Schengen visa, applied for from the UK

Switzerland visa from the UK for non-UK passport holders

If you live in the UK on a non-UK passport, you apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. The visa fee is €90, shown as £79 on the embassy's fee table, plus a £20 VFS service charge. The embassy's checklists give about 5 working days from receipt.

Checked against official sourcesLast reviewed 9 October 2026 · sources at the foot of the page

Consulate fee, adult. €45 for ages 6 to 11, free under 6.: €90
VFS Global service charge, paid at the centre.: £20
Standard processing after the appointment.: 15 days
The earliest you can apply before you travel.: 6 months

Who can apply from the UK

You can apply in the UK if you hold a valid UK residence permit. It must be valid for more than one month after you leave the Schengen area, and a Home Office share code confirming your status is mandatory.

If you hold a UK short-stay visitor visa, apply in your country of residence instead.

Switzerland must be your main destination by length or purpose of stay, or the first Schengen country you enter if there is no main destination.

You can use any of the three VFS centres. Files lodged in Manchester or Edinburgh go through VFS London, which adds 2 days.

Switzerland visa for Pakistani passport holders in the UK
Switzerland visa for Bangladeshi passport holders in the UK
Switzerland visa for Nigerian passport holders in the UK
Switzerland visa for Sri Lankan passport holders in the UK
Switzerland visa for Ghanaian passport holders in the UK
Switzerland visa for Turkish passport holders in the UK

Documents for a Switzerland visit visa

You provide

Passport Plus a copy that includes the signature page. Issued in the last 10 years, valid for more than 3 months after the visa you ask for ends, with 2 blank visa pages.
UK immigration status Your UK residence permit and a copy, valid for more than one month after you leave the Schengen area. A Home Office share code confirming your status is mandatory.
Photo One passport-size photo, no older than 6 months, undamaged, on a light, plain background.
Bank statements UK statements covering at least the last 3 months, with your name, account number and latest balance, no more than one week old. Online statements are accepted. If someone else pays, add their statements, employment letter, passport copy, proof of relationship and a statement of support with your dates.
Job or study evidence Employees: a letter on company letterhead, dated no more than one week before you apply, with your position and start date, plus 3 months of payslips. Self-employed: an accountant's, banker's or solicitor's letter no more than a week old, 3 months of statements and your self-assessment. Students: an enrolment letter no more than a week old.
Invitation from your host Family or friend visits: a signed, dated invitation from your host in Switzerland, no more than one month old, in English or a Swiss language, with both your contact details and the exact dates, plus a copy of your host's passport or Swiss residence permit.
Children's documents A form signed by both parents, the birth certificate and a recent British school certificate. If a child travels with one parent or neither: both parents' passports or certified copies, and consent from both parents. Certificates not in English or a Swiss language need a translation.
VFS appointment VFS says the appointment is booked online by the applicant, and the embassy says booking in time is the traveller's responsibility. Availability updates daily. We tell you when your file is ready so you can book.

We provide

Application form The Swiss Schengen visa application form, completed and signed.
Cover letter Sets out your dates, plans, who pays and your ties to the UK.
Return flight reservation A confirmed booking in your name with its booking reference, including your return to the UK or onward travel. If you move between Schengen countries, every leg must be shown.
Hotel booking Confirmed hotel bookings in your name with confirmation numbers, or a paid package tour confirmation with its receipt.
Travel medical insurance From a UK or Schengen-based insurer, with at least €30,000 for emergency medical costs and repatriation, valid in every Schengen country for your whole stay. The cover sheet must show your name and date of birth.

Where and when to apply

Switzerland takes UK short-stay applications through VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before you travel.

VFS Global is the only authorised agent for Swiss visa applications in the UK, with centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. The Embassy of Switzerland's Regional Consular Centre in London decides. Family members of Swiss, EU or EFTA citizens can apply at the embassy by appointment instead.

Appointments in London →Appointments in Manchester →Appointments in Edinburgh →

Worth knowing about this consulate

VFS Global is the only authorised agent for Swiss visas in the UK. The embassy says an application made through any other provider is not valid (page published 7 May 2026).
The embassy's fee table, valid from 8 December 2025, shows the €90 visa fee as £79 and the €45 child fee as £40. VFS adds a £20 service charge including VAT. The embassy's checklists say card payment only, and not American Express.
Appointment availability is updated every day, based on VFS and embassy capacity. If nothing shows, log in again later. The embassy does not answer requests for earlier appointments.
Switzerland's document rules are tight: your employer's letter and your bank statements must be no more than one week old when you apply, and your host's invitation no more than one month old.
Changing planes in Switzerland? The embassy says holders of a UK residence permit (eVisa) valid for more than one month after the trip do not need an airport transit visa, and should carry a share code. A UK visit visa does not exempt you, and you cannot transit overnight at Geneva Airport.
Use A4 paper, do not staple your documents, and add English translations of anything not in English.
If you are refused, you can appeal within 30 days of receiving the decision. The embassy's fee table lists the appeal fee as £186.

