Switzerland Short-Term Work Permit for Indians: Up to 120 Days

This short-term category covers work in Switzerland that adds up to no more than 120 days in a 12-month period. It runs on different rules from a long-term work permit, and the two are easy to confuse. The process and fees below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For every Swiss visa category, see our Switzerland visa guide for Indian applicants.

What counts as a short-term work permit in Switzerland?

VFS Global lists 'Work Permit For Up To 120 Days In 12 Months' in its Short Stay Visa group, next to tourist and business visas. 'Work Permit For More Than 120 Days' sits in the Long Stay Visa group. The dividing line is the number of working days within a 12-month period, not the job title.

In both cases the decision on whether you may work belongs to Switzerland's cantonal migration authority, not to VFS and not to the Embassy in New Delhi. The Embassy issues the visa only once the authorisation exists.

Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) sets the general conditions for non-EU/EFTA nationals such as Indians: work is open essentially to managers, specialists and other qualified professionals; the employer must show that no suitable person from Switzerland or the EU/EFTA is available; and pay and terms must match what is customary for the region, profession and sector. Ask your employer to confirm with the canton how these apply to your assignment.

Who files the request: you or the Swiss employer?

VFS describes two paths to the same cantonal decision:

• Filed in Switzerland: the request goes directly to the competent cantonal migration authority, usually filed by the employer or inviting company.
• Filed from India: you submit the request at the Swiss representation, which forwards it to the canton. The Embassy's checklist dated 01.09.2021, linked from VFS, says this application is submitted personally at the Visa Section, Embassy of Switzerland, Chandragupta Marg, New Delhi, with an appointment. You bring 3 application forms and 2 sets of documents.

This is a key difference from longer permits. For work of more than 120 days, the Embassy states that an initial request submitted directly or via VFS is inadmissible; only the employer can start it with the cantonal authorities.

How long does the 120-day permit take?

The cantonal wait is the long part. Fix your project dates only after the authorisation arrives, and keep the visa stage in mind on top of it.

What happens once the canton approves?

The Embassy has a separate checklist for applicants who already hold the authorisation (dated 02.02.2020, linked from VFS). It tells you to email the authorisation to newdelhi.visa@eda.admin.ch so the Embassy can check whether your fingerprints are needed.

The general Schengen biometrics rule explains why. Personal appearance is mandatory if your fingerprints have not been collected yet. It is not necessary if they were collected within the last 59 months and you were granted a visa marked 'VIS', unless the earlier prints were of insufficient quality. The Swiss representation can still ask you to appear for an interview. Visa queries are handled by email only; the Embassy takes no visa queries by phone.

How much does it cost in INR?

The Embassy of Switzerland's counter price list, valid from 1 April 2026, sets the adult visa fee at EUR 90, equal to CHF 82 or INR 9,600. A child aged 6 to 12 pays EUR 45 (INR 4,800). VFS shows the same fee table for its short- and long-stay categories, and adds a service charge of INR 3100 per applicant when you submit at a VFS centre.

Two cautions. First, the older with-authorisation checklist from 2020 still shows a fee of EUR 80; the current price list says EUR 90. Second, permit charges levied by the canton in Switzerland are not published by the Embassy or VFS, so ask your employer what the canton bills and who pays it.

How is this different from a permit for more than 120 days?

Mistakes that cost Indian applicants time

• Walking into a VFS centre with an initial work request when the Embassy checklist says it is submitted personally at the Visa Section in New Delhi.
• Booking non-refundable travel before the cantonal authorisation is issued.
• Budgeting from the 2020 checklist's EUR 80 instead of the current EUR 90.
• Planning more than 120 days of work in 12 months under this category; work of more than 120 days has its own long-stay procedure that only the employer can start.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for a reservation with hotel, itinerary and cover letter. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Can I start a Swiss short-term work permit at a VFS centre?

The Embassy checklist linked from VFS says the short-term work application is submitted personally at the Visa Section of the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, with an appointment. Alternatively, your employer files directly with the cantonal migration authority in Switzerland.

Do I need fingerprints for a Swiss work visa if I visited Switzerland before?

Not if your fingerprints were collected within the last 59 months and you were granted a visa marked 'VIS', unless the earlier prints were of insufficient quality. For the short-term work route, email your authorisation to newdelhi.visa@eda.admin.ch and the Embassy will tell you.

Who decides a Swiss work permit for an Indian citizen?

The competent cantonal migration authority in Switzerland decides. The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi issues the visa only after that authorisation.

What can I do if my Swiss visa is refused?

You can file a written objection with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) within 30 days, by signed and dated letter in German, French or Italian, with an advance fee of CHF 200 / INR 23,400 that is refunded if SEM decides positively. SEM's decision takes approx. 8-12 weeks.