Draft. Verify every item against the official sources block before publishing.
Home / Checklists / Switzerland

Switzerland Schengen visa checklist for Indian citizens

Tourist (short-stay, type C) applications submitted through VFS Global in India. Switzerland adds two rules most applicants discover too late: a published daily funds figure and an approved insurer list. Both are below, with sources.

Draft · not yet verified
Visa fee€90 adult, paid in ₹
Funds rule~CHF 100 per day of stay S1
Processing15 days standard, two peak seasons
Apply window6 months to 15 days before travel
The file

Documents, in the order you should collect them.

0 of 0 collected

A · Forms and identity

Schengen application form via swiss-visa.ch, printed and signed S3

Switzerland's official online portal. Complete it there, print, sign, and carry the confirmation it generates.

Passport S2

Issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months beyond your exit from Schengen, with 2 blank pages. Carry old passports and copies of previous Schengen visas.

2 photos, 35 × 45 mm S2

White or light grey background, taken within 6 months, face filling 70 to 80 percent of the frame, neutral expression.

B · Travel proof

Round-trip flight reservation S2

A reservation showing all travellers' names is enough; a paid ticket is not required. Refundable fares or airline holds are the safe route. Never submit a fabricated booking.

Accommodation proof for every night S2

Hotel confirmations or a host invitation. Ski itineraries that hop between towns need a booking for each stop; gaps get questioned.

Day-wise itinerary

Cities, dates and stays on one page, consistent with bookings. Our itinerary builder, in the build queue, will format this from your real plan.

Travel medical insurance, EUR 30,000, from an APPROVED insurer S2

Switzerland's quirk: for applications from India, only insurers on the approved list published on the VFS page are accepted. Check the list before buying, even if a policy meets the €30,000, all-Schengen, full-stay conditions. If you plan to ski, add winter sports cover; many policies exclude it by default.

C · Money and work

Personal bank statements, last 3 months, bank-stamped, A4 S2

The reading standard here is explicit: roughly CHF 100, about ₹9,000 to 10,000, per day of your stay if self-funded S1. A 10-day trip should comfortably show CHF 1,000 plus your fixed costs already paid. Six months of statements strengthens the file; sudden large deposits weaken it.

Income tax returns S2

Last 2 assessment years, personal. Self-employed add company ITR.

Employment proof, if employed S2

Employment contract or letter with approved leave dates, plus last 3 salary slips.

Business proof, if self-employed S2

Registration or GST certificate, company bank statements for the last 3 months, company ITR.

Sponsorship documents, if someone else pays S2

Sponsor letter, sponsor's statements and ID, relationship proof. The CHF 100 per day reading then applies to the sponsor's funds.

D · Purpose

Cover letter

One page: who you are, when and where you travel, who pays, and your reasons to return to India. Mention ski plans here if you have them, matching your insurance cover. Our generator is in the build queue.

Fees

What you pay, in rupees.

ItemAmountNote
Visa fee, adult (12+)€90 ≈ ₹8,000 to 9,400Paid in INR at the applicable rate, which moves. Confirm the day's figure at S2.
Visa fee, child 6 to 11€45Under 6: no visa fee.
VFS service fee~₹2,000 to 2,200Revised upward in Nov 2025; exact current figure at S2.
Optional servicesvariesCourier return, SMS alerts, premium lounge. All skippable.

All fees are non-refundable, including on refusal. Getting the file right the first time is the only discount available.

Process

Five steps, in order.

  1. Fill the form on swiss-visa.chSwitzerland's official portal S3. Complete the application, print the form and confirmation.
  2. Book your VFS appointmentOn the VFS Switzerland India site S2. For December to March or May to July travel, book 6 to 8 weeks ahead.
  3. Build this fileCollect every ticked item above, with the CHF 100 per day reading and the approved insurer check done. Originals plus one photocopy set.
  4. Attend the appointmentBiometrics (fingerprints, valid 59 months across Schengen), document submission, fee payment.
  5. Track and collectTrack on the VFS portal. Standard processing is 15 calendar days; both peak seasons stretch it, so file early.
Avoid these

The refusal triggers specific to Switzerland.

Funds below the CHF 100 per day reading for your length of stay, or propped up by a sudden deposit your history can't explain.
Insurance from a company not on Switzerland's approved list for India, even when the policy meets the €30,000 rule.
Switzerland is not your main destination by nights. Apply where you stay longest; if equal, where you enter first.
Multi-town itineraries with accommodation gaps, or dates that disagree across form, flights, hotels and insurance.
Official sources

Verify everything here yourself.

  1. S1, State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Swiss government: sem.admin.ch. The daily means-of-subsistence guidance (around CHF 100 per day, about CHF 30 for students) lives here. Also see the Embassy of Switzerland in India visa pages: eda.admin.ch/newdelhi.
  2. S2, VFS Global, Switzerland in India: visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/che. Document checklist, service fees, centre list, photo specs, and the approved insurer list.
  3. S3, swiss-visa.ch, official online application: swiss-visa.ch.

Last verified: NOT YET. A human checks every item against these sources before this page carries the verified stamp. Spotted something outdated at your appointment? Email us: contact coming soon.

FAQ

Switzerland-specific quick answers.

How much money per day must I show?

Swiss guidance asks self-funded visitors for about CHF 100 per day of stay, roughly ₹9,000 to 10,000. Students with valid student status need about CHF 30 per day. The figure is guidance for officers reading your statements, not a fee you pay; confirm the current number at S1.

Will any Indian travel insurance work?

No. Switzerland accepts policies only from insurers on its approved list for India, published on the VFS page at S2. Check the list before buying. A compliant policy from a non-listed company still sinks the file.

When are appointments hardest to get?

Two peaks: ski season from December to March, and summer from May to July. Book 6 to 8 weeks ahead in those windows; smaller VFS centres often show earlier slots than Mumbai or Delhi.

Does my insurance need to cover skiing?

The visa minimum is the standard €30,000 medical cover. But many policies exclude winter sports by default, so if your itinerary says skiing, add the winter sports rider. It protects you in practice and keeps your file telling one consistent story.