If you plan to go to Switzerland, you should bear in mind that the legal procedures and requirements vary depending on your nationality, the reason for the trip and the duration of the trip. For this reason, we inform you of the necessary documentation to enter this country, as well as the types of existing visa.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

Article Index

Requirements and documents to travel to Switzerland: do you need a visa?

Required Documentation

Citizens of European countries that are part of the Schengen area can travel to Switzerland with their DNI (National identity document). This agreement allows free movement through the territories of the member states. Likewise, foreigners residing in one of these countries can go to Switzerland with their NEVER or residence card.



One of these territories is Spain. If you want to know what the rest are, we recommend you read the following article: The Schengen area and the Member States of the European Union.

On the other hand, apart from the Schengen treaty states, there is a list of countries that do not need a visa to go to Switzerland. They only require a passport issued in the last 10 years and with a minimum validity of three months at the time of completion of the trip.

However, this advantage only applies when traveling as a tourist for a maximum of 90 days. The countries with this advantage are the following:

  • A: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia
  • B: Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei
  • C: Canada, Chile, Vatican City, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Croatia
  • D: Dominican
  • E: El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States
  • G: Grenada, Guatemala
  • H: Honduras, Hong Kong
  • I: Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Israel
  • J: Japan
  • K: Kiribati
  • M: Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro
  • N: New Zealand, Nicaraguan
  • P: Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru
  • S: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore
  • T: Taiwan, East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu
  • U: Uruguay
  • V: Vanuatu, Venezuela

Visa

There are some cases in which you must apply for a visa, such as to go to work from a country that does not belong to the Schengen area. Next, we explain the different types of visa.

Schengen Visa

The rest of the territories that we have not previously named need a visa to enter Switzerland. Among them are Ecuador and Bolivia. If the stay is going to be up to 90 days and for tourism, the Schengen or type C visa must be requested. This permit has a price of € 60 for adults, € 35 for minors between 6 and 12 years old and free for children under 6 years of age.

Although it has to be formalized at an embassy, ​​first you have to make an appointment through the Swiss visa online portal. You can access it by clicking this link.

On the day of the appointment, the following documents must be presented:

  • Visa application filled out and signed.
  • Two updated passport-size photos.
  • Passport with a minimum validity of six months after leaving the Schengen territory.
  • Copy of the first and second page of the passport and the visas of other countries.
  • Previous original passports.
  • Round trip flight reservation.
  • International medical insurance policy, which has travel insurance equivalent to € 30.000 and with coverage for all countries in the Schengen area.
  • Original work certificate. If you are a senior student, university certificate, pension payment, tuition for the following semester and financial situation of the parents. Retirees must present their retirement card and the last three receipts of pension collection.
  • Documentation that informs of the financial situation and state of the bank accounts.
  • Hotel reservation already confirmed and paid. If you are traveling with a scheduled tour, a letter from the travel agency with the details of the itinerary and proof of payment.

The underage They must present themselves at the Embassy with one of their parents. In addition, both parents must sign the visa application. Apart from the aforementioned documents, you have to take a copy of the official authorization, another of the birth certificate or identity document and show the financial situation of the parents.

If you are going to visit family or friends, they can send a Letter of Invitation to stay at your home, so a hotel reservation would not be necessary. It must be written by the closest family member. If not, it can be signed by a friend.

This letter must include the details and address of the host, the reason and duration of the trip and a guarantee that the visitor will leave Switzerland after the visit is completed.



The Schengen visa also includes the option to travel for business. In this case, the person in charge of the Swiss company must send an invitation letter with the following points:

  • Reason and duration of the trip
  • Coverage of all expenses of the visit, if applicable
  • Company guarantee that the visitor will leave Switzerland once the business visit is over

The process of granting a Schengen visa can be expedited if the trip is made for a reason humanitarian, such as urgent medical treatment or a serious accident.

National visa

If you want to stay in Switzerland for more than 90 days or live in this country, you must apply for a national or type D visa. The only exceptions are citizens of countries of the Schengen treaty and other territories such as Andorra, with which there is an agreement .

To apply for a permit student, you need an admission certificate from the University or Higher School where you are going to study.

If your purpose is to go to workYou should know that Swiss citizens and those of the rest of the Schengen countries have preference over those who are not.

In the event that a Swiss company offers you a job, it must send a request to the cantonal migration and labor market authorities. If it is accepted, it must be reviewed by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). However, a residence permit must be requested in the same way.

Other requirements

Travel to Switzerland to formalize a wedding It involves a long and complex process, as indicated in the country's embassy. On the other hand, if you live there and are a foreign resident, the necessary documents are the following:

  • Birth certificate showing the parents' names
  • Passport or proof of nationality
  • Marital status card

It is possible to enter this territory with pet. In the case of dogs and cats, they must meet the following conditions:

  • Vaccination record stating that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies. If you come from a low risk country (European Union, Norway or Iceland) will have been vaccinated at least 21 days before and cannot be less than 15 weeks. For the rest of the countries, 30 days after the rabies vaccination, a blood sample must be analyzed and a minimum of three months must pass after this analysis. Animals less than seven months old cannot enter.
  • Microchip in which the identity of the dog or cat is registered.
  • Health certificate showing that the pet is in good condition to enter the country.

On the other hand, Switzerland is a neighbor of Germany, Austria, France, Italy and Liechtenstein. There is no restriction to cross the border drive. However, if you are going to use the country's highways, you will have to pay a permit or vinylette of 40 Swiss francs, which is equivalent to about € 37.

As for the vaccines, there is no mandatory to visit this state. Travelers from territories threatened by yellow fever may be required to provide a vaccination certificate. Anyone, traveling or not, is recommended to have these vaccines:

  • Diphtheria
  • Hepatitis B
  • Tetanus
  • Whooping cough
  • MMR (Measles, Rubella and Mumps)

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