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Planning to travel from Vietnam to Switzerland? Getting your visa right from the start makes a significant difference. Switzerland is part of the Schengen Area, which means Vietnamese citizens need to apply for the correct Switzerland visa before travelling, regardless of the purpose or length of stay.
This guide covers every Switzerland visa for Vietnam citizens, what each visa allows, what you need to apply, and how to submit your application from Vietnam.
Yes. Vietnamese citizens require a visa to enter Switzerland. As Switzerland is part of the Schengen Area, the type of visa you need depends on how long you plan to stay and why:
Short stays (up to 90 days): You need a Schengen Visa (Type C). This covers tourism, business, and short visits
Long stays (over 90 days): A National Visa (Type D) is required. This applies to work, study, and family reunion purposes
Short-stay Schengen visa applications are submitted through VFS Global in Vietnam, which has visa application centres in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Submit long-stay national visa applications in person at the Consulate General of Switzerland in Ho Chi Minh City.
Here is a full breakdown of every visa type available to Vietnamese nationals, what each covers, and who it is for.
The tourist visa is the most common visa for Vietnamese citizens visiting Switzerland for leisure, sightseeing, or short personal trips.
Stay permitted: Up to 90 days within any 180-day period
Entry: Single or multiple entry
Application: Via VFS Global Vietnam
Key requirements:
Valid Vietnamese passport, issued within the last 10 years, valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, and with at least two blank pages.
Completed Schengen visa application form
Travel insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the Schengen Area
Confirmed accommodation (hotel bookings or a host's invitation letter)
Detailed travel itinerary
Proof of sufficient funds (approximately CHF 100 per day of stay)
Recent bank statements (last 3–6 months)
Passport-sized photographs meeting Schengen photo standards
For Vietnamese nationals travelling to Switzerland for short-term professional activities, such as meetings, conferences, trade fairs, or contract negotiations.
Stay permitted: Up to 90 days within any 180-day period
Application: Via VFS Global Vietnam
Key requirements:
Valid Vietnamese passport
Completed Schengen Type C visa application form
Travel insurance (minimum €30,000 coverage)
Invitation letter from your Swiss business partner or host company, including details of the visit
Proof of accommodation during the stay
Travel itinerary
Financial documentation showing sufficient funds
Biometric data (fingerprints and photograph) collected at VFS Global Vietnam
Vietnamese citizens who have received a job offer in Switzerland and intend to stay longer than 90 days must apply for a National Work Visa (Type D). Switzerland applies strict immigration rules for non-EU/EFTA nationals, so the process is more involved than a short-stay visa.
Stay permitted: Over 90 days, tied to employment duration
Application: Swiss Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City (after cantonal approval)
Key requirements:
Valid job offer from a Swiss employer
Work permit authorisation from the relevant cantonal migration authority (the employer typically initiates this process)
Proof of qualifications and relevant professional experience
Valid Vietnamese passport
Health insurance coverage valid in Switzerland
Clean criminal record
Important: The cantonal authorisation must be granted before you can submit your visa application at the Swiss Consulate. Your Swiss employer will usually handle this step.
Vietnamese students who have been accepted into a Swiss university, college, or vocational institution for a programme lasting more than 90 days must apply for a Student National Visa.
Stay permitted: Duration of the study programme
Application: Swiss Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City
Key requirements:
Attestation from the Swiss school or university confirming that you have been accepted and have paid the school fees.
Proof of sufficient financial means to cover tuition fees and living costs for the duration of study
Accommodation arrangements in Switzerland
Travel and health insurance valid in Switzerland
A CV and a motivation letter explaining why you want to study in Switzerland, your plans after graduation, and your commitment to leave Switzerland when you finish
A valid IELTS certificate if your programme is taught in English
Submit the application in person at the Consulate General, which will forward it to the cantonal authority for a decision. You don’t need cantonal approval before applying.
Vietnamese citizens who are immediate family members of a Swiss resident or citizen may apply to join them in Switzerland through a Family Reunion Visa.
Stay permitted: Long-term, tied to the sponsor's residence status
Application: In person at the Swiss Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City which forwards your application to the cantonal authority for a decision.
Eligible family members include spouses or registered partners, dependent children under 18, and in some cases, dependent parents.
Key requirements:
Proof of family relationship, marriage certificate, birth certificate, or other official documentation (a recent extract of the marriage or birth register, issued no more than six months ago and legalised by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi or the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City)
Proof that the Swiss sponsor meets the financial and housing requirements set by the canton
A copy of your family member’s passport and, if they are not Swiss, their Swiss residence permit
Proof of language skills, where the canton requires it for family reunification
Police clearance certificate
All relationship documents issued in Vietnamese must include certified translations into English, French, German, or Italian. The visa is free for spouses and children of Swiss and EU/EEA nationals, and for all children under six.
A transit visa is required for passengers who pass through a Swiss airport without entering the Schengen Area, and whose nationality appears on the list of countries requiring an airport transit visa.
Vietnamese citizens should check the Swiss government website to confirm whether an airport transit visa is required for their specific itinerary, as requirements can change and depend on onward destination.
While each visa type has its own specific list, the following documents are commonly required across most Switzerland visa applications from Vietnam:
Personal documents:
Valid Vietnamese passport (at least 3 months’ validity beyond your intended stay for a Schengen visa, or after your planned entry for a national visa, with at least two blank pages)
Passport-sized photographs (Schengen format — 35x45mm, white background)
Completed and signed visa application form (national visa applications need three signed forms)
Financial documentation:
Recent bank statements (last 3–6 months)
Proof of employment, business ownership, or income source
Sponsorship letter if someone in Switzerland is covering your costs
Travel and stay documentation:
Round-trip flight reservations or itinerary
Hotel bookings or confirmed accommodation
Travel insurance (minimum €30,000 for Schengen visas)
Visa-specific documents:
Invitation letter (business or family visits)
Letter of acceptance (student visa)
Employment contract and cantonal work permit (work visa)
Proof of relationship and sponsor documents (family reunion visa)
For national visa applications, the Consulate General requires every Vietnamese document to come with a notarised translation into French, German, Italian, or English. The translation must not be older than six months.
