Important changes in the visa application process as of September 21st, 2012, in the Russian Federation

Starting September 21st, 2012, applications for Schengen visa (categories A & C) need to be submitted at the counters of an external service provider, which will then forward the visa documents for further processing to the Embassy in Moscow or the Consulate General in St. Petersburg - according to the consular jurisdiction. Passports with visa are to be collected at the same office where the documents were submitted earlier. The external service provider is called VFS Global. This service costs EUR 23.00 per person - in addition to the visa fee that might be due (equivalent payable in RUR).

 Website of the company VFS Global

Visa Application Centers for Switzerland - with the exception of Moscow, all  centers are jointly used with other countries and have a "Switzerland Desk" - are at your disposal as of 21.09.2012 in the following cities: Moscow, St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Ufa, Kazan, Samara, Nishniy Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Murmansk (as of 01.03.2013) and Omsk (as of 25.03.2013). Submission of application is possible from Monday to Friday (except holidays), from 09:00 a.m. to 04:00 p.m., collection of passports from 11:00 a.m. to 04:00 p.m. (center in Moscow: until 05:00 p.m.).

 Locations and addresses of the Visa Application Centers

Applications for national visa for Switzerland (type D, stay of more than 90 days) need to be submitted even after this date at the counters of the visa sections of the Embassy in Moscow or the Consulate General in St Petersburg (depending on consular jurisdiction).

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General information about entering Switzerland and the general section of VBC instructions (Visa and Border control) can be found at the website of the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) - see link provided in the link box on the right side of this page.

On our website you find information how to obtain a visa at the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow or the Consulate General in St. Petersburg for people living in the Russian Federation and in the Republic of Belarus.

On February 01, 2011, the Visa Facilitation Agreement between Switzerland and the Russian Federation entered into force. It only concerns Schengen Visa and brings several changes (enumeration not conclusive):

• Holders of Russian diplomatic passports are entitled to visa-fee travel
• The visa fee amounts to EUR 35.00 (only applicable to citizens of countries Switzerland concluded a respective agreement: Russian Federation, Moldova, Serbia, as well as Bosnia-Herzegovina)
• Visas are issued free of charge to certain categories of applicants
• Certain categories of applicants are entitled of multy entry visas with a validity of up to 5 years
• Certain categories of applicants are entitled of multy entry visas with a validity between 2 and 5 years, provided certain criteria are met.
• In case of loss or theft of a travel document with a visa while in Switzerland, a valid identity document or other authorization issued by the Embassy or a Consulate of the Russian Federation in Switzerland entitles to depart without the need of a (new) visa. Condition: the new document must entitle the holder to cross the borders

For the full agreement-text see the website of the Federal Office of Migration (FOM) - link provided in the link box on the right side of this page. 

People residing in the Russian Federation (except northwest region) apply for their visas at one of the Visa Application Centers in the consular jurisdiction of the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow.

For the submission of applications at the Visa Application Center in Moscow appointments are strongly recommended in order to avoid queues. At the other Visa Application Centers, appointments are not necessary.

Call Center
To get an appointment and detailed information please call: +7 499 681 13 52 or +7 499 682 71 37. The services of the call center are available from Monday to Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. (Moscow time). Calls only cost the normal phone charges. Appointments can also be requested on the website of VFS Global (external service provider, operating the Visa Application Centers). 

 Call Center of the company VFS Global

Visa section of the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow
Applicants for national visa for Switzerland (Type D, stay of more than 90 days) must submit their documents - with prior appointment - at the visa section of the Embassy. Appointments can  be booked through the call center - phone numbers: +7 499 681 13 52 & +7 499 682 71 37 -  or directly with the visa section; either by applying in person at the counters, Monday - Friday, 11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. (submission of documents at the same time not possible!) or by sending a fax to +7 495 225 88 36, indicating surname, first name, number of application(s) and phone number and e-mail address for confirming an appointment. Such appointments are subject to availability. Depending on the demand, a waiting period may result.

For applicants who prefer not to submit their documents at a Visa Application Center, but at the visa section of the Embassy in Moscow, a limited number of "slots" is available daily. However, priority is given to applicants who would like to submit an application for a national visa. Requests for appointments are to be made the same way as for national visa (see paragraph above).

