The main pass to this wonderful alpine country is a visa to Switzerland. There are different types of Schengen visas in the country, including those issued for visiting another state. Short-term visits up to 90 days are allowed for tourist, visitor, business category C visas. In order to study or work in Switzerland, you must obtain a category D visa – Swiss national.
In order to enter the territory of Switzerland, it is necessary to submit documents for a visa to the consular representation of the Swiss Confederation or to the visa centers.
The reasons for applying for a visa are as follows:
- marriage or reunification with a citizen of Switzerland;
- getting a job under a temporary or long-term labor contract;
- admission and study in one of the educational institutions;
- buying a Swiss company, opening your own business or investing in the country’s economy.
The acquisition of real estate in Switzerland is the basis for issuing a multiple-entry tourist visa for 90–120 days of stay. Such a visa does not require an invitation and reservation of a hotel or boarding house for the entire period of stay.
Applying for a multiple visit visa (multivisa) makes it possible to repeatedly cross the border of the country and move around the Schengen countries. You can also enter Switzerland with a special fiancé/fiance visa, but the conditions for obtaining it are much more complicated than with a regular tourist visa.
Work or employment visa to Switzerland
Obtaining a visa for employment in Switzerland requires compliance with the main requirement – the presence of an invitation from a Swiss employer. Only a work visa gives the right to work, employment on a tourist or visitor visa is not allowed.
You need to apply for a visa in your country. If a job offer is received while in Switzerland on a different type of visa, you must return home to apply for a work visa. When drawing up a new employment contract, it is impossible to extend a work visa, you will need to return home and re-register the documents.
A work visa is issued in a special order and requires 6-8 weeks for processing. Documents for a visa must be submitted in advance, because. they will be sent directly to Switzerland for consideration. With such a visa, it is allowed to stay and work in the country up to 180 days a year.
The employer must submit an application to the local employment office, which reviews it based on the needs of their canton. The preliminary decision is approved by the Federal Office for Migration and sent to the diplomatic mission in the country of residence. After that, you can start applying for a visa .
Student visa to Switzerland
The visa offer for studying in Switzerland depends on the features and duration of the study program. There are many educational programs in the country: bachelor’s, master’s, postgraduate, language and professional courses. You can get a visa for study for different periods:
- A short-term visa is issued if the study process lasts less than 3 months. During the stay, you can not change the category of a visa, extend it without leaving your country, work or do business, take relatives with you. Applicants need to apply for a visa specifically designed for admission (the “Future Student” visa).
- A long-term visa is issued in case of a longer study period. Such a visa can be extended without leaving home, travel with relatives, work up to 20 hours a week. Applying for a visa requires an invitation from a Swiss university and a score of 40 points according to the criteria for free space and funding.
Documents for a visa are submitted to the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation. First, a visa is issued for 3 months, and then a student visa for a year is issued on the spot. You can get a refusal of the Embassy to issue a visa if one of the family members has already received such a document. When applying, a mandatory requirement is confirmation that a foreign student will leave the country after graduation.
Business visa to Switzerland
The basis for issuing a business visa to Switzerland is a business proposal from a Swiss employer. Registration of a business visa allows you to stay in the country for a short time in order to negotiate, organize partnerships, participate in business meetings, seminars, conferences.
Foreign citizens who are in business relations with Swiss businessmen and companies can apply for a visa . The existence of such a relationship will need to be documented. A business visa can be issued for different periods depending on the purpose of the upcoming trip.
Most often, a short-term Schengen visa is issued with a period specified in the invitation. It also makes it possible to make business trips to all Schengen countries. The standard term of a short-term visa is 90 days of stay within 6 months. If you need frequent visits to Switzerland, you can apply for a multiple entry visa (multivisa).
An invitation to a business partner must contain the following information:
- information about the inviting party, indicating all contacts;
- information about the invited person;
- area of activity in which joint work is carried out;
- date and purpose of the proposed trip;
- guarantees for those inviting to finance the stay (payment for transport, meals and accommodation).
If the host country does not give such guarantees, then it will be possible to obtain a visa for a business visit only upon providing a document on one’s own funding resources.
Tourist visa to Switzerland
To see local attractions, relax or participate in cultural events, you must apply for a tourist visa. This can be done in person or by contacting a travel agency accredited by the Embassy or Consulate of the Swiss Confederation. Since 2011, all the requirements for issuing Schengen visas have been unified, and now the process of registration for all countries of the Schengen area is similar.
Close relatives (parents, spouses, children, brothers, sisters) can also issue a tourist visa for you by proxy. In addition to the power of attorney, you will need documents confirming that there are family ties, for example, a birth certificate, passport or other identity card. Usually a single-entry Schengen visa is issued for the duration of the trip, but you can get a multiple-entry visa, which gives you the right to cross the border of the country several times.
Issuing a visa for tourist trips to Switzerland is one of the most popular activities of tour operators. Every year a large number of tourists from different countries come to this amazing country, business tourism is especially developed here. Switzerland makes very good money on such a business and therefore it is much easier to get a tourist visa than any other.
Documents for a visa to Switzerland
Documents for a visa to Switzerland are collected according to the same rules as for all Schengen countries. The list of documents may be changed by the decision of the diplomatic mission depending on each specific case, and additional information may be required. It should be borne in mind that the certificates are valid for 1 month, so it is better to apply for a visa by adhering to this period.
The standard package of documents includes:
- Foreign passport with the recommended duration of validity (3 months after the end of the visit).
- Two color photographs 3.5 x 4.5.
- Completed visa application form.
- Invitation for a visit to Switzerland.
- Documents confirming status and income:
- certificate from the place of employment or training;
- pension book (for pensioners);
- account statement from a banking institution;
- sponsorship letter from the person paying for the trip.
- Proof of accommodation (hotel reservation, rental agreement or letter from the host).
- Medical insurance.
- Parental permission for underage children to travel.
When heading to Switzerland, you need to take copies with you, because. at the border, you may be required to show some documents for a visa .
