VR Team | Nov 28, 2019 | 0 comments

How to Apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada in 5 Easy Steps – A Complete Guide.

If you are heading to Switzerland, you have got lots of exciting things to look forward to. Of all the Schengen countries, Switzerland is home to the Alps, a stunning mountain range, where there are many popular ski resorts. You can also explore the countryside and there are plenty of hiking trails suitable for everyone. The cities of Bern and Lucerne have interesting attractions – a fabulous way to spend the day is to wander around and see what you can find! In this article, learn more about how to apply for a Switzerland visa at the Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa, Canada, Switzerland visa appointment booking, processing time at the Switzerland visa application center, flight itinerary for a Switzerland visa, hotel bookings for a Switzerland visa, Schengen travel insurance for Switzerland visa application, and Switzerland visa application process at the Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver embassy.

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada

Source: vhttps://www.needpix.com/photo/927806/ottawa-view-panoramic-panorama-panoramic-views-landscape-tourism-monuments-parliament

Switzerland Schengen Visas

In 2018, embassies and consulates around the world received 556,520 Switzerland Schengen visa applications. 41,230 of these were rejected. The Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa received 11 applications and issued 100% of them.

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Stats

Applying for a Schengen Visa from Canada

Canadian citizens do NOT need a visa for Switzerland as long as the trip is no more than 90 days. Non-Canadian citizens DO need a visa for Switzerland as long as you can prove that you have a legal right to reside in Canada. In this case, you need a visa regardless of the duration of your trip.

Where to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa

There are 3 visa offices where you may submit your application. The correct one will depend on where you live:

The Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa – Canada and the Bahamas
Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver – the provinces of British-Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan as well as the Northwest and the Yukon territories
Consulate General of Switzerland in Montreal – the provinces of Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador Nunavut territory as well as the Bahamas

You have to make sure you apply at the right Swiss visa office.

Types of Schengen visas offered by the Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa

There are 3 types of visas you can apply for and the correct one will depend on why you are going to Switzerland and for how long:

Schengen visa: for tourism, business, or visiting family or friends for trips up to 90 days
Airport transit visa: if you are catching a connecting flight in a Swiss airport
National visa: for over 90 days for employment, study, family reasons, mission, residence, religious reasons, sports

How to Apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada

It would be wise to apply for your Switzerland visa 90 days before your departure date. This may seem like a long time, but visa appointments are fully booked weeks in advance, especially during busy periods.

Here are 5 easy steps to follow to help you apply for your visa:

Step 1: Complete your application form

Go to the embassy’s website and click on: “Visa and entry to Switzerland” then “Visa – Entry to and residence in Switzerland”:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form

Click on: “Schengen visa for a stay of up to 90 days”:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form1

Next, click on: “Which documents should I submit with a Schengen visa application?”:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form2

Next, click on: ” Visa application form” and then the link for the online system:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form3

Scroll down and key in the country where you have legal residence:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form4

On the next screen, choose whichever office you wish to submit your application to based on where you live:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form5

Read the instructions and click on: “Online application”:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form6

You’ll need to register before you complete your application:

Switzerland Schengen Visa from Canada Application Form7

Once you have completed your application, make sure you print and sign it as it will need to be submitted with the rest of your documents.

Step 2: How to Make an Appointment

Making appointments with the embassy, consulate 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:

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

Book Visa Appointment For Any Country

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below.

Call the embassy in Ottawa on +1 613 235 1837 to make an appointment or
Send them an email to ottawa@eda.admin.ch

Step 3: Prepare your documents

The documents that you need to submit can be found under “Which documents should I submit with a Schengen visa application?” on the embassy’s website. It’s a good idea to get to know the requirement before you start to prepare your documents.

You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too!

