Business visa

For applicants wishing to meet their business partners in Switzerland/Austria (visa type C /Schengen visa application form).

Requirements:

1. Application form duly completed and signed by the applicant (applications, which are not fully filled out, dated and signed will not be accepted).
2. Passport which must be valid for at least three months after the date when the holder leaves Switzerland/Austria/Schengen area and issued within the last 10 years.
3. Copy of the applicant’s passport (pages with photo/name and if applicable prolongation).
4. Copies of other old and valid visas.
5. 2 passport photographs (35 – 40mm in width, sharp in focus and clear, close-up of head and neck, undamaged, not older than 6 months). Pictures not meeting the requirements will be refused.
6. Evidence of employment (a letter from the employer with the registration number of the organisation) with the following information:
   – Applicant’s position in the company
   – Salary statement
   – Purpose of the Business trip and lenght of the stay
   – Information about costs coverage
   The letter should be addressed to the Embassy of Switzerland and should be drafted in English, German, French or Italian or translated into one of these languages.
7. Bank account statement incl. cash flow of last 3 months.
8. Letter of invitation from the company in Switzerland/Austria (duly scanned by e-mail to the Embassy) containing the following information:
   – Name, first name and date of birth of the invited person.
   – Purpose of the business trip, length of the stay, and the number of entries into Switzerland/Austria.
   The company in Switzerland/Austria must guarantee costs of travel, food and accommodation. The letter must be signed by an authorized signatory according to the commercial register. A copy of the extract from the commercial register of the company in Switzerland (only the first page and the page on which the signatory appears) can be requested by the Embassy of Switzerland.
   ONLY FOR AUSTRIA:
   If the inviting company is covering any costs of the business trip, the Austrian company has to provide the financial guarantee form called “Verpflichtungserklärung EVE”, which can be handed-in trough the local police office in Austria.
9. If the Swiss or Austrian business partners do not agree to guarantee these costs, the applicant must provide confirmation of a hotel accommodation as well as proof of sufficient funds.
10. Reservation of a round-trip ticket to your home country (original and copy or a print-out of an electronic-ticket). Open tickets are not accepted.
11. Accident/medical insurance for at least EUR 30’000.00 coverage (original and copy), valid for the whole Schengen area.

Please note, that a Business visa cannot be used to undertake any kind of professional activity.

First-time applicants have to apply in person.

For particular cases the Embassy reserves the right to:

• Request additional documents
• Transmit the application to the competent authorities in Switzerland or Austria for their decision
• Summon the applicant for an interview