Published on 27 April 2026
Application for Schengen visa and procedure
Issued to persons travelling for tourism purposes who will be staying in a hotel or rented apartment, and to owners of real estate in Switzerland.
Issued to persons who wish to visit relatives or friends and who will be staying with them.
Issued to persons invited for business visits by a company based in Switzerland.
Issued to persons travelling to Switzerland to attend a course.
Issued to artists actively participating in a cultural event in Switzerland (not for visitors of cultural events!). Issued to persons (athletes, coaches, trainers, administrative staff) actively participating in sporting events or training in Switzerland (not for visitors of such events or tourists going skiing).
Issued to persons undergoing medical treatment or requiring medical advice.
As a general rule, a decision is taken by the Consulate within 15 days. This period may, in individual cases, be extended.
Some Schengen States require that they be consulted on visa applications submitted to other Schengen States by citizens of certain countries. The consultation process may take up to 14 calendar days. Such consultation is currently required for nationals of the countries listed here:
It is therefore recommended to submit the visa application early, at the earliest 6 months before the planned journey.
The reasons for refusal are notified to the applicant using a standard form.
You have the right to appeal within 30 days of receipt of the refusal. For information on appeal procedures, please refer to the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration.
Biometric data (fingerprints) are generally collected every 59 months from the age of 12 years from the first recording.
If you are a family member of a Swiss, European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) citizen, you are entitled to submit your application directly at the responsible Embassy or Consulate of Switzerland. An appointment is mandatory and must be booked in advance.
If you wish to complain about the behavior of the consular staff and, if applicable, about the external service provider or about the process, please contact the competent representation in writing.
Warning: Visa Scams
We observe rising scams related to visas, work permits, and employment services. Scammers, posing as companies or individuals, advertise online (for example on social media, on platforms like Telegram) claiming they can secure visa appointments and provide documents like Schengen visas, work contracts, invitation letters etc. for a fee. Those documents usually turn out to be fake after the service fee has been paid.
These scams are sophisticated, often using fake embassy letters or job offers. Please note that only the information on the official website of the Embassy is binding and no such letters and job offers are issued by the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia. Work visa for example fall under the category of national visa and are subject of approval by the competent cantonal migration authorities in Switzerland.