Principally you can stay in Switzerland up to three months without gainful employment (e. g. visit, tourism) without a permit for foreign nationals. The foreign person can stay to a maximum up to six months within a duration of six months. The beginning of this calculation starts at the moment of the first entry.

The Federal Office for Migration (FOM) keeps a list of countries from which a visa is required for entry into Switzerland. A visa application form can be downloaded from the FOM website, filled in and then printed on the FOM website. The form must then be sent on for further processing to the Swiss embassy or consulate in the home country of the applicant, which will process the visa application and advise whether additional documents (travel documents, letters of invitation from your host, travel insurance, declaration of guarantee, etc.) are required . The Swiss embassy or consulate assists in all matters dealing with visas, tourism, etc.

The competent authority can oblige the applicant to prove the existence of sufficient financial means. This declaration has to be signed by a solvent person living in Switzerland. The person signing this declaration pledges herself to pay for non covered costs (such as costs for medical treatment and/ or costs for travelling) up to an amount of CHF 30'000.--- (costs that potentially could arise to the public authorities or medical services). The FOM's fact sheet for entering Switzerland summarises the main points concerning the declaration of guarantee.

The FOM has gathered a vast amount of information on visas and entry into Switzerland. Before a trip abroad you should contact your foreign embassy or consulate in Switzerland to find out if a visa is required and what you need to do.

The Swiss visa authorities is competent to issue visas valid for all Schengen countries (since December 12, 2008 ).