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Where to apply for a Schengen visa?

Emergency Notice

On 18 March 2020, the Swiss Federal Council decided, that entry at the Schengen external borders is generally prohibited with few exceptions. Switzerland follows the practice of the other Schengen states. Until 15th June 2020, Switzerland will also no longer issue Schengen visas. National visas will also only be issued in exceptional cases, for example to family members of Swiss citizens with a right of presence in Switzerland who require a visa and to specialists from the health sector.

For additional information, please consult the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration SEM. 

My place of residence My visa application should be submitted to  
South Africa - All citizens and foreign nationals VFS GLOBAL Call center: +27 (0) 12 425 30 17  
Angola

French Embassy In Luanda (see below for exceptions. Only with prior appointment)                                                          

As per decision of the French President, the French Embassy in Luanda has closed its visa section as of 16.03.2020. All processing of visa applications will be suspended  until further notice. For more information, please contact the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria.        

  
Botswana  TLS Contact  (see below for exceptions. Only with prior appointment)  
Lesotho - All citizens and foreign nationals VFS GLOBAL Call center: +27 (0) 12 425 30 17  
Malawi - All citizens and foreign nationals Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria (only with prior appointment)  
Malawi - Holder of Diplomatic, Official and Service passports VFS GLOBAL Call centre: +47 23960479                                      
As per decision of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all processing of visa applications will be suspended as of 16.03.2020 until further notice. For more information, please contact the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria.		  
Mauritius - Foreign nationals  Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria (only with prior appointment)  
Mozambique  German Embassy in Maputo   (see below for exceptions. Only with prior appointment)  
Namibia TLS Contact  (see below for exceptions. Only with prior appointment.)   
Eswatini - All citizens and foreign nationals VFS GLOBAL Call center: +27 (0) 12 425 30 17
 
Zambia 

VFS Global (Call center: +16466858474

Embassy of Sweden in Lusaka (see below for exceptions)                                                                                                                       As per decision of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all processing of visa applications will be suspended  as of 16.03.2020 until further notice. For more information, please contact the Regional Consular Center         

  
Zimbabwe

French Embassy in Harare  (see below for exceptions. Only with prior appointment).                                                      

As per decision of the French President, the French Embassy in Harare has closed its visa section as of 16.03.2020. All processing of visa applications will be suspended  until further notice. For more information, please contact the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria.

  

Exceptions which have to be submitted to the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria:

  • visa applications for short stays linked to a gainful activity (including chauffeurs and journalists)

  • visa applications for short stays for medical purposes

  • visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of certain countries

  • visa applications lodged by holders of diplomatic, service or special passports, who are not citizens of Angola

  • visa applications of holders of an ordinary passport who have the intention to travel to Switzerland for an official reason including the participation at international conferences and who are not citizens of Angola

    •  

Exceptions which have to be submitted to the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria:

  • visa applications for short stays linked to a gainful activity (including chauffeurs and journalists)

  • visa applications for short stays for medical purposes

  • visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of certain countries

  • visa applications lodged by holders of diplomatic, service or special passports, who are not citizens of Botswana

Exceptions which have to be submitted to the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria:

  • visa applications for short stays linked to a gainful activity (including chauffeurs and journalists)

  • visa applications for short stays for medical purposes

  • visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of certain countries

  • visa applications lodged by holders of diplomatic, service or special passports, who are not citizens of Mozambique

Exceptions which have to be submitted to the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria:

  • visa applications for short stays linked to a gainful activity (including chauffeurs and journalists)

  • visa applications for short stays for medical purposes

  • visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of certain countries

  • visa applications lodged by holders of diplomatic, service or special passports, who are not citizens of Namibia

Exceptions which have to be submitted to Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria:

  • visa applications for short stays linked to a gainful activity (including chauffeurs and journalists)

  • visa applications for short stays linked to studies or a study program

  • visa applications for short stays for medical purposes

  • visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of certain countries (Citizen of D.R Congo, Eritrea, Irak and Somalia should first contact the Visa Section of the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria)

Exceptions which have to be submitted to Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria:

  • visa applications for short stays linked to a gainful activity (including chauffeurs and journalists)

  • visa applications for short stays linked to studies or a study program

  • visa applications for short stays for medical purposes

  • visa applications for short stays lodged by citizens of certain countries

  • visa applications lodged by holders of diplomatic, service or special passports, who are not citizens of Zimbabwe

Issuing time: As a general rule, a decision is taken by the Consulate within 15 days. This period may, in individual cases, be extended. We advise to apply for your visa at least two months before the planned departure.

To schedule an appointment please call the Visa Section on +27 12 452 06 62 from Monday to Thursday between 2 pm and 3.30 pm.      No walk in clients. 

If your question isn't answered on this website, please contact VFS  Global  (see above), send an email to the Visa Section (pretoria.visa@eda.admin.ch) or call during the telephone hours..

Representation agreement

If a State does not have its proper visa section in a country or region, the delivery of a Schengen visa can be delegated to another Schengen State member with an agreement between both countries concerned.

The agreement allows the appointed representation to represent and handle Schengen visa applications within its own competence without consulting the other represented State.

Country / Region Schengen State represented by Switzerland
South Africa - Provinces Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape  Slovak Republic 

As per decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, all processing of visa applications will be suspended as of 13.03.2020 until further notice.

For more information, please contact the Regional Consular Center Southern Africa in Pretoria.

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Last update 04.05.2020