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Visa – Entry to and residence in Switzerland

Various regulations apply for entering Switzerland. A basic distinction is made between citizens of the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and those of other countries. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is the responsible authority in Switzerland.

SEM

Since Switzerland’s adherence to the Schengen and Dublin agreements came into force (12 December 2008), Swiss representations abroad are able to issue certain categories of visa, depending on the length of stay and purpose of the journey in Switzerland. Please select one of the following options.

Visa fraud cases

The Embassy of Switzerland in Tunisia would like to draw the attention of our clients to some practices that have been detected in companies that guarantee the obtaining of a visa for Switzerland, and in particular to cases of fraud involving false work contracts.

Please note that the granting of a work or study visa is decided by different offices in Switzerland on the basis of the respective file and that nobody, including no company, can guarantee that you will receive a visa. The Embassy accepts no responsibility for the information that may be provided to you by service companies specialising in assisting in the preparation of applications.

In addition to financial loss, you also risk:

  • Identity theft;
  • Unauthorised withdrawals from your bank account;
  • Misuse of your credit card;
  • Spread of computer viruses.

For more information, we recommend the following page: Swiss Crime Prevention (only available in German, French and Italian)

In case of doubt, please contact the visa section of the embassy immediately at the following contact details:

E-mail: tunis.visa@eda.admin.ch

Schengen visa for a stay of up to 90 days

For persons wishing to enter Switzerland for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period: for example, in a context of tourism, a visit to relatives or friends, short-term language studies, participating in a conference or in sporting/cultural events, etc.

National visa for a stay of more than 90 days

For persons wishing to enter Switzerland for a stay of more than 90 days within a 180-day period. It is subject to the authorisation of the cantonal migration authority competent for the intended place of residence. For example: long-term student, family reunification, marriage in Switzerland, etc.

Airport transit visa

For citizens of certain countries who need a transit visa even if they are staying in the international transit area of the airport and do not enter the Schengen territory.

Labour / Work permits

Admission of foreign workers to an employer in Switzerland is subject to the authorisation of the competent cantonal authority. The entry visa is granted only when the requested authorisations have been delivered.

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Last update 12.04.2024