It does not matter whether you visit Switzerland for its countryside scenery or dramatic mountain ranges, there’s nothing forgettable about this European nation.
Update : It is now mandatory to get COVID Insurance when you travel Abroad. Click the below link to get your COVID Insurance at cost price.
Sadly Switzerland has one of the highest visa rejection rate of 6.99% in 2016. This post will help you in understanding Switzerland visa requirements for US green card holders and how you can make sure that you get your Schengen visa approved.
Do green card holders (US Permanent Residents) need a visa for Switzerland?
Sadly yes, you need to get a Switzerland Schengen visa if you would like to visit Switzerland with a permanent residence or green card. Only full US citizens who hold the US passport can visit Europe without a visa. So if you are an Indian or Russian residing in the US, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa before you can go for a trip. Simply follow our simple article below to know how you can get Switzerland visa as a U.S Permanent Resident easily.
To get Switzerland Schengen visa as a resident in the US you need to do the following steps :
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Determine which consulate you need to apply for Schengen visa based on your trip
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Get an appointment for your Schengen visa (plan this in advance) ( Get Schengen visa appointment for $ 10 )
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Collect & organise all the documents needed for your Schengen visa application
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Either attend for the interview in person or mail your documents to the consulate.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from New York?
Follow the simple to apply for Switzerland Schengen visa from Newyork.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from San Francisco?
Learn to apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa from San Francisco easily.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from Montreal Consulate?
Easy way to apply for Switzerland Schengen visa from the Consulate of Montreal.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from Vancouver Consulate?
Learn to apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa from the Consulate of Vancouver.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from Atlanta?
Learn to apply for a Switzerland Schengen Visa from Atlanta easily.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa from Washington DC?
Follow the simple to apply for Switzerland Schengen visa from Washington DC.
How to apply for a Switzerland Schengen visa?
Before you can apply for Switzerland Schengen visa you need to determine which consulate of Switzerland in the United States has the jurisdiction to issue your Schengen visa. You can determine this by visiting the below link.
Switzerland Schengen visa consulates in America
For this example, we are considering New York as our Switzerland visa processing center. By clicking the blue link adjacent to “New York”, you will be taken to the consulate’s website
How to fix an appointment online?
If you are applying for a Schengen visa for the first time or have not received a Schengen visa in the US since May 15, 2014 you will need to apply in person with an appointment. Click the below link to fix an appointment.
Click to schedule an appointment
Next, we will see how we can make an appointment for Switzerland Schengen visa in the US.
STEP-1
Change the selection to “United states” and click “next”.
STEP-2
Select New York(As per our example) and click next.
STEP-3
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If you want to complete online the visa application form for a Schengen visa and then make online an appointment click “online application”.
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If you only want to make online an appointment click “Make an appointment”.
Switzerland Schengen visa requirements for US green cardholders
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A summary of documents needed for your Schengen visa is as below
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Passport
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Two photographs
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Completed Schengen visa form
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Permanent Residence Permit card
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Flight itinerary
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Hotel bookings
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Schengen visa insurance
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Proof of sustenence
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Cover letter
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Letter of employment(if employed)
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Company registration(if self-employed)
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Letter from college (for students)
You need to submit a photocopy as well as an original of all the documents to the visa consulate.
Duly filled Schengen visa application form- You can either fill the Schengen visa application form online, take a print out or you can download the form and fill it and submit it with the other required documents.
You can also apply for Schengen visa by filling the following form.
[media-downloader media_id=”497″ texts=”Click here to download Schengen visa application form”]Passport- Must be valid for at least three months beyond the planned stay, issued within the previous ten years and have at least 2 blank visa pages.
Two photographs- As per the required specification.
Notarized copy of proof of residency in the USA, e.g. a valid permanent resident card (green card), H1B visa (plus I-797), F-1 visa (plus I-20), etc.
In case you are applying for a tourist visa or a business visa a confirmed copy of Flight reservation is to be submitted. Flight itinerary is a safer way of submitting a visa application without buying an actual flight ticket which can prove to be expensive if your visa is refused.
Proof of accommodation such as hotel bookings We would not suggest you to make your hotel reservations before your visa is approved. We have seen many customers who make all the bookings thinking they can cancel them once they get their visa only for the visa process to be delayed resulting in huge cancellation fees.
Proof of sufficient financial resources: bank statements from the last 3 months, listing your full
name and address. A minimum of $100 per day is required to cover expenses (students:
$30).
If you are not in a position to prove sufficient financial resources, an official declaration of
guarantee, signed by your host and certified by the immigration officials in Switzerland, may
be required. When applying for the visa, you will be handed out the necessary form and given
further detailed instructions.
If you are employed: A recent letter from your employer including your position and salary.
If you are a student: A recent letter from your school/college confirming your enrollment.
If you are self-employed: include a copy of your business license and tax return.
A medical insurance with international coverage of at least USD 40,000.
See our article to get travel insurance for a Schengen visa.
Travel Itinerary requirements:
For tourist visa: Hotel reservations for every night you intend to spend in a Schengen country is to be submitted.
For business visa: Letter of invitation from the host company in Switzerland. The letter must be sent by the host
company (e-mail or fax) directly to the competent Swiss representation and has to include your name as listed in your passport (family name in capital letters).
For visit visa: Letter of invitation from the host in Switzerland, including your name (as listed in your passport, family name in capital letters), length of your stay, relation to your host (friend, family member, etc.), plus name, address and contact information of the person inviting you. This letter, along with a copy of the host’s Swiss passport or Swiss residence permit, should be directly sent to the competent Swiss representation (e-mail or fax).
Once you have accumulated all the documents, you can apply at the Schengen consulate of your main destination.
Switzerland consulates in the US
District of Columbia (DC), Delaware (DE), Kentucky (KY), Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA), West Virginia (WV), Northern Mariana Islands (MP), Guam (GU),Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Missouri (MO), Nebraska (NE) | Embassy of Switzerland in Washington |
Alabama (AL), Arkansas (AR), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Louisiana (LA), Mississippi (MS), North Carolina (NC), Oklahoma (OK), South Carolina (SC), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Cayman Islands | Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta |
New York (NY), Connecticut (CT), Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), Vermont (VT), Bermuda, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands,Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), North Dakota (ND), Ohio (OH), South Dakota (SD), Wisconsin (WI) | Consulate General of Switzerland in New York |
Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Montana (MT), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), Oregon (OR), Utah (UT), Washington (WA), Wyoming (WY) | Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco |
How long does it take for your Schengen visa to be processed?
The time needed for a visa request to be processed may vary from case to case. It is therefore strongly recommended to take the necessary steps well in advance so that the visa can be issued in the time required.
- Short stay visas (tourists, visitors, business) are in general processed within 10-15 days.
- Visa for persons who have already received authorization from a Swiss cantonal authority will be generally processed in one week
How much does it cost for your Schengen visa?
For adults (12 years and older): 68 USD
For Children (6 – 11 years old): 40 USD
For (younger than 6 years old): Free
FAQ about Switzerland Schengen visa by US permanent residents
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