Switzerland: Schengen Country with Highest Visa Ratio
Switzerland – The heaven on earth!!!!
This landlocked country in the center of Europe is a popular tourist destination for travelers.
There are a lot of attractions in the country… Chocolate & Cheese, vibrant multicultural atmosphere, mind-blowing views of the Alps, pristine lakes, breathtaking alpine scenery, and charming cities like Zurich, Geneva, and Bern—you name it.
Already started dreaming about skiing in this European paradise?
Well, we’ve got good news for you!
Switzerland has the lowest visa refusal ratio among all 27 Schengen countries. So, if you are considering traveling to the Schengen area, you can apply for a visa from the Switzerland embassy in Dhaka.
Switzerland Visa from Bangladesh
As we already mentioned, Switzerland is one of the 27 Schengen States. This means that short-term visas to Switzerland for Bangladeshi citizens are defined as Schengen visas, and you can travel to 26 other Schengen countries with the same visa.
Good for you, right?
Bangladeshi citizens can apply for a Schengen visa from the Switzerland embassy in Dhaka for up to 90 days. The Embassy issues single-entry or multiple-entry visas based on your travel plan and eligibility.
You can apply as early as 6 months before your travel plan, and the minimum time to apply for a visa is 15 days before the flight.
So, How can I get a Switzerland visa from Bangladesh?
Let’s take a closer look……
Switzerland Visa Appointment Scheduling and Form Fill Up
The Switzerland Embassy in Dhaka directly accepts visa applications from the applicants. But yes, Unlike VFS Global-operated visa application centers of other Schengen member countries (eg – Sweden & Italy), you need a prior appointment to apply.
Here is how to do it:
Take an appointment before submitting your application. All appointments must be set up by phone (call: +880 255 051 601) or email (dhaka.visa@eda.admin.ch). Once the appointment is ready, you must fill out a visa application form online.
The good news is……
Unlike many other Schengen member states, you don’t have any complicated PDF files to fill in. All you need is to visit the website of the Switzerland government: www.swiss-visa.ch, and fill out all your details, including name, DOB, passport details, and travel plans.
And you will also need to give your professional and financial details to satisfy the visa officer of your eligibility. Once all your details have been provided, submit the visa application, and you will get a ‘Complete’ status.
Now you are ready to submit your documents to the embassy.
Remember, the Switzerland embassy only accepts applications that are marked as ‘Complete’.
Documents Checklist for Switzerland Visa
Documents requirement depends on the type of visa you are applying.
General Requirements for All Applications:
- Visa Form: Completed visa application form with applicant sign.
- Photograph: 1 copy recent passport-size color photograph following ICAO standard
- Current Passport: Passport with at least 3 months validity beyond your exit date from the Schengen area
- Passport Copy: Photocopy of the data page of the current passport
- Old Passport: Submit all original old passports with valid stamps and visas.
- Cover Letter: Cover letter with the purpose, professional, and financial details. You should include your day-to-day activities as well.
- Air Ticket Booking: Flight itinerary booking for entry and exit from the Schengen area.
- Proof of Accommodation: Either hotel booking or prepaid tour booking receipt, including accommodation or invitation letter from the host mentioning your accommodation, will be covered.
- Employment Documents: For employed, employment certificate, NOC (Leave approval), and Payslips for the last 3 months. The employment certificate should state the Name, DOB, role, nature of employment, service duration, and salary details. The physical location and phone number of the company need to be mentioned.
- Bank Statement: Personal bank statement for the last 6 years. The bank statement should explain your income, expenditure, and monthly savings. The balance should cover the planned trip. We recommend showing 3x more balance than your expected trip expenses.
- Financial Documents: Fixed deposit receipt/Sanchaypatro receipts, if any. You can also add investment documents.
- Civil Documents: Marriage certificate and baby birth certificate. Or divorce certificate if applicable.
- Income Tax Documents: Personal tax documents (Acknowledgement copy & certificates)
- Business Documents: Trade license, Certificate of incorporation, and business bank account (For business owners). The business bank account should cover the income, and expenditures of the last 6 months.
- Proof of Studentship: Educational institution documents and confirmed leave of absence for students. (if you’re a student)
- Third Country Entry Permit: If you want to visit any country other than Bangladesh, a visa for the onward destination needs to be attached.
- Documents for Minors: If the applicant is a minor, a letter of consent from the parents is needed. If traveling with one parent, then consent from the other parent or custodian documents from the court.
- Schengen Travel Insurance: Applicants must submit valid travel insurance for the Schengen area with at least 30,000 Euro medical and repatriation coverage. The Insurance must include and cover complications related to Covid-19 as well. The insurance must be valid for the entire duration of your stay. For more travel flexibility, the Embassy recommends submitting insurance with an additional 15 days of travel validity.
Additional Documents for Tourism & Friends – Family Visit
- Travel Booking: Travel booking with any company in the Schengen member states
- Invitation Letter: Letter of invitation from the host in Switzerland. The invitation letter must contain the details of the relationship between host and guest, reasons for the invitation, and duration details. The invitation letter also needs to state who will bear the cost of living, transportation, food, and health insurance. Phone number, address, and signature must be included.
- Guarantee Documents: The embassy might ask for a guarantee if the host bears the cost.
- Documents of Host: Scan copy of the passport or residence permit of the host
- Relationship Proof: Proof of the relationship between the host and the guest
Additional Documents for Business
- Invitation letter: A detailed letter of invitation from the host company in Switzerland. The LOI must include the guest’s name, purpose, duration of the visit, and financial coverage.
- Cover Letter: A cover letter or an introduction letter from the company where you work. The company needs to explain why you need to travel to Switzerland. It also should contain the financial details of who is going to bear the cost of the travel.
