HOW TO APPLY FOR A VISIT or A TOURIST VISA TO SWITZERLAND
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The amazing natural beauty of the majestic Alps, the placid lakes, quaint villages, cosmopolitan cities and towering castles — just amazing! For sure, many of you have watched the Korean Series, Crash Landing on You, and have fell in love with Switzerland.
This beautiful country is indeed everybody’s dream destination– whether for a vacation or for a place to live. If you are ready to tick this travel destination off your bucket list, here’s a guide on how to apply for a Schengen Switzerland Visa.
An Overview of Schengen Visa for Short-term Stay in Switzerland
Switzerland is a part of the Schengen zone, composed of 26 European countries. To enter Switzerland (and any other countries in the Schengen zone), you must obtain a Schengen Visa first.
If you are from the Philippines, you do need a Schengen visa to be able to enter and stay in Switzerland that will allow you to stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Who is Eligible to Apply for a Schengen Visa to Switzerland?
If you are a Philippine passport holder and you are planning to apply for a Schengen visa, you must fulfill any of these conditions:
- Switzerland is your main destination. It means that you will visit Switzerland only and have no plans of visiting any other Schengen country (sa Switzerland ka lang pupunta at mag-stay); or
- You will stay the longest in Switzerland. You have plans of traveling around the Schengen Area, but Switzerland is where you will be staying the longest. (Pupunta ka pa sa ibang Schengen countries, pero sa Switzerland ang pinaka-mahabang stay mo).
- The main purpose of your travel is in Switzerland. You have plans of visiting other Schengen countries, but the focus of your travel is in Switzerland.
- Switzerland is your port of entry. You have plans of visiting multiple Schengen countries for the same number of days, but Switzerland is your first point of entry.
Important Documents to Prepare
First things first—you need documents to support your visa application! Depending on your circumstance, click the symbol ‘▼‘ below to view the corresponding requirements for each section and the proper order that they need to be in. Make sure that you have authentic, original, and complete documents at all times. For the copies, you must submit them in A4 paper format.
For this, you will need to prepare these documents:
1. A duly filled out and signed Schengen Visa Application Form for Switzerland. You may download the form by signing up here.
2. Two current biometrical passport photos (35-45 mm width)– have your passport photo taken. The embassy is very strict on their photo specifications. Fortunately, they have a page on their official website dedicated to explaining this. Bring at least two copies or more, just in case. One photo should be glued to the application form. The second photo will be returned to you.
- Taken with nothing covering the face, without sunglasses or contact lenses, or a head covering unless worn for religious or medical reasons.
- The subject should have their mouth closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows).
After which, paste your photo on each of the electronic visa form that you completed online (1 original and 1 photocopy of the form).
3. Original Passport and a Photocopy of it as well as the Bio Page– The embassy requires that your passport is valid for at least another three months on the date the visa application is submitted. It also must have two empty pages for them to stamp your passport. If you have renewed your passport, bring your old one/s with you. These are needed especially if you have previous overseas trips.
4. Travel Insurance – the coverage must be applied during the entire duration of the trip and must be valid for all Schengen countries. Coverage sum must be AT LEAST EUR 30,000 (Php 2.5 million or USD 50,000). I highly recommend Pioneer Insurance which you can avail yourself through me. Feel free to directly inquire through JASTravel on Facebook and I would be very glad to assist you.
5. A copy of your roundtrip flight reservation. Do NOT buy flight tickets before the visa is issued because the Switzerland Embassy would NOT take any responsibility for the costs you’ll incur if your visa gets denied. We can assist you with a dummy ticket for your flight reservation requirement; get it here!
6. Proof of Accomodation, copy(ies). These are confirmed hotel reservation(s) only for the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen countries containing the name and contact details of the hotel(s) as well as the reservation number.
7. Day-to-day Itinerary – At this part, it’s good practice to include a cover letter along with this itinerary document so that you can properly explain the purpose of your trip. We can help you plan your trip by availing our itinerary service.
8. Proof of financial capacity to show that you (or your sponsor) can support your expenses for the whole duration of your travel.
For those traveling without a sponsor: this means that you will cover all your expenses during the entire duration of your travel.
