Which documents should I submit with a national visa application?
Student Visa
Leaflet (visa typ D) (PDF, 2 Pages, 200.8 kB, English)
For people who intend to study in Switzerland
Residence Visa / Family Reunion Visa
Leaflet (PDF, 2 Pages, 214.8 kB, English)
For people wishing to take up residence in Switzerland (without employment) or to settle in Switzerland together with an employed family member (spouses and minor children)
The application will be forwarded to the competent cantonal authorities in Switzerland for a decision. The Embassy of Switzerland can only issue the visa after approval by the competent authorities. The total processing time is approximately 8-12 weeks. This time is an approximation only and may vary considerably depending on the canton responsible and the elements of the application.
The Embassy does not provide information during the procedure. Therefore, please contact the cantonal migration authority responsible for your place of residence:
Be very careful when receiving claims for money from people you've met on the internet, who intend to apply for a visa and ask for you financial support in this regard. Don't send or transfer money.
The consular fee for the consideration of a visa application of a Russian citizens amounts to EUR 35.00 (per person; since the entry into force of the visa facilitation agreement on 01 February 2011). The consular fee for non-Russian applicants amounts to EUR 60.00. This fee is charged only once!
The Embassy of Switzerland/the Consulate General of Switzerland never requires applicants and/or hosts to pay or leave deposits of any kind.
Detailed information in regards to the visa process and the required documents can be found on this website
For additional information please call or send us an email.
Nowadays getting acquainted often happens on specialized websites on the internet.
Please use extreme caution when inviting an internet-acquaintance to visit you in Switzerland or if this person intends to travel to Switzerland with a tourist visa and asks you for substantial financial support.
Not all internet-users are honest, some have criminal or dishonest intentions. The anonymity of the internet makes delusion and deception fairly easy. Cases of fraud are happening regularly and are organized in a professional way. Much time and effort are invested to make the claims for money more credible.
Fake invoices or emails from virtual travel agencies and/or their websites, forged letters and documents from Swiss or Russian authorities, falsified or forged copies of passports, copies of allegedly already issued Schengen visa are produced with the sole purpose of malpractice. Sometimes it is claimed that fines or taxes need to be settled before departure and It is often also alleged that the deposit of a larger sum is required or the "vacation money" is checked at the airport.
The following facts and advice should always be remembered in the connection with new acquaintances:
Fraud and attempts to defraud are criminal offences and can be notified to the police in Switzerland (Article 146, the Swiss Criminal Code). For more information on the subject see the website of the Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland (CYCO).
Important notice:
The visa section of the Embassy of Switzerland is responsible for the treatment of national visa applications from people living permanently in the Russian Federation, in the Republic of Belarus and in Uzbekistan.
General information about entering Switzerland and the general section of VBC instructions (Visa and Border control) can be found at the website of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
On our website www.eda.admin.ch/moscow you will find information on how to obtain a visa at the Embassy of Switzerland in Moscow for people living in the Russian Federation, in the Republic of Belarus or in Uzbekistan.
How to apply for an appointment:
Applicants for national visa for Switzerland (Type D, stay of more than 90 days) must submit their documents - with prior appointment - at the visa section of the Embassy of Switzerland. Appointments can be booked by register on the TLScontact website and call the Call Center to +7 495 9958512 or +7 495 2322334 (Available on working days from Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 12:30, 13:30 to 17:00). Such appointments are subject to availability. Depending on the demand, a waiting period may result.
The applicant's file will be forwarded to the competent cantonal migration authority in Switzerland. The visa section of the Embassy of Switzerland can only issue a visa upon receipt of the authorization. The visa section recommends applying a visa sufficient in advance (maximum three months prior the entry date to Switzerland) as the procedure takes approximately 6 - 12 weeks. Please be informed that the visa section will not intervene anywhere to speed up the decision making process in Switzerland!