- Business Documents: Trade license, Certificate of Incorporation of the company in Bangladesh, Memorandum and Articles of Association, BIN/TIN Certificate
- Evidence of Business: Any evidence of doing business with the company, like, former and current transactions, letters of credit, receipts, or copies of contracts.
- Company bank account statement: Your company bank account statement for the past six months covering income and expenditure
- Additional documents: If attending any conference, sports, or religious event, an invitation/ticket/ admission entry documents for the event or an invitation letter from the host.
Additional Documents for Medical Treatment
- Appointment Letter: A confirmed appointment letter from a medical institution in Switzerland.
- Cost & Treatment Plan: Applicants need to provide the cost of the treatment and how the expenses will be funded.
- Proof of fund: Proof of sufficient funds that will be used for the medical treatment. If any advance payment is sent to the hospital, documents/receipts of the payment should be attached.
Switzerland Embassy Visa Application Submission Procedure
At the time of the appointment, you should submit two sets of documents. One set should be the original documents, and the other should be photocopied.
Don’t worry; the original set of documents will be returned to you later.
Just like any other Schengen visa, biometrics is mandatory for Switzerland. However, if you have biometrics in any Schengen consulate in the last 59 months, you can get a biometrics waiver, and your application can be submitted by a third party. The previous biometrics should satisfy the regulatory requirement of clear photographs and well-captured fingerprints, though.
In that case……You need to attach a copy of your previous Schengen visa. However, if the consulate needs to interview the candidate in person, you must show up at the embassy later.
Yeah, it could happen.
And that’s why we recommend that all the applicants submit the files themselves.
The Embassy might ask for more documents or information that is not on the list above. Keep Communicating with the embassy from time to time.
Processing Time and Passport Collection
Your processing time starts after you formally submit the documents to the embassy. The consulate normally takes 15 days to process a visa application. However, the processing might take extra time depending on the season you apply and the complexity of the application.
The deal is:
As soon as your visa decision is made, you will be notified by the embassy to collect the passport from the embassy in person.
When you pick up your passport, please ensure the information on the visa sticker is correct. If any error is detected, talk to the visa officer immediately.
If your application has been refused, you will receive a letter with the reasons for the refusal. You have the right to appeal within 30 days. The appeal must be made in writing (German, French or Italian) with a statement of grounds. You can submit the appeal yourself, or you may appoint a lawyer.
Switzerland Visa Fees and Consultants in Bangladesh
As a member of the Schengen area, Switzerland charges unified visa fees to applicants from Bangladesh. The visa fee for adults is 8300 BDT, whereas children between 6-12 years old are charged 4150 BDT.
Here is a kicker:
There is no visa fee for children below 6 years old. Amount changes from time to time, depending on the currency conversion rate.
In addition to the visa fee, you have fees for consultants if you need professional help.
At the Visa Processing Center, we have been processing Switzerland visa applications for Bangladeshi nationals with the highest success rate. If you don’t want to risk your visa and make future applications more complex, please get in touch with us.
We have an experienced pool of consultants who can help you with the full process of applying for a Switzerland visa from Bangladesh. We make the complicated procedure straightforward for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I prepare a letter of Invitation for the Switzerland Visa?
The thing is, unlike many Schengen countries, the Letter of Invitation for Switzerland doesn’t have any pre-defined format and does not need to be certified. The letter should contain the details:
- The invitation from the host, and the host’s full details, including name, status, and contact details
- Activities in Switzerland
- Include the name and other details of the invited guest
- Contain what kind of facility the guest will receive, including accommodation, transportation, and other facilities.
The invitation should be properly signed. If it’s issued by a company, it should contain the company seal and an authorized person’s signature with contact details.
You can submit a scan printed copy of the invitation letter to the embassy; however, the embassy might ask the invitee to send the invitation letter directly to them.
Is there any procedure to apply immediately for emergency medical grounds?
If you have medical or emergency humanitarian grounds, the appointment schedule and visa processing can be done faster. Reasons include emergency treatment, being involved in a serious accident, or having a family member on a deathbed.
You can apply on this website for urgent requests, and a representative from the Switzerland embassy will get in touch.
My application for a visa was recently refused. When can I apply again?
There is no rule about the waiting period to re-apply if your application is refused. However, we recommend that you understand the reasons for the refusal, and apply when you can rectify the reasons.
It is recommended to seek professional help in such cases. Get in touch with us, at Visa Processing Center; we deal with such cases often. We can help you with our Refusal Analysis and Re-Application service.
Can you please arrange an invitation for me? Will it be helpful if I receive an invitation?
An invitation letter is not mandatory for a tourist visa in the first place. It is only helpful if it comes from someone in your family or a close friend. We can help you book tour activities to prove your intentions if you don’t have any.
If I apply for a visa with my family, will it increase the chances of approval?
Visa acceptance or refusal depends on the applicant’s individual merit. Applying with family may increase your chances in certain cases. Get in touch with us and opt for an eligibility assessment service for free, so we can assess your overall profile and discuss further.
Do you have a guarantee that I will get a Switzerland visa?
No one can give you that guarantee. The decision to approve or deny your visa is up to the embassy. They make the decision based on individual merit, and there is no external influence.
However, we will help you process the application in compliance with the Schengen visa code. This way, the embassy will have all the information they need to make a better decision.
What’s the address of the Switzerland Embassy in Dhaka?
Embassy of Switzerland in Dhaka
Bays Edgewater, Plot No. 12, North Avenue, 8th Floor, Gulshan 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh. Phone: +880 255 051 601, Fax: +880 255 051 614