- Bank statements – must show records of the past six months. A bank statement shows your transactions in your account at a specific period. It will show debits (withdrawals, payments, taxes, service fees) and credits (deposits, interest earned.) Bank Statements can also be seen online especially if you have a registered account. There is no signature for the manager or a bank officer.
- Bank Certificate – it is a confirmation by the branch manager or a bank officer that you have an existing account in their bank. It shows the account number, the type, and other details such as the opening date of your account, your account balance as of the date of request, and your average daily balance.
- Other proof of income (supporting documents) – although it is not really required, you can submit invoices and pay slip equivalent to prove that you earn enough to support this trip financially.
9. Evidence of your rootedness in the Philippines – Evidence of deep-rootedness a.k.a. strong family and social ties to your home country, is one of the most critical requirements when applying for a Schengen Visa. It is what the Consul will look for in your visa application. So how do you prove that you are firmly established in the Philippines and that you will go back to your home country?
You need to convince them that you will return to the Philippines. Insufficient evidence of deep-rootedness to your home country is also one of the chief reasons for visa denial.
- For Employees:
- Employment or Work contract and bank account statements or payslips showing the transfer of your last six-monthly salaries
- Certificate of Employment which should include the employer’s full name, complete address, telephone number with area code, details regarding the position, income, and employment duration
- Approved letter of approved leave signed by your employer (Leave of Absence letter)
- Optional: Signed No Objection Certificate which states that your employer has no objection for you to travel to Switzerland and that they have approved your leave request
- Most recent Income Tax Return 2316 (ITR)
- Optional Supporting Documents:
› Government Mandated Contributions – SSS, Pag-ibig, Philhealth Contributions
› If with existing loan – SSS Loan or Pag-ibig Salary loan
- For Self-Employed:
- DTI Business Name Registration Certificate
- Barangay Business Clearance
- Mayor’s Business Permit from your Municipality where the business address has been registered
- Business activity of your company for the last 6 months – invoices and bank transactions
- Most recent Income Tax Return 2316 (ITR)
- For Retirees:
- Pension statement for the last 6 months
- Retirement Certification
- Others (No work, No Business, etc.): Family as Proof of Rootedness:
- For Solo parents:
› A copy of your birth certificate- PSA Authenticated
› A copy of your child/children’s birth certificate- PSA Authenticated
› Solo parent ID
› Barangay Certification as Solo parent
› Notarized Affidavit of Solo Parent with Undertaking
› Money remittances to support your dependents - For those who are supporting or watching over the health/well-being of the family:
› A copy of my parent’s birth certificates- PSA Authenticated
› If parents are already Senior Citizens: a copy of their Senior Citizen ID and Barangay Certification as Senior Citizens
› If parents have sickness/ illness: Medical history of parents (diabetes, hypertension, etc.)
- For Solo parents:
- For Employees:
- Property Titles: if you have some, the following are accepted.
- Land titles
- Car registration certificates
- Deeds of Sale
- For Minors
- Joint affidavit of both parents or legal guardians granting consent
- Photocopies of the passports of both parents or legal guardians
- Birth certificate of the minor. Must be recent, original, and issued by PSA.
- DSWD Clearance, if the minor is not traveling with either parent or legal guardian
- Recent certificate of enrollment from the school
- Letter authorizing the student’s absence from school
- Property Titles: if you have some, the following are accepted.
10. Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) & Re-Entry Permit, copy. This is ONLY if you’re a foreign national who has a valid residence in the Philippines.
11. If applicable, Valid Visa(s) to your next destination. This is ONLY if you’re NOT traveling back to the Philippines after your trip to Switzerland or the Schengen territories. As such, if your airline reservation and itinerary indicate the next destination to be a different country other than the Philippines, please provide proof of a valid visa for that destination.
Simply submit the requirements listed in Category (A), except for item #11. When it comes to item #8: Proof of financial capacity > Personal Bank Statements, ask these from your guarantor/sponsor — such could be your mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, relative, a sponsoring company, etc.
NOTE: If your sponsor values his/her privacy, he/she has the option of sending his/her financial documents directly to the Embassy and he can do this by post or e-mail (instead of you submitting them to VFS on your appointment date).
