# Is There a Switzerland eVisa for Indians? How Applying Really Works > Switzerland issues no eVisa to Indian passport holders. Here is how Swiss visa applications really work from India: where to submit, biometrics, fees and timelines. _Published: 2026-10-22 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1144_ ## TL;DR Switzerland has no eVisa for Indians, and only Indian diplomatic passport holders are visa-exempt. Ordinary passport holders lodge a Schengen visa application at a VFS Global centre or, with a prior appointment, at the Embassy in New Delhi, give fingerprints unless taken in the last 59 months, and pay INR 9600 / EUR 90. ## Key takeaways - There is no Swiss eVisa and no visa on arrival for Indian ordinary passport holders. - Only Indian diplomatic passport holders are visa-exempt, under an agreement in force since 7 December 2016. - All visa applications from India are processed by the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi; the Consulates General in Mumbai and Bengaluru offer no visa services. - Personal appearance is not needed if your fingerprints were collected within the last 59 months for a visa marked 'VIS'. - The visa costs INR 9600 / EUR 90 for adults plus a VFS service charge of INR 3100. **No. According to the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, Switzerland has no eVisa for Indians. You lodge a Schengen visa application at a VFS Global centre in India, or at the Embassy with a prior appointment, and give fingerprints in person unless they were taken in the last 59 months. Adults pay INR 9600 / EUR 90.** ## Article Searches for a 'Switzerland e-visa' usually come from travellers who have used online visas for other destinations. Switzerland works differently, and knowing the real process saves you from paying the wrong website. The details below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For documents and visa types, see our Switzerland visa guide for Indians. ### Why is there no Swiss eVisa for Indian passport holders? Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) lists Indian nationals as needing a visa for stays of up to 90 days. The only exemption is for Indian diplomatic passports, under an agreement in force since 7 December 2016; Indian special and service passport holders still need a visa. There is no visa on arrival either. The Schengen procedure Switzerland follows needs your biometric data: finger scans and a facial image, which are stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) for 5 years. Personal appearance is mandatory if your fingerprints have not been collected yet, so the application is lodged at a VFS centre or the Embassy rather than completed online. ### Can any part of the process happen without you at the centre? Yes, in a few defined cases. - Repeat travellers: personal appearance is not necessary if your fingerprints were collected within the last 59 months and you were granted a visa with the mention 'VIS', unless the earlier fingerprints prove to be of insufficient quality. - Children under 12 do not need to appear in person or give fingerprints. - Third-person submission: applications submitted by someone else need the authorisation letter (Appendix 8). The authorisation form is mandatory for all applicants along with the application form. - Payment: VFS lists the visa fee as payable in cash, by card or online. Even then, the Swiss representation may still ask you to appear for a personal interview. ### Where do Indians actually submit a Swiss visa application? VisaWhere to submitSchengen short stay (tourist, business, visitor and others)Any of 14 VFS Global centres: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune; or directly at the Embassy with an appointment requested by e-mail at least one month before travelFamily members of Swiss/EU/EFTA citizensDirectly at the Embassy; appointment mandatoryStudents, more than 90 daysIn person at the Visa Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, with an online appointmentWork of more than 120 daysOnly after the canton approves the employer's request; then at VFS or at the Embassy with a prior appointmentFamily reunificationIn person at the Embassy with an online appointmentWhichever counter you use, the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi processes every visa application lodged in India. The Consulates General in Mumbai and Bengaluru offer no visa services. ### What does a Swiss visa cost from India? ChargeAmountVisa fee, adultINR 9600 / EUR 90 (CHF 82)Visa fee, child aged 6-12INR 4800 / EUR 45 (CHF 41)Children under 6ExemptVFS service charge, per applicant (incl. SGST 9% and CGST 9%)INR 3100Optional: courier / SMS / courier and SMS comboINR 930 / INR 450 / INR 1,250Optional: Premium Lounge (not in Jaipur, Kolkata or Jalandhar)INR 4600The visa fee is due when the application is submitted and is not refunded if the application is withdrawn or refused. Rupee amounts follow the Embassy's price list valid from 1 April 2026 and can change with the exchange