Do I need a national visa?
Other nationalities
For other nationalities, please refer to the list on the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
SEM – Overview of ID and visa provisions according to the nationality (Annex 1, List 1: nationality)
If you are obliged to hold a visa, please submit your application in duplicate and refer to the information on the webpage:
Where to apply for a national visa?
If you are not obliged to hold a visa, you are allowed to enter Switzerland without visa. However you are obliged to register within 14 days on arrival in Switzerland at the competent cantonal authority of your place of residence.
A)
All third-country nationals, regardless of their visa obligation status, who wish to enter the Schengen Area through Switzerland must be in possession of a travel document that meets both of the following two requirements:
- The validity of the travel document must extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area; and
- the travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years.
The date of issue of the travel document shall be the determining factor, notwithstanding any decision by the authorities to extend the period of validity of the travel document.
Please find travel documents entitling the holder to cross the external borders in Annex 2 of the Visa Guidelines:
Annex 2: Recognized travel documents
To ensure that the most recent documents are available at all times, reference is made to the website of the European Commission. The documents can be found on the right under “Info”: (Travel documents issued by third countries and territorial entities (Part I); Travel documents issued by Member States (Part II); Travel documents issued by international organisations and other entities subject to international law (Part III); List of known fantasy and camouflage passports)
In case of employment at an official international organization, the future employer in Switzerland will request the issuing of a FDFA legitimation card through the Swiss permanent mission in Geneva. The FDFA legitimation card replaces the Swiss residence permit.