The following documents are NOT required, but it helps to submit them too:
- Letter that is written by your guarantor/sponsor indicating his/her relationship with you as well as confirming that he/she will be supporting all your travel expenses
- Your OWN bank statements, properties, etc. to help strengthen your financial solvency even more- If you maintain a bank account for a long time, better maintain it. Kahit na may sponsor ka, of course, plus points pa din sa visa application mo if idadagdag mo din bank statements mo, payslips from our employer, and other proof na financially capable ka din and most importantly, it proves deep rootedness as well.
Simply submit the requirements listed in Category (A), except for item #11. When it comes to item #8: Proof of financial capacity > Personal Bank Statements, ask these from your guarantor/sponsor — such could be your mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, relative, a sponsoring company, etc.
NOTE: If your sponsor values his/her privacy, he/she has the option of sending his/her financial documents directly to the Embassy and he can do this by post or e-mail (instead of you submitting them to VFS on your appointment date).
In addition, you should also ensure that you submit the following for your Switzerland Schengen Visa application:
12. Additional Questionnaire. This will actually be given to you during your appointment at VFS. Make sure that you fill out this form completely and truthfully and then submit it together with your other required documents.
13. Invitation Letter. Your sponsor/guarantor must indicate in a signed letter: your general information (name, birth date, exact address, relationship), his/her details (name and exact address), confirmation and reason of invitation, your duration of stay, and proof of accommodation.
Let us take care of your cover letter (and others such as sponsorship, invitation, and appeal), get our letter service here!
14. Photocopy of Guarantor/Sponsor’s Passport. It must be a valid passport.
NOTE: If in case you are a Philippine national living or residing in a foreign country and you wish to avail a Schengen tourist visa, you can inquire with the appropriate Schengen Embassy in the country that you’re living in about the requirements and procedures that you need to take. (It’s highly likely that it will be the same).
Also, the Switzerland Embassy may request for more information or additional documents in order to verify the contents and truthfulness of the documents you’ve submitted; so, be prepared for a document examination.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Apply for a Schengen Visa to Switzerland
UPDATE: There are currently no entry restrictions to Switzerland — there is no longer a need for proof of vaccination, recovery, or testing. For more info, see here.
STEP 1: Determine the type of Swiss Schengen visa you need to apply for and have a look at the checklist of requirements to gather all the documents that you need to submit.
The first step is to determine which visa type you need, and check whether you’re eligible to apply for it.
You’ll also need to know the documents that you’ll have to submit along with your application, how long the application might take and fees you’ll have to pay.
Each application must comply with the guidelines applicable for your visa category.
If your documents are not in English, you may need to get translations prepared before applying.
STEP 2: Complete the Schengen Visa Requirements stated above (Important Documents to Prepare depending on the Visa Category you fall under) to begin with your visa application. Once you are ready to apply, go to the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines for more information.
All application will be assessed by the Embassy of Switzerland in Manila. The application must be submitted personally. It may also be submitted by any representative in instances wherein the applicant has a previous Schengen visa with VIS within the last 59 months on your preferred appointment date at the Switzerland Visa Application Centre in Manila between 07:00 – 14:00 (Monday – Friday) – except on the Public holidays. Applications can also be sent by the applicants chosen courier company as POSTAL APPLICATION in instances wherein the applicant has a previous Schengen visa with VIS within the last 59 months.
STEP 3: Schedule your appointment online with VFS Global
When it comes to the Switzerland Embassy, they do visa applications via their external service provider, VFS Global. Unfortunately, you cannot just walk into their office to lodge an application because you need to book an appointment first online.
UPDATE 2021: The new link for registration and booking of appointment is now moved to this site: http://vfsglobal.com/
Here’s how you can secure a time slot:
- Visit the VFS website here and click the text that says ‘New User‘.
- You will be lead to a registration page where you need to create your own VFS account. Provide your first name, last name, email, contact number, and intended password for your account. Click the button that says ‘Submit‘ once done.
- The page will route you to the log-in page. Enter the email and password that you set up and click the ‘Continue‘ button.
- On the next page, you will see a list on the left. Select ‘Schedule Appointment‘. You will then have to pick your application center.
