Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and 
other International Organizations in Geneva 
 
  WTO Ministerial Conference 
30 November-2 December 2009 
 
Information concerning visas 
 
General information 
Switzerland has been an associate member of t he Schengen Agreements since 12 December 2008 
and is therefore part of the Schengen Area.  Persons subject to the visa requirement (hereinafter referred to as applicants) may obtain a visa from Switzerland for a stay of up to three months.  These 
visas are generally valid for the whole of the Schengen Area. 
 The implementation of the Schengen regulations has led to a number of changes in the procedures for 
issuing visas.  Pursuant to the headquarters ag reements with international organizations and the 
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 Ap ril 1961, which applies by analogy to Permanent 
Missions in Geneva, the competent aut horities make every effort to pr ocess applications as quickly as 
possible.  Under the Schengen regulations, however, the waiting time for a visa has increased, 
and it is vital that this be taken into account.  
 
Deadline for applications 
The visa application may be submitted three months before the event, at the earliest, to the competent 
Swiss representation covering the applicant's place of residence.  The application is to be submitted 
six weeks before the event at the very latest . 
The processing of the application will begin upon receipt of a complete file  of all the documents 
required by the Swiss representation. The Swiss authorities are unable to guarantee the processing of applications submitted after the above deadline. 
 
Obtaining a visa:  practicalities 
 
The website of the Federal Office for Migration (O DM) provides useful information on the practical 
aspects of obtaining a visa.  The following links are of particular interest: 
 
 General provisions relating to entry into Switzerland  
French version 
http://www.bfm.admin.ch/etc/medialib/data/migrat ion/einreise/merkblatt_einreise.Par.0002.File
.tmp/200904-merkblatt-f.pdf  
English version 
http://www.bfm.admin.ch/etc/medialib/data/migrat ion/einreise/merkblatt_einreise.Par.0004.File
.tmp/200904-merkblatt-e.pdf  
 
 Visa and travel document r equirements by nationality  
http://www.bfm.admin.ch/etc/medialib/data/mi gration/rechtsgrundlagen/weisungen_und_kreiss
chreiben/Weisungen_Visa.Par.0010.File .tmp/anh1-liste1_vorschriften_20090701-f.pdf  
 
 Documents required  
http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/themen/ einreise/visumantragsformular.html  
It should be noted that the visa application mu st be accompanied by the travel document and, 
if so required, other documents which clearly indicate the purpose and circumstances of the 
intended stay or transit. Government delegates must provide a note verbale bearing their name, or a mission order. For further information on the documents to be su bmitted in the visa application, please visit 
the website of the competent Swiss representati on covering the applicant's place of residence. 
 
 Access to websites of Swiss representations abroad  
http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps.html  
 
 Frequently asked questions  
http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/t hemen/einreise/faq_einreise.html  
  
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