Which insurance is accepted for a Swiss visa from India?

For applications lodged in India, Switzerland accepts travel medical insurance only from insurers on its list of approved Indian insurance companies, a rule in place since 1 February 2018. The policy must cover emergency medical care, hospital treatment and repatriation, including in case of death, be valid in all Schengen countries for the whole stay, and have minimum cover of EUR 30,000.

How do I book a Switzerland visa appointment?

Book through VFS Global at one of its centres in India, as an appointment may be needed before you can lodge the application. You can apply no earlier than six months before your entry date and must lodge at least 15 calendar days before travel. The Embassy does not answer visa queries by phone: procedure questions go by email to its visa section, and status queries go to VFS Global.

Does a Switzerland Schengen visa let me visit other countries?

Yes. Switzerland is a Schengen member, so a Swiss Schengen visa covers short stays across the 29 Schengen countries, including France, Italy, Germany and Spain. Apply to the country where you will spend the longest time, the main destination, or to the country you enter first if the stays are equal.

How does the 90/180 rule work for a Swiss trip?

On each day of a stay, count back 180 days, and the days spent in the Schengen area in that window must not exceed 90. The day of entry and the day of exit both count, and all Schengen countries share one allowance. Days in the UK do not count, and neither does time under a Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa.

Do I need ETIAS if I have a Swiss visa?

No. ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation for visa-free visitors only, and people who need a Schengen visa do not apply for ETIAS. ETIAS is not yet operating and is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a fee of EUR 20. The EES border system, by contrast, already applies: it started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026.

Will my phone work in Switzerland with a Slashtel eSIM?

Yes, if the phone is unlocked and eSIM compatible. Slashtel eSIMs are data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS, though WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data. The Europe+ eSIM works in all 29 Schengen countries plus the UK and Turkey, validity starts when it first connects at the destination, and more data can be added later with no new QR code.

Switzerland Visa for Indians 2026: Fees, Documents, Timings

Q: What is the Switzerland visa fee for Indians in 2026?

The Embassy price list valid from 1 April 2026 sets the adult Schengen visa fee of EUR 90 at INR 9,600 and the child fee for ages 6 to 12 of EUR 45 at INR 4,800. VFS Global charges a service charge of INR 2,690 per application, and children under 6 pay no visa fee. The visa fee is not refunded if the application is withdrawn or refused.

Q: Where do I submit a Swiss visa application in India?

All Swiss Schengen visa applications made in India are processed by the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, and files are lodged with VFS Global. VFS centres are in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune. The Consulates General in Mumbai and Bengaluru do not offer visa services.

Q: What are the Switzerland visa documents for Indian tourists?

The checklist asks for a passport valid at least 3 months beyond your exit from Schengen, a completed form, an ICAO standard photo, travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 per person for the whole stay, and proof of purpose, money, accommodation and return. Employed applicants add an original HR introduction letter with a no-objection statement, stamped bank statements and salary slips for three months, and ITR-V acknowledgements for two assessment years.

Indians need a Schengen visa to visit Switzerland, and all applications made in India are processed by the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, lodged through VFS Global centres across the country. The adult fee is EUR 90, set at INR 9,600 on the Embassy price list valid from 1 April 2026, plus a VFS service charge of INR 2,690. Apply no earlier than six months before travel and at least 15 calendar days before it.

Do Indians need a visa for Switzerland?

Yes. Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa for tourism, business or family visits to Switzerland, and there is no visa-free arrangement in the facts for Indian nationals. Switzerland is one of the 29 Schengen countries, so the visa issued for a Swiss trip also covers short stays across the rest of the Schengen area.

The visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It comes in three shapes: a single-entry visa for one entry, a multiple-entry visa for several visits while it is valid, and an airport transit visa that only covers the international transit area of an airport.

Because Switzerland is in Schengen, the same visa lets you cross into Austria, France, Italy, Germany and the other member states on the same trip. The full list of 29 is Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025. Cyprus and Ireland are EU countries outside Schengen.

If your trip covers several countries, apply to the one where you will spend the longest time, the main destination. If the stays are equal, apply to the country you enter first. Our Schengen visa guide covers the general rules.

Where Indian applicants apply for a Swiss visa

Every Swiss Schengen visa application made in India is processed by the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, and you lodge the file with VFS Global. VFS centres are in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Cochin, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune. The Consulates General in Mumbai and Bengaluru do not offer visa services.

To apply through the Swiss representation in India you must have been legally living and working in India for at least the last six months. As a general rule, apply in the country where you legally live, so a long stay elsewhere changes where your file belongs.

Steps for a Swiss visa from India:

Pick the VFS centre nearest you from the list above and book an appointment.
Complete the application form and gather the documents on the Swiss tourist checklist.
Attend the appointment to submit the file and give fingerprints, with some exemptions.
Pay the visa fee and the VFS service charge at the appointment.
Track the application through VFS Global, not the Embassy.

The Embassy does not answer visa queries by phone. Procedure questions go by email to the Embassy's visa section, and status queries go to VFS Global.