Documents include:

Visa application form – completed and signed. The application needs to be completed and printed on the embassy’s online system – www.swiss-visa.ch
Passport photographs – please do not glue them to the application form
Passport – must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure from the Schengen zone, at least two empty pages and issued no more than 10 years ago
A photocopy of your passport (photo, data and signature pages only)
Proof of residency in Canada (PR card, both sides copied on one sheet OR Canadian work or study permit and visa in your passport) valid for at least 3 months after you have returned to Canada
Travel itinerary/airline reservation
A recent letter signed by your employer, confirming position, salary and continued employment after your return to Canada
For students – a confirmation of enrollment and a copy of your student card
For you are self-employed – a registration/incorporation of your business, business license or business notice of articles showing your name
If applicable, a copy of your previous Schengen visas
Schengen Travel medical insurance – minimum €30,000/50,000 CAD for emergency medical expenses, hospital treatment and repatriation for medical reasons
Proof of funds – A minimum of 130 CAD per day is required (40 CAD for students)
Hotel reservation or other proof of accommodation
Invitation letter if you are being invited by a person or company. A copy of your host’s passport or residence permit must also be provided
A detailed itinerary for the whole duration of the trip including the cities you are visiting and means of transport if visiting various countries
Declaration of sponsorship
Confirmation of participation/registration to a course or seminar including confirmation of payment of any applicable fee
A pre-paid self-addressed return envelope with a tracking number (Xpress Post or Courier) if you wish to have your passport returned by mail

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:

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

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment:

Don’t be late – it’s best to arrive early for your appointment to avoid having to reschedule it
Remember to take all your prepared documents – just 1 missing documents could affect the outcome of your visa application
Dress smartly – don’t turn up in shorts if you want to make a good impression

During your appointment, you will:

Answer any questions that the visa officer may have – all you need to do is to answer any questions truthfully
Pay the fee – you may pay online when prompted after you have registered your visa application or in cash or by money order made out to the Embassy of Switzerland. This fee is non-refundable even if your application gets rejected
Provide biometric data (10 fingerprints and a digital photograph) – if you received a Schengen visa issued after May 15, 2014 and your fingerprints were taken, personal appearance should not be necessary. You may mail your complete Schengen visa application but check with the embassy to see if this applies to you

Typical questions include:

Is this your first time to Switzerland or the EU?
What are you planning on doing in Switzerland?
Are you traveling alone?
What do you do in Canada?
Has your employer agreed this time off work?

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

Schengen Visa Fee

Type of visa	Fee
Schengen visa – up to 90 days	90 CAD/€60
Long-stay visa – over 90 days	90 CAD/€60
Child between 6-12 years of age	52 CAD/€35
Children under the age of six	Free

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once your visa application has been processed, you can:

Collect your passport from the embassy
Have your passport returned to you by mail

The decision will be either:

Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason. You can appeal the decision within 30 days

Common rejection reasons include:

No copy of previous Schengen visa – if you have a previous Schengen visa, you must provide a copy of this
No proof of funds – you must be able to afford your trip and the documents you provide, such as bank statements, must prove this
No proof of residency in Canada – if you are living in Canada permanently, but you are not a Canadian citizen by birth, you must provide proof that you have a legal right to reside in the country
Invalid passport – if your passport is invalid in any way (see above requirements) you should obtain a new one before applying for your visa

Reasons For Schengen Visa Rejections

Contact details of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ottawa

Address: 5 Marlborough Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1N 8E6, Canada

Phone: +1 613 235 1837

Fax: +1 613 563 1394

Email: ottawa@eda.admin.ch

Hours: Monday to Friday – 9.00 am – 12.00 pm

Contact details of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Montreal

Address: 1572 Av. du Docteur-Penfield, Montréal, QC, H3G 1C4

Phone: +1 514 932 71 81

Fax: +1 514 932 90 28

Email: montreal.visa@eda.admin.ch

Hours: Monday to Thursday – 10.00 am – 1.00 pm; Friday – 10.00 am – 12.00 pm

Contact details of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver

Address: World Trade Centre, 790-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1

Phone: +1 604 684 2231

Fax: +1 604 684 28 06

Email: vancouver.visa@eda.admin.ch

Hours: Monday to Friday – 9.00 am – 1.00 pm

Conclusion

To apply for a Schengen visa for Switzerland, follow these simple steps:

Complete your application online or download it
Make an appointment
Prepare your documents
Attend your appointment
Receive your visa

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.