Applying for a Swiss Visa in the Philippines? I received mine on November 2023. Here’s a rundown of my experience and some tips for a successful application.
Applying for a Swiss Visa
If you have a Philippine passport, you will apply for a Swiss Visa through VFS. You can find all the requirements and details here.
I won’t be going into the details of the application. The website is very straightforward. Instead, for the purpose of this blog, I will be sharing TIPS and my own PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
Timeline of My Experience
- Oct 16: Wanted to book my slot online already but couldn’t because there were no slots available (more on this later, below!).
- Oct 27: Slots opened. Booked earliest slot immediately.
- Nov 2: Morning: Went for my appointment.
- Nov 2: Afternoon: Got an SMS that said my application has been forward to the Embassy of Switzerland
- Nov 7: Got an SMS that said my application is already ready for pickup. But I opted for courier service. I got another SMS later that day that said my documents were dispatched already.
- Nov 8: Received my passport with approved visa!!!
Tips
1. Make sure you bring with you all necessary documents as mentioned in the checklist
- It sounds so obvious but believe me, a lot of the people I was with during my time slot did not bring their complete documents (I overheard haha)
- Make sure you have both bank certificates AND bank statements (one person that day didn’t have a bank certificate and the employees made him sign a waiver)
- Make sure your photo is clean (no yellowish backgrounds) and follows the guidelines. Some people had to have their photo retaken on the spot (with a fee!)
2. Opt for pick up if you’re worried about making it on time
- They say 15 working days on the website, but as you can see on my timeline above, I got mine much earlier. But if you’re in a tight schedule, better to book pickup because delivery will take +1 more day.
3. Book your appointment at least 3 months before your trip
- Make sure you book early to avoid rushing.
- I overheard (again, sorry haha) that there were those who applied 1-2 weeks before their trip! Oh my, that’s cutting it close. They were asked by the staff to sign a waiver that they are agreeing to the possibility of not being granted the visa before their trip.
4. You can include a cover letter to inform them of any concerns
- We were going on a trip to Hong Kong at the end of November and was worried they won’t be able to return my passport on time. So I wrote a cover letter stating that and asked if it were possible to send my passport back before our departure.
- I also included the plane bookings for our trip as proof that we really had pre-booked plans to leave at the end of the month.
NO SLOTS AVAILABLE?
What to do if there are no slots available? This was my #1 concern as I was applying. I even called their customer service hotline to confirm. But they assured me slots will come up soon. So, I just kept refreshing the website.
Slots opened a few days before the month ended. So I suggest checking regularly near the end of the month for the following month’s available slots.
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If you have other questions, just leave a comment below and I’ll try my best to answer them. Or send me a message on my Instagram. But to be honest, I don’t really have insider info on this. I’m just sharing my experience.
Hope you have a wonderful trip to Switzerland! 😉