Swiss Consulate Atlanta – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Switzerland Schengen Visa

A land of majestic mountains and stunning lakes, Switzerland is a place you’ll love the very first time you see it. Thriving cities full of museums and galleries, fabulous restaurants and bars, and regular art fairs. Charming towns on the shores of beautiful lakes and much, much more in this gorgeous Schengen country. There’s really nothing that you won’t love! In this article learn more about how to apply for Switzerland Visa at the Swiss embassy in Atlanta, Georgia, Switzerland visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Switzerland visa application center and Switzerland Visa Application Process at the Atlanta consulate.

Schengen Visa

Last year, there were 517,010 Switzerland Schengen visa applications and 7.25% were rejected. The consulate of Switzerland in Atlanta dealt with 1,165 applications and refused just 16 of them.

Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States

If you live in the United States and are a non-US citizen, you need to apply for a visa to enter Switzerland. You have to make sure you apply at the right Swiss embassy and consulate.

The Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta deals with visa applications that come from areas within its jurisdiction, so if you live in the following places you can apply at this consulate:

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Mississippi

North Carolina

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Cayman Islands

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Swiss Consulate in Atlanta

Depending on how long you wish to travel to Switzerland for will determine the type of visa you apply for. There are 2 types of visa that are offered by the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta:

1. Schengen visa (Type C) – for stays up to 90 days
2. National visa (Type D) – for stays over 90 days

Schengen visas are usually issued as:   

1. Single entry – 1 entry during 90 days
2. Double entry – 2 entries during the 90 days
3. Multiple entry – No limit to entries during the 90 days

However, National visas are usually issued as:

1. Single entry
2. Multiple entry

Whether it’s a Schengen or National visa you are applying for, you then need to choose the correct category for your visa. This will be determined by the reason for travel. Categories include:

1. Tourism
2. A visit to relatives or friends
3. Short-term language studies
4. Participation in a conference or sporting/cultural event
5. Long-term student
6. Family reunification
7. Marriage in Switzerland
8. Airport transit

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Swiss Consulate in Atlanta   

Current processing times are around 2 weeks, but it could take longer, especially during the summer months and holiday seasons. It’s advisable to start the application process well in advance of your trip, so there is enough time for it to be processed. You can apply any time from 90 days before your trip up to 15 days before.

The first thing to do is spend time on the consulate’s website and get to know the requirements and what you need to do. This will save time and prevent delays later on.

Once you’ve done that, you need to complete your application and make an appointment online.

Step 1: Complete your application and make an appointment online

You are not permitted to walk into the consulate and submit your documents, so you must make an appointment. Another reason to apply early is that waiting times for appointments can be up to 5 weeks.

First, go to the consulate’s website and click on: www.swiss-visa.ch:

Scroll down and key in the place of your legal residence:

On the next page, click on: “Online Application”:

You must register first, so key in the information requested and then click on “Next”:

You’ll then be able to complete your online application. In the end, you will submit it to the consulate electronically. Once you’ve done that you can book a suitable appointment day and time.

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Step 2: Prepare your documents

Step 2 is essential to get right. If you go for your appointment with missing documents, the consulate will not accept them and you will have to make a new appointment, so check the website before you start. The following list gives details of the documents you need for your application, but it is not an exhaustive list. In addition, you MUST provide originals AND photocopies. If not, this will be seen as an incomplete application.

Documents include:

1) Schengen or National visa application

2) Two recent passport-sized photos

3) Valid passport or travel document. Must be dated at least 3 months past return to the US, issued no longer than 10 years ago, have at least 2 free pages

4) US residence card or US visa

5) Previous Schengen visas issued within last 5 years (if applicable)

6) Confirmed flight booking

7) Hotel reservations for the entire trip

8) Proof of sufficient funds – bank statements for the last 3 months

9) Letter from employer confirming job role and amount earned

10) Proof of enrollment from school or university

11) If self-employed, corporation license and last tax return

12) Travel medical insurance to cover for minimum €30K for emergency medical expenses, hospital treatment, and repatriation for medical reasons and mortal remains

13) Pre-paid, self-addressed envelope with tracking number (if you wish to have your passport mailed back

14) Host/company/family invitation letter

15) Proof of payment for school fees

16) Diplomas/school certificates

17) Notarized marriage/birth certificate

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

It is down to you to get this right, so before you start to prepare your documents, have a look at the requirements for Schengen visas and National visas on the consulate’s website.

Step 3: Attend your appointment

If you are applying for a Schengen visa, you must attend your appointment in person.

However, if you are applying for a National visa, there is no requirement to have fingerprints taken, so you can apply by mail. But, it may still be necessary to have an interview. The consulate will tell you if this is the case.

On the day of your appointment, arrive at the Swiss consulate in Atlanta on time. If you miss your appointment, you will have to reschedule. Remember only complete applications will be processed. Dress smartly too – it’s not the place for casual clothes!

The visa staff will review your application and supporting documents. If they need to clarify anything, they will ask you further interview questions like:

1. Are you traveling alone?
2. What do you know about Switzerland and the Schengen area?
3. What do you do in the US?
4. How will you pay for this trip?
5. Are you meeting anyone there?

The point of these questions is not to catch you out, it’s simply so the consulate has enough information to be able to make a decision on your application. Just smile and answer them honestly.

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You’ll also have to pay the relevant fee for your visa application. If you are attending your appointment in person, you can pay by cash or credit card, except American Express. This is done online when you register your application.

If you are submitting your application by mail, you can pay by money order or cashier’s check payable to the Consulate General of Switzerland.

Schengen Visa Fee

With regards to biometric data, if this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you need to provide a scan of all 10 of your fingerprints. However, if you have had a previous Schengen visa and you provided biometrics within the last 59 months, the data can be reused.

Step 4: Receive your visa

The consulate will contact you when a decision has been made and you can either collect your passport from them or arrange for it to be mailed back to you via FedEx or UPS.

Hopefully, when you open your passport, you’ll find your new visa in there, but there may have been a reason why it isn’t. It may have been rejected because:

1. You had forgotten to sign the application form
2. The reason for travel could not be established
3. You already have a Schengen visa that is active
4. You have applied at the wrong consulate
5. You don’t have the money to pay for the trip
6. Proof of employment is missing

Your application shouldn’t be rejected if you have complied with all the necessary requirements. Firstly, make sure you don’t already have a Schengen visa you can use. Check which areas are covered by which consulate because they all look after different jurisdictions. Don’t forget any paperwork – application form, employment letters etc., because they are all required by the consulate. Make sure you can prove that you have enough money to pay for your trip and why you are going. You can do this with your paperwork and/or verbally at your interview.

Contact detail for the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta

Address: 1349 W Peachtree Street NW, Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA 30309

Email: visaatlanta@eda.admin.ch

Phone: 404 870 2008

Telephone hours: Monday to Thursday, 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm

Appointment Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am – 11.30 am

Conclusion

To conclude, there are just 4 easy steps to follow:

1. Fill out your application online and book your appointment
2. Prepare your documents
3. Attend your interview
4. Receive your visa

Really, there are only 3 steps because the fourth step is when you receive your visa in time to get ready for your fabulous trip to Switzerland!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

How To Apply for Switzerland Schengen Visa at Swiss Consulate in Washington, DC
How To Apply for Switzerland Schengen Visa at Swiss Consulate in NYC, New York
How To Apply for Switzerland Schengen Visa at Swiss Consulate in San Francisco, California