How to Apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa for UK Residents

Home to the picturesque hamlets and the glittering lakes, Switzerland prides itself in some jaw-dropping sceneries filled with loads of storybook charm. Known for its mountains, clocks, chocolate, cheese, and political neutrality, Switzerland offers a chance for travellers to discover the pleasing landscape brimmed with seasonal flora and fauna, tourist attractions in Switzerland consist of some well-groomed alpines of Davos and the blankets of fluffy snow in the Jungfraujoch.

Switzerland is not only famous for its beauty, but the culture, food, adventure sports, and historical monuments also make thousands of tourists flock here. From the unequalled alpine sceneries of The Matterhorn in Zermatt to the ancient artefacts preserved in the museums of Bern, Switzerland is truly a place where one can experience the best blend of history with nature

Who Can Apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa from the UK?

Any time you spent in Switzerland or other Schengen countries before 1 January 2021 does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit. At Swiss border control, you may need to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing. Your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. You may also need to:

• show a return or onward ticket
• show you have enough money for your stay

If you are a resident of Switzerland, you should carry proof of your residence when travelling. Read more on the UK government website.

The main requirement is that you must have a UK residence permit valid for at least another three more months beyond the date you plan to leave Switzerland or the Schengen Area.

Before starting a visa application, or getting a flight to Switzerland, make sure to check whether you need a visa to Switzerland or not.

If you have a 3-month UK visa you can extend it for three more months in order to be eligible to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from within the UK. You must apply for an extension before your visa expires and while you’re still in the UK.

Note: You can stay in the UK until the decision about the extension is taken, but only if you have applied within the visa period.

In case you plan on staying in Switzerland for more than 90 days you must apply for a residency permit, not a Switzerland Schengen visa.

Please, note that if you are not a resident in the United Kingdom you should apply at the Switzerland Embassy/Consulate/VAC in your home country of residence.

Steps to Applying for a Swiss Schengen Visa from the UK

Step 1: Know your visa type and validity

There are 2 types of visa that you can apply for and the one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and your reason for travelling to Switzerland:

1. Short-stay (Schengen) Visa – valid for up to 90 days (in a 180-day period) for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting family/friends, conference, EEA/EU national family member
2. Residence and work permits (Long stays) – you should apply for this kind of visa if you want to live in Switzerland for more than 90 days for employment, family reunification, study, research etc.

Step 2: Identify where to make application and book an appointment

To apply for a Switzerland visa from the UK you can do either of the following:

• through TLScontact offices in London, Edinburgh and Manchester or
• through services like IAM, that will make sure that your application has the best chance of being approved

Step 3: Complete your application form

Step 4: Prepare your documents

Note: Photocopies of the original documents should also be submitted and documents should not be more than one month old.

The documents listed above are documents required in all cases, regardless of the purpose of your visit to Switzerland.

Additional documents required for Switzerland Visa Application depending on employment status

If unemployed and married to an EU citizen:

• A recent (less than 3 months old) Confirmation of Employment letter from their spouse’s employer stating the position held within the company as well as the starting date,
• Spouse’s valid passport
• An officially translated marriage certificate. The translation must be in English or Switzerland and must be certified as a true copy by the Embassy of the country where the marriage took place or by the Legalization Bureau of the Foreign Office in the UK

Requirements for children under the age of 18:

A parent or an adult guardian are required to accompany their underage children to the application centre at the Embassy of Switzerland in London. Also, minors who are granted a Switzerland visa are not allowed to travel to Switzerland by themselves. They should be accompanied by an adult during their stay in Switzerland.

Apart from the general documentation required, accompanying should be other additional documents depending on the purpose of your Switzerland Visa application.

