Schengen visa application for stays up to 90 days

As of October 1^st, 2025, visa applications for Switzerland will be processed by VFS Global, the newly appointed external service provider.

A new website providing comprehensive information on the visa application process, required documentation, service fees and available services can be accessed via the following link.

National visa application for stays more than 90 days (type D visa application)

Only duly completed applications are accepted. Incomplete applications (items not presented/mising photocopies) will be returned to the applicant without being processed. 

There are different types of long stay visas, e.g. family reunion, student, work, international organizations, general residence. Some long stay visas are preapproved by the Swiss authorities and can be collected using a simple process at our Consulate. Other long stay visa appliations will need to be initiated at the Swiss Consulate in San Francisco. For more information, please see here: visa information: National visa for a stay of more than 90 days.

Please mail in your complete long stay visa application to our Consulate. The Swiss representation still reserves the right to ask the applicant to appear for a personal interview after checking the application. 

Your valid passport must have been issued within the last ten years, have at least two empty pages and be valid for at least six months after the intended date of departure to Switzerland. 

General visa questions are not answered. Only if you have a specific question that is not answered on our website,  contact us by using our contact form.

International Organizations (UN, WHO, IMO, CERN etc.) 

Any internship or employment (less than 90 days as well as more than 90 days) at an international organization in Geneva or a foreign mission, embassy or consular representation in Switzerland requires a visa. Please contact us by using the contact forms: stay for more than 90 days or stay for less than 90 days.  We will inform you about the required documents. Should your stay be shorter than 90 days, we will inform you about the required documents and the next step with VFS global for the submission of your application. 

Mailing

Passports with issued visas will be mailed back (no pick-up possible).  Please provide a prepaid,  self-addressed return envelope at the time of your application. Please use a secure carrier (Fedex and UPS preferred, USPS at your own risk as they do not scan the envelope in front of our employees) with a tracking number. Applicants must indicate their name and address both as sender and recipient.

Important: The Swiss representation does not assume any liability for the loss of documents submitted or returned by mail.

Payment options

The fee has to be paid by money order (made payable to Consulate General of Switzerland).