SwitzerlandBusiness and self-employment

Switzerland business visa (Schengen type C)

Schengen visa for business

In short

Business trips to Switzerland of up to 90 days need a Schengen visa if your nationality is visa-required, with the Swiss business checklist: an invitation from the Swiss company and proof of your employment or company.

Apply on SEM – online visa application form checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Fee
€90Adults EUR 90, children 6–12 EUR 45, under 6 free; family of EU/EFTA citizens free. Not refundable; the mission sets the currency and payment method, and an external service provider charges its own service fee.
Funds required
CHF 100 per dayAdministrative practice: about CHF 100 per day for visitors paying their own costs (students with a valid student card about CHF 30). A host's declaration of sponsorship covering up to CHF 30,000 can replace it.
Processing time
Normally decided within 15 days, longer in individual cases.
Work
Business activities only.
Where to apply
The Swiss embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses.

No gainful work

Meetings and negotiations are covered; work in Switzerland, even short-term, requires a permit from the cantonal labour authority.

Any gainful activity in Switzerland lasting more than eight days per calendar year needs authorisation from the competent cantonal migration office, even if it is short and under 90 days. The Swiss employer must apply for this work permit; the Schengen visa alone does not cover it.

Business documents

Add the Swiss company's invitation with the purpose and dates, a letter from your employer and company documents. If the Swiss company pays, it should say so.

The invitation must be current, on the Swiss or Liechtenstein company’s official letterhead and written in German, French or Italian, giving the company address with phone and e-mail, your personal data and relationship to the company, the reason and length of the visit and who covers the costs. For a trade fair add the entrance ticket or proof of participation. Bring personal and company bank statements for the last three months, stamped and signed by the bank, and three months of payslips.

Required documents

Identity

  • Visa application form generated on the SEM online form, printed and signed
  • Passport issued within 10 years, two blank pages, valid three months after leaving Schengen
  • ICAO-compliant photo (fingerprints taken every 59 months from age 12)

Travel

  • Travel and accommodation bookings
  • Copies of passport pages 2–3 and of earlier visas with entry and exit stamps

Money

  • Proof of means: bank statements and income documents (about CHF 100 per day) or a host's declaration of sponsorship

Work

  • Proof of occupation (employer letter, company documents or student certificate) as on the checklist of the Swiss mission responsible for you
  • Invitation from the Swiss company

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid in the Schengen area

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Work

  • Trade fair visitors: entrance ticket or proof of participation

Other

  • Lawyers: bar registration; farmers: chamber of agriculture certificate; retirees: bank statement showing the pension

Insurance and how to hand in the file

Travel medical insurance must cover at least EUR 30,000, be valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay and include medical repatriation, emergency treatment and hospitalisation; Swiss checklists ask for the signed policy, original and copy. Hand in the documents in the order of the checklist of the mission responsible for you; if your fingerprints are already stored in the Schengen system, an authorised person with a dated and signed letter may be able to lodge the file for you.

  1. Complete the visa application on the SEM online form and print it.
  2. Download the checklist for "business trip" of the Swiss representation responsible for your place of legal residence and prepare the documents.
  3. Book an appointment as that representation instructs, with the mission itself or its external service provider, up to six months before travel.
  4. Attend in person, give fingerprints and pay the EUR 90 visa fee plus any service fee.
  5. The Swiss representation decides, normally within 15 days, and returns your passport.

Timing

Book your appointment early; the Swiss representation normally decides within 15 days.

Refusal and appeal

A refusal can be appealed within 30 days of receipt; the procedure is described on the SEM website and in the refusal notice. The visa fee is not refunded.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install machinery or work during a business trip?

Gainful activity of more than eight days per calendar year needs authorisation from the cantonal migration office, applied for by the Swiss employer, even for stays under 90 days.

How long does it take?

Normally 15 days after the appointment.

Who decides?

The Swiss embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence.

Does the invitation have to be in German?

It must be in German, French or Italian, on the company’s letterhead.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Switzerland

Visits and short stays

Study and training

  • Student visa Processing time: At least 8–12 weeks, because the cantonal migration office must approve.
  • Au pair visa Maximum stay: Up to 12 months

Work

Family

Residence

Protection

Switzerland visa guide