Additional documents required for the most frequent purposes of Switzerland visa application

Switzerland Tourist/Visitor Visa:

• Invitation letter from your family or friends in the Switzerland with the address and phone number – if applicable
• Bank statement of the last 6 months
• Passport copies

Switzerland Visa for Business Purposes:

• Invitation letter from the Switzerland company you will be visiting and their detailed address accompanied with the dates of your visit
• A certificate from your employer stating/allowing your business travel
• If there were previous trade relations between the two companies, proof of such events must be provided
• Business bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Memorandum and Article of Association in original certified copy (registered with joint stock companies) Trade License (first issued and present renewal), Proprietorship/Partnership documents
• Regarding the applicant’s expenses during stay in the Schengen zone, either the employer or the partner company must state coverage of expenses on the letter or invitation.

Switzerland Visa for Medical Purposes:

• A local medical report
• A medical attestation from the hospital or doctor in Switzerland, confirming the date of your appointment as well as your medical situation
• Payment receipt of medical fees

Switzerland Visa for Cultural, Sports, Film Crew or Religious Purposes:

• Invitation letter from the above-mentioned authorities with details upon the nature of events or activities – purpose of visit, expense coverage
• Names of the applicants (crew members)
• Duration of stay
• Travel itinerary

Switzerland Visa for Members of Official Delegations:

• The official invitation copy
• Identity of applicant
• Purpose of journey (negotiations, meetings, event by intergovernmental organizations, consultations)
• Duration of stay
• Place of accommodation

Switzerland Visa for Study, Training, Research, or other types of Internship Purposes:

• An enrollment certificate allowing attendance of courses
• Certificate of completion or courses attended
• Financial sustenance

Switzerland Airport Transit Visa:

• Visa or other type of entry permit in the transit country
• Copy of your valid visa for your final destination

Required documents for visa application for underage children:

All documents provided should be legalized.

Step 5: Attend your appointment

The visa interview is a meeting between you and the consular officer/interviewer. During this interview, the consular officer will ask you several questions about you and your intended trip. You will also be submitting the required documents throughout the meeting, to the interviewer.

Read more about how to ace your Schengen visa interview in our blog post: Schengen Visa Interview Questions and Answers and How to Prepare for it!

Step 6: Receive your visa

Visa Application Rejection

There are a few common reasons why your visa application might be rejected. For example, if you provide illegitimate or insufficient documents, apply for the wrong type of visa, or fail your immigration interview.

If your visa application is rejected, you will not be refunded for your application. You will need to either appeal or file the application again. To avoid this hassle, make sure your documents are in order and you fill out the form correctly. With a service like IaM, we check your application before submission to ensure the highest possibility of having your visa application approved.

Find out more about the common reasons for a visa rejection and how to avoid them in our blog post: Visa Refused: 9 Common Reasons Why Visas Get Rejected.

Switzerland Schengen Visa Extension

A person visiting Switzerland on a Schengen visa is allowed by law to extend their visa if they have legitimate reasons. This could be either personal, professional, medical, emergency, or any other. The decisions to approve a Schengen visa extension request are handled case by case.

The duration you are allowed to stay in the country is stated in your Schengen visa sticker. It is important not to overstay during your trip to Switzerland or the rest of the Schengen Zone or risk facing penalties like a fine, deportation, being banned from travelling back to the Schengen Zone and having difficulties in your future Schengen applications.

There are also cases when people do not get any penalties for overstaying, for example, a child or a person that cannot travel without a caretaker because of an illness or disability or an unforeseen event that prevents you from leaving the country, like COVID-19.

Find out more about overstaying in the Schengen visa in our blog post.

Switzerland Schengen Visa Frequently Asked Questions

Are you ready to make your Switzerland Schengen visa application? Is there anything we missed or anything you need clarification on? Comment below.

IaM can help with your visa application to the United States, the UK & other countries

If you need help with a US visa, a UK Visa, or visa to Europe, including help with appointment booking obligations, IaM can help. For more information and advice on US immigration, UK immigration law and US visa applications or if you need any help or assistance please, reach out to your Visa Coordinator at IaM.