Switzerland Visa from UK – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Swiss Schengen Visa

Switzerland is a beautiful Schengen country and you will be in for a treat. There are lots of things to see and do there. Basel has a medieval centre and tons of museums to visit. Chur has a beautiful old town with ski resorts at St Moritz not far away. Geneva is the place to go for arts and culture. If you want stunning countryside, visit the Rhine Falls which are the largest in Europe or the Oeschinensee, a stunning lake guaranteed to take your breath away! In this article learn more about how to apply for Switzerland visa at the Swiss consulate in UK, London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Switzerland visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Switzerland visa application center, flight itinerary for Switzerland visa, hotel bookings for Switzerland visa, Schengen travel insurance for Switzerland visa application, and Switzerland Visa Application Process at the London, Edinburgh and Manchester embassy.

Switzerland Schengen Visas

In 2018, 556,520 were received by all the Swiss embassies and consulates around the world. 41,230 were rejected. The Embassy of Switzerland in London received 8,503 applications and rejected 163 of them.

Applying for a Swiss Schengen Visa from the United Kingdom         

If you are a British citizen, you do not need a visa to be able to go to Switzerland as long as the duration of your stay is no more than 90 days in a 180 day period.

If you are not a British citizen, but you live in the United Kingdom on a permanent basis, you need to apply for a visa to enter and stay in Switzerland.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Swiss embassy and consulate. The Embassy of Switzerland’s Regional Consular Centre in London receives and processes visa applications for people who live in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channels Islands, and the British Overseas Territories where Switzerland does not have a representative (except for Bermuda and the Cayman Islands), and Ireland.

However, the embassy has outsourced visa applications to TLS Contact, so you may submit your application to one of their offices located in London, Edinburgh or Manchester.

It is the embassy in London that makes the final decision about your visa.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Embassy of Switzerland in London

There are different types of visas 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. Schengen visa – for stays up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting family/friends or airport transit.
2. National visa – for stays exceeding 90 days for employment, study, residence etc. If you are applying for this type of visa, you will also need a residence permit. For further information, go to the State Secretariat for Migration’s website

Schengen visas are issued as single, double or multiple entry and National visas are issued as single or multiple entry, which relates to the number of times you are permitted to enter the country within the dates of the visa.

Swiss Schengen Visa Application Process at TLS Contact/the Embassy of Switzerland in London

Visa applications take around 15 days to be processed by the embassy, however, certain applications could take as many as 30 – 60 days, so you need to apply well in advance. Processing times for National visas vary, so you should consult the website of the Cantonal Immigration and Labour Market Authorities for further information.

You may apply up to 90 days ahead of your departure date, so don’t leave it too late!

There are several steps involved in applying for a Swiss visa:

Step 1: Registration and booking an appointment

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!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make appointments on your own by following the steps below:

The first thing you need to do is to make an appointment in order to submit your application to TLS Contact.

1. Go to TLS Contact’s website and choose the correct centre, based on where you live – London, Edinburgh or Manchester
2. Click on: “How to Apply”
3. Go to step 1 – Registration and booking an appointment and click on: “Register”
4. Create your TLS Contact account by keying in your email address and creating a password
5. Check the box if you agree with the terms and conditions of service and privacy notice
6. Click on: “Create”
7. Use your new log in details to complete your online application
8. Then, you will be able to make a suitable appointment
9. Print out your appointment confirmation letter because you need to take that to TLS Contact or the embassy when you attend your appointment

Step 2: Complete your application

Once you log into your TLS Contact account, you can complete your application online, however, the forms are also available to download on TLS Contact’s website:

You can also find the forms on the embassy’s website:

Step 3: Prepare your documents

It’s a good idea to take a look at the requirements for the visa you are applying for before you start to prepare your documents. There are document checklists available on TLS Contact’s website for you to refer to.

You should provide original documents and photocopies of everything.

