details for Swiss representations abroad (new tab) www.eda.admin.ch
- Rules for calculating the length of stay (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
- Schengen Area (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
- Secrétariat d'État aux migrations (SEM) — Département fédéral de justice et police (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
- Visa Application Form (new tab) www.sem.admin.ch
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