Notes by passport

Pakistani passport holders

Pakistan is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swiss airport on the way somewhere else? As a Pakistani national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Switzerland exempts UK residents with an eVisa valid for more than one month after the trip; carry your share code.

Bangladeshi passport holders

Bangladesh is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swiss airport on the way somewhere else? As a Bangladeshi national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Switzerland exempts UK residents with an eVisa valid for more than one month after the trip; carry your share code.

Nigerian passport holders

Nigeria is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swiss airport on the way somewhere else? As a Nigerian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Switzerland exempts UK residents with an eVisa valid for more than one month after the trip; carry your share code.

Sri Lankan passport holders

Sri Lanka is on the EU's prior-consultation list (version of 1 November 2024), so your application may be checked with other Schengen states before a decision. This can add time, so apply early.
Only changing planes at a Swiss airport on the way somewhere else? As a Sri Lankan national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Switzerland exempts UK residents with an eVisa valid for more than one month after the trip; carry your share code.

Ghanaian passport holders

Only changing planes at a Swiss airport on the way somewhere else? As a Ghanaian national you need an airport transit visa unless an exemption applies. Switzerland exempts UK residents with an eVisa valid for more than one month after the trip; carry your share code.

Turkish passport holders

Switzerland requires Turkish nationals to hold an airport transit visa when changing planes at its airports. Holders of service or special passports are exempt. Switzerland exempts UK residents with an eVisa valid for more than one month after the trip; carry your share code.

How a Switzerland application runs, day by day

Day 0Eligibility and checklistA yes, a no or a “not yet, because”.
Days 1–5File builtYou send documents on WhatsApp; we do the rest.
VariesAppointment waitWe watch releases daily and book the first that fits.
15 daysConsulate decisionFingerprints at VFS Global, then we track the file.
DonePassport backThen we confirm your real flights and hotel.

What it costs, and who you pay

Separate payments to separate people. Only ours is set by us, quoted in writing before you commit.

Consulate visa feePaid to the consulate. €45 for children aged 6 to 11. Not refundable if refused.: €90
VFS Global service chargePaid at the centre. Extras are optional.: £20
Fast Travellers, file and appointmentEverything from eligibility to decision, quoted in writing before you commit.
Fast Travellers, urgent or after a refusalAdds a daily slot search and a refusal review, quoted in writing before you commit.

Switzerland visa questions from UK residents

Can I apply for a Switzerland visa on a BRP?

BRPs have been replaced by eVisas. Switzerland asks for proof of your UK residence and a Home Office share code, which is mandatory. Your status must be valid for more than one month after you leave the Schengen area.

Where do I apply for a Switzerland visa in the UK?

At VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. The embassy says VFS is the only authorised agent, so TLScontact no longer handles Swiss visas.

How long does a Switzerland visa take from the UK?

The embassy's checklists say about 5 working days from receipt, or up to 14 working days if other Schengen states are consulted. Its procedure page says within 15 days, and VFS advises allowing at least 15.

How much is a Switzerland Schengen visa from the UK?

The embassy's fee table shows £79 for adults and £40 for children aged 6 to 12. Children under 6 pay nothing. VFS adds a £20 service charge.

Do I need an airport transit visa to change planes in Switzerland?

Not if you hold a UK residence permit (eVisa) valid for more than one month after your trip, according to the embassy. Carry a share code. A UK visit visa does not exempt you.

How recent must my bank statements be for a Swiss visa?

No more than one week old, covering at least the last 3 months. Your employer's letter must also be no more than one week old.

Will my passport be stamped when I enter Switzerland?

No. Since 10 April 2026 the EU's Entry/Exit System records your entries and exits digitally instead of stamping your passport. As a visa holder, the system stores a photo of your face taken at the border; your fingerprints are already on file from your visa application.

Can I visit other Schengen countries on a Swiss visa?

Yes. A Schengen visa covers all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180, as long as Switzerland is your main destination.

Where these facts come from

Fees and rules are checked against official and visa-centre pages. Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Rules change: we confirm everything again before you pay.