Processing of Schengen visa applications (types A & C) at the Embassy will normally take three working days. In addition, the time for transport from the Visa Application Centers to the Embassy and back to the centers is to be taken into account. Depending on the distance from Moscow  (e.g. from Vladivostok) transport takes a few days. On the website of VFS Global the average time for transport from the differnt Visa Application Centers to Moscow is mentioned. Missing documents, the need for a personal interview or internal consultations delay the visa process. Applications should therefore be submitted early enough (at least about 2 weeks prior to departure date).

Passports of applicants who submitted their documents at the visa section of the Embassy will be returned on the 3rd working day after submission (not counting day of deposit) and after timely payment of the visa fee from 10:00 to 11:45 a.m. (Monday - Friday, except public holidays).

People intending to visit Switzerland on an invitation from an International Organization (please see the list following the link below) may submit their documents without prior appointment any working day from 09:00 to 11:45 a.m. (Monday - Friday, except public holidays) at the visa section of the Embassy. 

Visa applications for a stay of up to 3 months (short stay, Schengen visa, type C: tourism, visit, business) are to be submitted to the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Minsk (Belarus, see link), which represents Switzerland there in visa matters in the mentioned categories:

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
Consular & Visa department
Ul. Platonova 1/b
220034 Minsk

Tel.: +375 17 233 94 16
Fax: +375 17 233 94 17
E-mail:  visa.msk@kum.hu

 Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Minsk

The Embassy of the Republic of Hungary is not competent in the following cases:

• Short stays in association with a gainful activity (including journalists)
• Short stays for educational purposes (for example: language courses)
• Short stays for medical purposes
• Visa applications of holders of diplomatic, service or special passports, who are not citizens of Belarus
• Visa applications of holders of ordinary passports who intend to enter Switzerland on official purpose (including the attendance at international conferences), who are not citizens of Belarus
• Visa applications for traineeship with an international organization, a diplomatic mission, a consular post or a permanent mission based in Switzerland

Further specific restrictions may apply.

These applications need to be submitted at one of the Visa Application Centers in the consular jurisdiction of the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow, or directly at the visa section of the Embassy (with prior appointment).

People living in the Republic of Belarus who intend to stay longer than 3 months in Switzerland (studies, taking up of residence, family reunion or marriage celebration in Switzerland with taking up of residence - visa category D) or intend do work (even for less than 3 months), have to apply for the respective visa at the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow.

Persons residing in the northwest region of the Russian Federation (Republics of Karelia and Komi, Nenets autonomous district and regions of Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Leningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod, Pskov and the city of St. Petersburg) apply for their visas at Visa Application Centers in St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad or Murmansk (as of 01.03.2013).

For the submission of applications at the Visa Application Center in St. Petersburg, appointments are strongly recommended in order to avoid queues. At the centers in Kaliningrad and Murmansk, appointments are not necessary. 

Call Center
To get an appointment and detailed information please call: +7 812 655 09 69. The services of the call center are available from Monday to Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. Calls only cost the normal phone charges. Appointments can also be requested on the website of VFS Global (external service provider, operating the Visa Application Centers). 

 Call Center of the company VFS Global

Visa section of the Consulate General of Switzerland in St. Petersburg
Applicants for national visa for Switzerland (Type D, stay of more than 90 days) must submit their documents - with prior appointment - at the visa section of the Consulate General. Appointments can be booked through the call center - phone number: +7 812 655 09 69. Depending on the demand, a waiting period may result.

For applicants who prefer not to submit their documents at a Visa Application Center, but at the visa section of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg, a limited number of "slots" is available (Monday - Thursday, 10:00 to 12:00 a.m.). However, priority is given to applicants who would like to submit an application for a national visa. Requests for appointments are to be made the same way as for national visa (see paragraph above).

Processing of Schengen visa applications (types A & C) at the Consulate General will normally take three working days. In addition, the time for transport from the Visa Application Centers to the Consulate General and back to the centers is to be taken into account. Transport from Kaliningrad to St. Petersburg takes additionally approx. 1-2 days each way. On the website of VFS Global the average time for transport from the different Visa Application Centers to St. Petersburg is mentioned. Missing documents, the need for a personal interview or internal consultations delay the visa process. Applications should therefore be submitted early enough (at least about 2 weeks prior to departure date).

Passports of applicants who submitted their documents at the visa section of the Consulate General will be returned on the 3rd working day after submission (not counting day of deposit; Monday - Thursday, except public holidays). 

People intending to visit Switzerland on an invitation from an International Organization (please see the list following the link below) may submit their documents without prior appointment any working day from 10:00 to 12:00 a.m. (Monday - Thursday, except public holidays) at the visa section of the Consulate General.