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Switzerland

Switzerland visit visa for Pakistan passport holders

VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team

Guides built from official government and embassy sources.

Last updated

On this page
  1. Document requirements
  2. Fees and timeline
  3. Fees
  4. Timeline
  5. How to apply
  6. Visa ratio
  7. FAQ
  8. Official sources
  9. Related guides

Switzerland · Matterhorn · Roy Egloff · CC BY-SA 4.0

Summary

Embassy visa required
Visa type
Schengen short-stay visa (type C) — tourism, family visit or business
Stay limit
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Validity
As printed on the visa sticker (single or multiple entry, set by the consulate)
Entries
Single or multiple, decided by the consulate
Biometrics
Biometrics are required.
Interview
Fingerprints and photo at lodging; the consulate may call you for an interview

Pakistani citizens need a Schengen visa (type C) to visit Switzerland. The Swiss Embassy in Islamabad publishes separate checklists for tourist, visitor and business trips, and you lodge your application and give fingerprints at VFS Global in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi.

Switzerland is not in the EU, but it is a full Schengen member, so Pakistani travellers get the same type C visa used across the Schengen area, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Apply to Switzerland when it is your main destination, meaning the country where you will spend the most time, or, if your stays are equal, the first country you enter. The Embassy of Switzerland in Islamabad decides the application. VFS Global, its official partner, runs centres in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, where you lodge your file and give fingerprints.

Start by choosing the right checklist. The Embassy publishes separate document lists for a tourist visa, a visitor visa for seeing family or friends, and a business visa, plus lists for medical, study, event and official travel. The application form comes from Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). If you are staying with someone in Switzerland, SEM has guidance for your host on writing a letter of invitation and on the declaration of sponsorship they can sign if they are covering your costs.

Insurance is one area where the Swiss Embassy gives a specific tip. It recommends buying a policy that is valid from your first entry and runs for 7, 14, 31, 90 or 365 days depending on your trip, rather than one tied to fixed dates. That way the cover still works if your flight changes or is cancelled. As with any Schengen visa, the policy must be valid for the whole Schengen area.

The Embassy says a decision is normally made within 15 days, though this can be extended in individual cases. For certain nationalities, other Schengen states must be consulted first, which can add up to 14 calendar days. The Embassy therefore recommends applying early. You can apply up to six months before your trip, and under the EU rule no later than 15 days before it.

Fingerprints are generally taken from age 12 and reused for 59 months. If your visa is refused, the reasons are given on a standard form, and you have 30 days from receiving it to appeal; SEM explains the procedure. Family members of Swiss, EU or EFTA citizens can apply directly at the Embassy, but only with an appointment booked in advance. The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, plus VFS Global's service charge. If you are applying in Lahore, note the new address: VFS Global relocated its Swiss visa centre there to 8 A Queen's Road on 29 June 2026.

Checklist

Document requirements

  • Pakistani passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with at least 2 blank pages
  • Completed and signed Schengen visa application form
  • One recent ICAO-standard colour photo
  • Travel medical insurance covering emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation across the Schengen area (minimum cover €30,000)
  • Proof of the purpose of the trip (hotel bookings and itinerary, invitation letter, or business letter)
  • Proof of accommodation for the whole stay
  • Proof of financial means, such as recent personal bank statements
  • Evidence you will return to Pakistan (employment letter or business registration, study enrolment, family or property ties)
  • Flight reservation (return or onward)
  • Visa fee payment receipt
  • Fingerprints and photo taken when you lodge the application (unless given in the last 59 months)

The Swiss Embassy publishes separate checklists for tourist, visitor and business visas and recommends travel insurance 'valid on first entry' for 7, 14, 31, 90 or 365 days rather than fixed dates. Hosts in Switzerland can provide a letter of invitation or declaration of sponsorship (SEM guidance).

Checklist source: schweiz-pakistan.eda.admin.ch, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Money and time

Fees and timeline

Fees

  • Official fee

    €90

    Adults; €45 for children aged 6–12; free under 6. Visa centre service fees are extra where a centre is used.

    Fee source

  • Service or extra charges

    Set by the visa centre, if one is used — shown on the centre's website

    Fee source

Timeline

  • Decision time (official)

    As a general rule the consulate decides within 15 days; this can be extended in individual cases, and a prior consultation of other Schengen states can add up to 14 calendar days (Embassy of Switzerland in Pakistan)

  • Processing and appointments

    Book the appointment with the mission or its visa centre first; waiting times depend on capacity and are not fixed by the Visa Code.

  • When to apply

    No earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before the trip

Official links

How to apply

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Passport country first, then destination. Pages only show fees, timelines, and refusal rates that official sources have published.

Official statistics

Visa ratio

34.9%

Share of Schengen visa applications not issued at Switzerland consulates in Pakistan (Islamabad and Karachi) · 2024

Official EC figure by place of application (consulates in Pakistan), not strictly by nationality: 1,084 of 3,102 decided applications were not issued in 2024. It describes past decisions and does not predict any single application.

European Commission — Schengen visa statistics for consulates, 2024

  • Wider official statistic — not this passport × destination

    14.6%

    Schengen-wide short-stay refusal rate, 2025

    This is the published Schengen-wide rate. It is not this passport and destination.

    Source

Quick answers

FAQ

Do Pakistani passport holders need a visa for Switzerland?

Yes. Switzerland is in the Schengen area, and Pakistani citizens need a short-stay (type C) Schengen visa for tourism, family visits or business trips of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Where do Pakistanis apply for a Swiss visa?

At VFS Global, the Swiss Embassy's official partner, in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi. The Embassy of Switzerland in Islamabad decides the application.

How much is a Switzerland Schengen visa fee?

€90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12, per the European Commission. VFS Global adds its own service fee.

Which Swiss visa checklist should I use?

The Embassy publishes separate checklists for tourist, visitor (family or friends) and business visas. Pick the one that matches the main purpose of your trip.

What travel insurance does the Swiss Embassy recommend?

A policy that is valid from your first entry and runs for 7, 14, 31, 90 or 365 days, rather than fixed dates, so it still covers you if your flight changes. It must be valid for the whole Schengen area.

How long does a Swiss visa take from Pakistan?

The Embassy says a decision is normally made within 15 days. This can be extended in individual cases, and a consultation with other Schengen states can add up to 14 calendar days.

Can I appeal a Swiss visa refusal?

Yes. The Embassy says you have 30 days from receiving the refusal form to appeal. The State Secretariat for Migration explains the procedure.

What is the Switzerland visa refusal rate in Pakistan?

The European Commission's 2024 statistics show 34.9% of Schengen visa applications lodged at Switzerland consulates in Pakistan were not issued. This is by place of application, not a prediction for you.

Checked against

Official sources

Last checked 3 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.