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SwitzerlandPhoto: Roy Egloff / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
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Visa field guide · CH

Plan your Switzerland application

The canton approves your stay before the embassy issues the visaSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.

01 / ROUTES

Choose the route that matches your trip

These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.
  • ↗
    Schengen short-stay visa (C)

    Tourism, business or family visits up to 90 days in any 180-day period, applied for via swiss-visa.ch or the responsible Swiss representation.

  • ↗
    National long-stay visa (D)

    Work, study or family reunification over 90 days, which needs cantonal approval before the visa is issued.

02 / JOURNEY

What the application journey usually looks like

The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.
  1. 01
    Confirm the Schengen or national visa route

    The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) sets the categories: Schengen C for short stays, national D for stays over 90 days.

  2. 02
    Complete the application on swiss-visa.ch

    swiss-visa.ch is the standard channel for preparing and, in many cases, submitting the application form.

    GUIDELENS HELPS HERE
  3. 03
    Book the Swiss representation appointment

    Appointments are booked with the Swiss representation responsible for the applicant's place of residence.

  4. 04
    For long stays, await cantonal migration or labour approval

    For work, study or family reunification, the Swiss representation forwards the file to the cantonal migration or labour-market authority for approval before a national visa is issued.

    IF ASKED
  5. 05
    Attend the appointment and give biometrics

    Biometric data and the visa fee, or its exemption, are handled at the in-person appointment.

  6. 06
    Enter Switzerland and register with the commune

    After entering Switzerland on a long-stay visa, registering with the commune and obtaining the residence permit are separate follow-up steps.

03 / BEFORE YOU START

Four things to know before you start

Cantonal approval gate
A national (D) visa for work, study or family reasons is not decided by the embassy alone; it needs the responsible canton's prior approval.
Standard application channel
swiss-visa.ch is the portal the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) points applicants to for preparing the Schengen or national visa form.
Fee structure
SEM lists a standard Schengen visa fee with reduced or waived amounts for some children, alongside separate long-stay procedures.
Appeal rights
SEM's published guidance describes a right to appeal a refusal within a stated period, with instructions on its own website.

04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE

Switzerland's cantonal approval step for long stays

Switzerland is Schengen-associated rather than an EU member, and its national long-stay visas depend on a cantonal decision that sits behind the Swiss representation abroad.
  1. 01

    Long stays need canton sign-off first

    For work, study or family reunification, the Swiss representation forwards the application to the cantonal migration or labour-market authority for approval before any national visa is issued.

    State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) · Entry FAQ ↗
  2. 02

    Use swiss-visa.ch to prepare the file

    The official portal is the channel SEM directs applicants to for completing the Schengen or national visa application before contacting the responsible representation.

    swiss-visa.ch ↗
  3. 03

    Contact your specific canton for permit details

    Once a national visa is approved, the residence and work-permit formalities are handled by the cantonal immigration and labour-market authority for where you will live.

    SEM · Cantonal migration authorities ↗
  4. 04

    Keep the Schengen rule in view

    For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.

    European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗

05 / PREPARE

Information worth gathering before you open the form

Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.

  • Passport and previous travel-document details

  • Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation

  • Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay

  • Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip

  • Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant

  • Translations and route-specific documents requested locally

06 / OFFICIAL

Continue with the official authority

View current requirementsState Secretariat for Migration (SEM)

You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.