Civil status documents such as birth and marriage register extracts must also be issued within six months of your application. They must also be legalised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Consular Department in Hanoi or Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City).
Documents that commonly require certified translation include:
Employment records
Translayte provides certified translations that meet Swiss immigration standards, ensuring your documents are accepted by the Swiss Consulate and VFS Global without unnecessary delays or rejections.
Start by confirming which visa matches your travel purpose and intended length of stay. Use the Swiss government's visa information portal to identify the right category. Applying for the wrong visa type can result in immediate refusal and may affect future applications.
Once you know your visa type, compile all required documents before beginning your application. Use the official checklist for your specific visa category as your guide. Pay particular attention to documents with expiry dates, such as your passport validity, insurance coverage, and bank statements, as they must be recent.
Any document issued in Vietnamese must be professionally translated into English, French, German, or Italian before submission (for national visas, this must be a notarised translation no older than six months). Swiss immigration authorities will not accept untranslated documents, and poorly translated documents often cause processing delays.
Submit short-stay Schengen visa applications through VFS Global Vietnam. You must complete the visa application form online before you can book an appointment. Then book an appointment at the VFS centre in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
For a national visa, scan your complete application as a PDF and email it to the Consulate General. Appointments can fill up quickly during peak travel seasons, so book as early as possible.
Bring your complete application pack to your VFS appointment. At the centre you will:
Submit all original documents and copies
Provide biometric data( fingerprints and a photograph) if you have not done so in the past 59 months
Pay the visa application fee
Visa fees (approximate):
Schengen Visa (adults): €90 (charged as CHF 82 or VND 2,700,000 at the Consulate General’s rates from 1 April 2026)
Schengen Visa (children aged 6-12): €45 (CHF 41 or VND 1,350,000)
Children under 6: Free
National visa (Type D): fees vary by visa type. The national student visa is free at the Swiss Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City; other Type D visas are not. Family reunion visas are free for spouses and children of Swiss and EU/EEA nationals.
VFS Global charges its own service fee separate from the visa fee
Fees are non-refundable regardless of the visa outcome.
For certain visa types, particularly long-stay national visas, the Swiss Consulate may require a personal interview. You will be notified in advance if this applies to your application.
Prepare to explain clearly:
The purpose and duration of your intended stay
Your ties to Vietnam (property, employment, family) that demonstrate your intention to return
Your financial situation and how you will support yourself in Switzerland
After submission, you can track your application status through the VFS Global portal. Processing times vary by visa type:
Visa type | Typical processing time |
Tourist / Business (Schengen Type C) | 15 calendar days (up to 45 days in complex cases) |
Work Visa (National Type D) | Several weeks to months (cantonal approval required first) |
Student Visa (National Type D) | About 8-12 weeks; and up to 3 months |
Family Reunion (National Type D) | About 8-12 weeks; and up to 3 months |
Apply well in advance of your intended travel date. Processing times are not guaranteed and can extend during peak periods. For national visas, the consulate does not give updates during processing, so contact the cantonal migration authority for your intended place of residence if you need one.
Note: When you arrive, your entry is registered in the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which also records your fingerprints and facial image at the Schengen border. Border officers may also ask to see proof of funds, travel insurance, and a return ticket.
Start early. You can submit Schengen visa applications up to six months before your travel date, but no later than 15 days before. The Consulate General recommends applying up to three months ahead. For national visas requiring cantonal approval, the overall process can take several months. Build in plenty of time.
Be consistent across all documents. Your name, date of birth, and personal details must match exactly across your passport, application form, and supporting documents. Even minor inconsistencies can trigger requests for additional information and delay your application.
Translate everything. Swiss immigration officers are not required to interpret Vietnamese-language documents. Any untranslated document risks being set aside. Treat certified translation as mandatory.
Use certified, qualified translators. Swiss authorities require accurate, certified translations. For national visa applications, use a notarised translation no older than six months. Translayte provides certified translations for Swiss visa applications, ensuring your documents meet the required standard from the outset.
Provide strong financial evidence. For tourist and business visas, demonstrating sufficient funds is critical. Provide bank statements covering the last 3-6 months, and ensure the balance clearly supports the length of your intended stay. Roughly CHF 100 per day is the general benchmark.
Be honest and thorough on your application form. Omissions or inaccuracies can result in refusal and affect future applications. If you are uncertain about any question, seek advice from a registered immigration professional before submitting.
Keep copies of everything. Retain copies of your complete application pack, all original documents, and your appointment confirmation. If your application is queried or additional documents are requested, having organised copies on hand speeds up your response.
Getting a Switzerland visa as a Vietnamese citizen is a manageable process when you know which visa to apply for, what documents to prepare, and how to meet the translation requirements correctly.
The most common reason applications are delayed or refused is not the application itself; it's incomplete documentation or documents submitted without certified translations.
If your supporting documents are in Vietnamese, ensure they include certified translations that meet Swiss immigration standards.
Upload your documents to Translayte for a free quote and start your application early.
Daniel is an SEO content writer who creates clear and practical guides on immigration, translation, and travel documentation. He helps you understand official requirements, avoid delays, and submit the right documents for visas, citizenship, and other official purposes. When he’s not writing, Daniel enjoys volunteering at his local food bank.
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