- Under ‘Select visiting country’: Switzerland
- Under ‘Select residing country’: Philippines
- Under ‘Select application center: Switzerland Visa Application – Manila
- Under ‘Select visa category’: Tourists (or ‘Visiting Family’ if applicable to you)
- Once you have input all the necessary information, click ‘Continue‘
- The next page will show the ‘Applicant List’ page. If you’re applying together with family or friends, you can only add 4 more applicant data (other than you) on this page to schedule a group appointment.
- Proceed to click ‘Add Applicant‘ and input all your relevant details. Afterward, click ‘Submit‘ and proceed to secure your intended date for your appointment. Rest assured, there’s an option to cancel or reschedule your appointment.
STEP 4: Pay the Visa Fee. Once you have made your application, you will need to pay your visa application fee.
Please pay for the Visa Fee and VFS Global Service Fee at Banco De Oro Bank (details below).
BANK NAME: | Banco De Oro |
ACCOUNT NUMBER: | 005400331468 |
ACCOUNT NAME: | VFS Services Philippines Private, Inc |
BRANCH NAME: | Karrivin Plaza Branch, Makati City |
Include the original receipt in your application when you send it through postal/courier.
The Visa Fees and VFS Global Service Fee are applicable per application.
For Visa fee, please refer to the below table:
For more information on Valued Added Services, please refer to “Additional Services”.
Include the below information along with your application:
• Remittance Date
• The name of the banking facility
• Remitter Name
• Remittance Amount
Also email the below details to – info.swissph@vfshelpline.com • Copy of remittance receipt
• Copy of delivery slip
• Detail of applicant
STEP 5: Submit your application at VFS on your appointment date. It helps to arrive early for your appointment. VFS is open from Mondays to Fridays, 7AM to 4PM (except public holidays) and their address for Manila is:
VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd
30th Floor, The World Centre
Sen Gil Puyat Ave
Makati City, Metro Manila
Submission of documents. Simply hand out your documents to the VFS staff and he/she will check the documents that you prepared and then ensure that everything is complete.
- If in case you have any missing documents, the staff will inform you about that.
- The person will provide you with a 3-page questionnaire which you have to answer in a small private room. It’s basically your interview but in written form.
Quick Facts
- Validity of Visa : Short-stay Schengen visas allow people to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days every six-month period
- Processing time:Applications shall be decided on within 5 to 10 working days after the date of lodging.
- Where to lodge your application:
- VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd
30th Floor, The World Centre
Sen Gil Puyat Ave
Makati City, Metro Manila
- VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd
- Embassy’s Information:
- Embassy of Switzerland
- Address: 24/F BDO Equitable Tower, 8751 Paseo de Roxas, Makati, Metro Manila
- Contact number: +63 2 8845 45 45
- E-mail: manila.visa@eda.admin.ch
- Embassy of Switzerland
Common Reasons for Schengen Visa Rejection
Here are the common reasons a Schengen Visa application gets denied:
- No clear travel purpose—a detailed cover letter is a must!
- Lack of strong ties—reevaluate your application and prove why you must return to your home country!
- Insufficient travel insurance coverage—make sure you get the right policy!
- No proof of financial means—convince them that you can afford your trip! Provide bank or credit card statements, VUL, investment portfolio, etc.
- Passport does not have 2 free pages—where will they attach the visa if your passport pages are already full? You should get a new passport before applying for a visa if there are no more available pages on your old one!
- No proof of accommodation—you need to prove them that you have a place to stay in the Schengen Area.
Recap and Tips
So, just a recap and a reminder, please don’t forget these TIPS:
If you ever need help, you can avail my visa application bundle, and I will be glad to help you through the process!
Let Us Be Your Partner in Your Schengen Visa Journey
Applying for a Schengen Visa can be overwhelming, with all the paperwork involved and confusing information from different sources. We understand that—we’ve been there and have done that!
But through the years, we gained experience and knowledge on the ins and outs of the Schengen Visa application. We’ve helped countless satisfied clients; we would like to invite you to be one of them!
With our Schengen Visa services personalized to your unique needs and circumstances, we will make your visa application less stressful and laborious and more promising. Contact us to schedule a consultation or for other inquiries.
