Tourist visa for Switzerland: documents, fees and steps

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.