 Documents include:

1. 1 completed application form – some National visas require 3 application forms, so please check the requirements
2. 2 passport-size photographs – some National visa applications require 4 photos, so please check the requirements
3. National passport valid for more than 3 months beyond your trip, with at least two blank visa pages and issued within the last 10 years
4. Copy of the passport including the signature page
5. UK residence permit valid for more than 3 months after your trip and copy
6. Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay: Copy of UK current account bank statements for the last three months
7. Confirmed hotel booking with your name OR package tour confirmation by a travel agent
8. Copy of transport documentation with your name as passenger: by plane, confirmed booking with reference number; by train, rail ticket; by car, ferry ticket, copy of driver’s driving license and vehicle insurance. Note that Embassies in UK may require actual fully paid tickets for the visa application and not the flight reservation based on the jurisdiction you live in. So double check the embassy requirements within your jurisdiction before submitting the documents for visa application.
9. Schengen Travel insurance from a UK or Schengen based company covering the entire period of your trip. It must include all Schengen member states and not only Switzerland. Cover for emergency medical expenses and repatriation with a minimum of €30,000
10. Copy of the travel insurance and the policy
11. Original (hand signed) employment letter from your employer in the UK confirming the purpose and duration of the trip to Switzerland
12. Original (hand signed or with original stamp) student letter confirming the purpose and duration of the trip to Switzerland
13. If self-employed, please provide an original (hand signed) letter from your accountant
14. Domestic employees: Please provide an original letter of employment, together with a copy of the employer’s passport and a copy of the work contract
15. If retired, please provide an official letter confirming pension income
16. 2 copies of your CV including an explanation of your study objectives
17. Original diplomas, legally translated (if applicable) and 2 copies
18. Original letter of acceptance from the institution in Switzerland and 2 copies
19. Proof of payment of school fees and 2 copies
20. Authorization for a work permit
21. Invitation letter from a company or individual in Switzerland stating dates and purpose of travel
22. Birth certificate and consent of parents (minors)

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

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment:

1. Arrive on time to TLS Contact and check in at the reception desk. You will need to show your passport and appointment confirmation email. Please note, if you are late, you will be required to register a new account and make a new appointment
2. You will pay the visa fee and service charge (these are non-refundable)
3. Your application will be reviewed
4. You will provide biometric data which is a scan of your fingerprints and a photo
5. Your application will be transferred to the embassy in London for processing

Once the embassy has received your application, you may be called for an interview if they need to clarify anything you have stated in your application and/or they need any more information from you. All you need to do is answer honestly. They may ask you questions such as:

1. Is this your first time travelling to Switzerland or the EU?
2. How are you going to pay for your trip?
3. What do you do in the UK?
4. Are you married?
5. Do you know anyone in Switzerland?

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

Swiss Visa Fee

Step 5: Receive your visa

You can log into your TLS Contact account any time to check the status of your visa application. When the embassy has made a decision, your passport will be returned to TLS Contact and you will be notified by email or text. You can collect your passport from their office or arrange for it to be mailed to your home address via Express Courier. There is an additional fee of £15.10 for this postal service.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – you will find your visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a specific reason

Common rejection reasons include:

1. Lack of funds – you must be able to afford your trip and the documents you provide, such as bank statements, must prove you have the funds to do so
2. Invitation letter missing – if you are being invited to Switzerland by an individual or a company etc., you must provide an invitation letter
3. Invalid passport – if your passport is invalid in any way (see above requirements), you must get a new one before applying for your visa
4. You already have a valid Schengen visa – if you have applied for a previous Schengen visa which was approved, it might still be valid, so check before you apply for a new one

Contact details for the Embassy of Switzerland in London

Address: 16-18 Montagu Place, London W1H 2BQ

Telephone:+44 20 7616 6000

Fax: +44 20 7724 7001

Email: london.visa@eda.admin.ch

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am – 12.00 pm

Contact details for TLS Contact in London

Address: Suite 18, Exhibition House, Ground Floor, Addison Bridge Place, London, W14 8XP

Telephone:+44 20 7605 6745

Email: Contact form

Application Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 4.30 pm

Passport Return Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 4.30 pm

Here are the contact details for TLS Contact in Manchester

Address: The Junction, Quay Side, Salford Quays, Manchester, M50 3SG

Telephone:+44 20 7605 6745

Email: Contact form

Application Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 1.00 pm

Passport Return Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 4.30 pm

Here are the contact details for TLS Contact in Edinburgh

Address: City West, 4th Floor, 2A Robertson Avenue, Edinburgh, EH11 1PZ

Telephone:+44 20 7605 6745

Email: Contact form

Application Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 1.00 pm

Passport Return Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 1.00 pm

Conclusion

In summary, there are just 5 easy steps to apply for your Switzerland visa:

1. Register and book your appointment
2. Complete your application
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

Then, you’ll be off to Switzerland before you know it!

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

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