NEW DELHI: The Embassy of Switzerland in India has denied reports about suspension of Schengen visa appointments for Indian tour groups.
“We have almost 800 daily appointments through the end of September 2023. These include 22 groups,” the embassy said in a statement.
“People-to-people contact is at the core of Swiss-Indian relationship. In 2023, the embassy of Switzerland in India has processed more visa applications than it did in 2019. We have surpassed our pre-pandemic times processing level. From January until June, we handled 129,446 applications, as against 120,071 during the same period in 2019 – a 7.8% increase,” the embassy said.
The spokesperson, Embassy of Switzerland in India, said following three measures have been implemented since the beginning of this year to further ease the visa application process for Indian applicants.
First, it is possible for the applicants to apply for their visa six months before their date of travel, as against one month in the past. So, someone wishing to travel in June can already apply for a visa in January.
Second, the Embassy has increased its overall capacity in India. With a new Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Lucknow, there are now 13 VACs all over India, where applications can be submitted.
Third, currently, it takes no more than 13 working days between the appointment by our partner VFS and the Embassy’s decision on the application.”
There were reports that the Swiss embassy in New Delhi has announced that it will not be accepting Schengen visa applications for Indian tour groups until October due to the high volume of applications.
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa granting individuals the opportunity to travel to any member country within the Schengen Area for tourism or business purposes. The visa allows a stay of up to 90 days.
The Schengen visa allows tourists to visit 26 European countries. Considered the most common visa for Europe, the Schengen visa provides its holder with the freedom to enter, travel within, and exit the Schengen zone from any member country. Notably, the Schengen Area is characterized by the absence of border controls, allowing for seamless travel within the region.
Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs acknowledges the time taken in processing visas and states that the country is currently processing 94 percent of the visa applications that were available in 2019. However, many other Schengen countries are still facing difficulties in restoring their visa capacities from 2019, resulting in delays.
For anyone applying for a Switzerland Schengen visa, several documents must be submitted, including a completed and signed Swiss visa application form, a valid passport, two passport photos, and copies of previous visas. Additionally, applicants must provide a round-trip flight itinerary, proof of accommodation in Switzerland, evidence of sufficient financial means, and travel health insurance coverage, among other requirements.