rate. ### How long does it take after you submit? VFS says decisions usually take 15 calendar days from receipt by the Embassy and may be extended. The Embassy's own pages give 7-10 calendar days after submission at any VFS centre on one page and 10-15 working days on another, and add that consultation with other Schengen states can take up to 14 more calendar days. Submit at least 15 calendar days before travel, and no earlier than 6 months before. Long-stay student, work and family visas go through cantonal authorities and take approximately 8-12 weeks. For serious and urgent medical reasons, such as urgent treatment, a serious accident or a loss in the family, the Embassy can fast-track the appointment and application if you contact it with the reasons and your departure date. For context, the European Commission's statistics show a refusal rate of 13.6% for short-stay Schengen applications lodged at Swiss consulates in India in 2025 (30,630 visas not issued; 226,044 applications lodged). ### How do you spot an unofficial 'Swiss e-visa' offer? Because the official channels are VFS Global and the Embassy, any website offering an electronic Swiss visa to an Indian ordinary passport holder is not an official route. Three checks help: - Does it ask you to visit a VFS centre or the Embassy for biometrics? If not, it is not the Swiss procedure. - Does the fee match the published INR 9600 / EUR 90 plus INR 3100? Extra charges belong to the seller, not to Switzerland. - Visa questions go to the Embassy at newdelhi.visa@eda.admin.ch; the Embassy takes no visa queries by phone. Legitimate help is different: a travel service can prepare your itinerary and bookings, but it cannot issue the visa or skip the biometrics. ### What is digital at the Swiss border now? The digital part arrives after the visa. Since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational, including in Switzerland: short-stay visitors such as Indian Schengen visa holders are registered at the external border and passport stamping is replaced. Your visa is still applied for the traditional way; the registration happens when you cross. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can I apply for a Swiss visa at the Consulate General in Mumbai? No. The Consulate General of Switzerland in Mumbai provides no visa services; visas are handled by the Embassy in New Delhi. You lodge the application at a VFS Global centre or, with a prior appointment, at the Embassy. #### Do Indian children need to visit VFS for a Swiss visa? Children under 12 do not need to appear in person or give fingerprints. Their application can be submitted by a third person with the authorisation letter. #### Can Indians with a diplomatic passport visit Switzerland without a visa? Yes. Indian diplomatic passport holders are visa-exempt for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under an agreement in force since 7 December 2016. Special and service passport holders still need a visa. #### Is the Swiss visa fee refunded if I withdraw my application? No. The Embassy says the visa fee is due when the application is submitted and is not refunded if the application is withdrawn or refused. ## FAQ ### Can I apply for a Swiss visa at the Consulate General in Mumbai? No. The Consulate General of Switzerland in Mumbai provides no visa services; visas are handled by the Embassy in New Delhi. You lodge the application at a VFS Global centre or, with a prior appointment, at the Embassy. ### Do Indian children need to visit VFS for a Swiss visa? Children under 12 do not need to appear in person or give fingerprints. Their application can be submitted by a third person with the authorisation letter. ### Can Indians with a diplomatic passport visit Switzerland without a visa? Yes. Indian diplomatic passport holders are visa-exempt for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under an agreement in force since 7 December 2016. Special and service passport holders still need a visa. ### Is the Swiss visa fee refunded if I withdraw my application? No. The Embassy says the visa fee is due when the application is submitted and is not refunded if the application is withdrawn or refused. ## Sources 1. [Embassy of Switzerland in India - Application for Schengen visa and procedure (biometrics, processing)](https://www.schweiz-indien.eda.admin.ch/en/application-schengen-visa-procedure) — Embassy of Switzerland in India 2. [Embassy of Switzerland in India - Where to apply for a Schengen visa](https://www.schweiz-indien.eda.admin.ch/en/where-to-apply-for-a-schengen-visa) — Embassy of Switzerland in India 3. [VFS Switzerland India - Visa Types (all tabs)](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/che/visa-type) — VFS Global 4. [SEM - Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1, version 3 April 2026)](https://www.sem.admin.ch/dam/sem/en/data/rechtsgrundlagen/weisungen/visa/bfm/bfm-anh01-liste1-e.pdf.download.pdf/bfm-anh01-liste1-e.pdf) — State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)