Apply for a return visa or visa extension
3. Visa extension
For whom
If you are already present on Swiss territory and are unable to leave the Schengen area before the expiry of your visa for reasons of force majeure, humanitarian reasons or imperative personal reasons, an extension of the visa may be necessary.
Important information on short-stay Schengen visas
When extending a Schengen Type C visa, data collection or verification shall be carried out. It is compulsory in connection with the examination and issue of the visa. Existing or newly entered data in the national visa information system (ORBIS) are automatically transferred to the Central Visa Information System (C-VIS), though only for short-stay Schengen visas (type A, B or C). C-VIS contains data on short-stay visas for all Schengen States. These data can therefore be consulted in the VIS not only by the competent Swiss federal and cantonal authorities but also by the competent authorities of the other Schengen States. The personal data collected, verified and entered in ORBIS are mentioned in Annexe 2 of the Ordinance on the Central Visa Information System and the National Visa System of 18 December 2013 (VISO; RS 142.512). They are kept for a period of 5 years.
In the context of the issue of a visa extension or of the validation of a financial sponsorship declaration requested by the competent Swiss representation in order to grant a C visa for invitation, the data entered by the competent Swiss representations (or representing Switzerland) shall be verified or updated by the cantonal migratory authority. Further information, in particular on the aims and practical aspects of the VIS, is available on the European Commission's website: Visa Information System - European Commission
As far as Switzerland is concerned, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is the authority responsible for ORBIS, but also for the procedure relating to the right of access, rectification or erasure of data entered in ORBIS or C-VIS, to which the applicant is entitled.
Any person whose data have been entered has the right to enquire as to whether any information concerning them is being processed in the visa information systems. To do this, a formal request must be sent to the SEM. The official documentation and application forms are available on the website of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC): Schengen/Dublin.
The FDPIC may also be contacted by post at the following address:
Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner
Feldeggweg 1
CH - 3003 Bern
Attachments
- a colour copy of your valid passport
- 1 passport-sized photo
- a copy of the Schengen visa
- a copy of the valid Schengen insurance
- a copy of the stamp(s) of entry into the Schengen area for the last 6 months
- proof of the applicant's financial means, or those of the guarantor along with the guarantor's identity document
If the reason for extension is medical:
- medical report according to the provided template duly completed
- proof of coverage of medical expenses
If the reason is professional:
- company explanatory letter (negotiations or business cases not completed or postponed, conference or seminar to be extended).
If the reason is due to force majeure:
- any document proving the existence of force majeure (last-minute cancellation or modification of a flight, natural disaster in the country of destination, etc.) or a humanitarian reason (inability to travel following an accident, serious and sudden illness of the person concerned or serious and sudden illness of a close relative or death of a close relative).
Follow-up of your request
You will receive an appointment by email (please also check in your spam).
If the appointment isn't to your liking, you can change or cancel it yourself.
You must then come in person at the agreed time and date to the counters of the Cantonal Office of Population and Migration with your valid passport.
Price
The fee levied varies according to the reason for the extension and the nationality of the applicant.
Processing times
The average processing time for an application is 5 to 10 days. We therefore advise you to make your request well in advance.
An application for an extension of a visa must be submitted using an online form. A personal e-démarches account is required.
If you are applying for a third party, please make sure to fill in the application form with the contact details of the person concerned.
In the application, mention only the first given name of the person concerned.