Switzerland visa fees and service charges

The Swiss Embassy price list valid from 1 April 2026 sets the adult Schengen visa fee of EUR 90 at INR 9,600 and the child fee for ages 6 to 12 of EUR 45 at INR 4,800. VFS Global charges a service charge of INR 2,690 per application, and children under 6 pay no visa fee.

What to know about paying:

The visa fee is paid when you apply and is not refunded if the application is withdrawn or refused.
The service charge is separate from the visa fee and is collected by VFS Global.
Some categories of applicant can have the fee waived under the general Schengen rules.
Budget for the total, not just the EUR 90: the adult fee at INR 9,600 plus INR 2,690 in service charges.

Fees are quoted in euro and converted on the Embassy price list, so check the current list before your appointment in case it has been updated.

Documents for a Swiss visa from India

The Swiss tourist checklist asks for a passport valid at least 3 months beyond your exit from Schengen, a completed form, an ICAO standard photo, travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 per person for the whole stay, and proof of purpose, money, accommodation and return. Employed applicants add an HR letter, bank statements, salary slips and income tax acknowledgements.

Document detail from the checklist:

Employment letter: an original introduction letter on company letterhead, signed and stamped by HR, with a no-objection statement and the trip's dates and purpose.
Money: original stamped bank statements and salary slips for the last three months.
Tax: ITR-V income tax acknowledgements for the last two assessment years.
Insurance: for applications lodged in India, Switzerland accepts travel medical insurance only from insurers on its list of approved Indian insurance companies, a rule in place since 1 February 2018. The policy must cover emergency medical care, hospital treatment and repatriation, including in case of death, be valid in all Schengen countries for the whole stay, and have minimum cover of EUR 30,000. A policy covering only the first trip is enough for a multiple-entry visa.

Fingerprints are taken when you apply, with some exemptions, and the consulate may ask for more documents.

Switzerland visa appointment and processing time

Book the appointment early: applications can be made no earlier than six months before your entry date, and VFS says short-stay applications must be lodged at least 15 calendar days before travel. The Embassy states a processing time of 10 to 15 calendar days from when a complete application reaches it.

A decision is normally made within 15 days, and this can be extended to up to 45 days when the application needs a closer look or more documents. Plan around the longer figure if your file is unusual, for example a first trip, a thin travel history or documents that need checking.

Practical points:

An appointment may be needed before you can lodge the application, so book as soon as your dates are fixed.
Submit a complete file: missing documents restart the clock in practice, because the 10 to 15 days run from when the complete application reaches the Embassy.
Keep the VFS receipt and reference number for status checks.
Do not book non-refundable travel before you have the visa in hand.

Switzerland and the Schengen 90/180 rule

A Schengen short-stay visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and all Schengen countries share one allowance. The 90/180 rule is a moving window: on each day of a stay, count back 180 days, and the days spent in the Schengen area in that window must not exceed 90.

The day of entry and the day of exit both count as days of stay. Days spent in the UK do not count towards the 90 days, and time spent under a residence permit or long-stay visa from a Schengen country is not counted either. After 90 days in a row outside the Schengen area, a new stay of up to 90 days is possible.

Two systems sit around the rule:

EES: the EU Entry/Exit System records non-EU nationals on a short stay at the external Schengen border: passport details, fingerprints, a facial image and the date and place of each entry and exit. It started on 12 October 2025, has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, and replaces passport stamping. Registration is free, there is nothing to apply for in advance, children under 12 do not give fingerprints, and holders of a long-stay visa or residence permit from an EES country are not registered.
ETIAS: a separate travel authorisation for visa-free visitors only. People who need a Schengen visa do not apply for ETIAS. It is not yet operating and is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, with a fee of EUR 20.

Run your dates through our Schengen calculator before booking, and read more on the EES.

Data and calls in Switzerland

A Swiss Schengen visa covers the trip, not the phone bill. Slashtel sells Switzerland eSIM plans and a Europe+ eSIM that works in all 29 Schengen countries plus the UK and Turkey, so data keeps working when you cross a border. Slashtel eSIMs are data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS, though WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data.

How to set it up:

Buy online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Someone else can buy it and enter the traveller's email, so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it.
Validity starts when the eSIM first connects at the destination, so buy and install it at home before the flight.
The network is chosen automatically and cannot be picked by hand.
More data can be added to the same eSIM later, with no new QR code.
The phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible.

Keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges. Slashtel also sells mobile top-ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes, which keep a prepaid home line active. See the Europe+ eSIM, our Switzerland destination page, the guide to calls, texts and OTPs with a data eSIM and how to keep an Indian SIM active abroad. Support is on WhatsApp and email, 7 days a week.

See Switzerland eSIM plans.

Sources

Checked 25 October 2026. Rules and dates can change, so check the official pages before you rely on them.

Switzerland Visa for Indians: 2026 Guide to Fees and Documents

Do Indians need a visa for Switzerland?

Where Indian applicants apply for a Swiss visa

Switzerland visa fees and service charges

Documents for a Swiss visa from India

Switzerland visa appointment and processing time

Switzerland and the Schengen 90/180 rule

Data and calls in Switzerland

Sources

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