Apply for a return visa or visa extension

1. Overview

Return visa

Obtaining a return visa may be necessary in the following cases:

  • you meet the conditions to obtain or renew your residence or establishment authorisation in Switzerland but are temporarily not in possession of it
  • you want to temporarily travel to your country of origin which requires an entry visa to Switzerland to allow you to enter Switzerland.

Autres feuillets du livret

Visa extension

Migration authorities cannot in principle extend the Schengen visa. Under the Entry Ordinance, the person holding a short-term visa must respect the authorised dates of stay and the purpose of the stay for which the visa was granted.

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.

Your visa extension application must be submitted ton the Cantonal Office for Population and Migration even if your visa has not been issued by the Swiss authorities.

Apply for a visa extension

Change or cancel your visa appointment

People who have received a visa appointment by email or text message that is not suitable for them can change or cancel it.

Change or cancel a visa appointment

Travel document or return visa for permit N or F holder

If you hold an N or F permit for temporarily admitted foreign nationals, you must apply to the Cantonal Office of Population and Migration to obtain a travel document or a return visa.

Apply for a travel document or return visa

2. Return visa

For whom

A return visa may be granted in the following cases:

  • someone holding a residence or establishment permit who is not physically in possession of their permit (e.g. production or renewal of the current permit, loss or theft)
  • someone with a right to a residence permit (e.g. family reunification with a Swiss national or a C permit holder)
  • someone whose application for regularisation of residence conditions has already been approved by the State Secretariat for Migration.

When

The visa application must be submitted no earlier than 30 days before departure but no later than 14 days before departure.

What

The period of validity of the return visa shall be determined in accordance with the circumstances and at the discretion of the authority but shall in any case not exceed 90 days.

Attachments

  • colour copy of a valid passport
  • 1 passport-sized photo 

The Cantonal Office for Population and Migration reserves the right to require any other documents or information when examining your application.

The following must be specified at the time of application:

  • the desired length of time for the visa
  • the country of destination
  • the reasons for your request

Follow-up to your request

If a return visa can be issued, you will receive an appointment by email (please check in your spam as well).

If the appointment isn't to your liking, you can change or cancel it yourself.

You must then come in person at the agreed date and time to the counters of the Cantonal Office of Population and Migration with the following documents:

  • valid passport
  • other supporting documents mentioned in the appointment confirmation
  • in the case of a request for free of charge for a dependent: last tax notice indicating the contact details of the person concerned

The State Secretariat for Migration may in some cases block the issuance of a return visa. In such a situation, it is necessary to contact the latter directly to request the lifting of the measure.

Price

A tax may be levied. The return visa is free of charge for the spouse of a Swiss or European Union national and their descendants under 21 years of age or dependent, as well as for the relatives in the ascending line for a Swiss or European Union national and those of their spouse who are dependent.

Apply for your return visa

The application for a return visa must be submitted using an online form. Only one form must be completed for members of the same family. A personal e-démarches account is required.

If your 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.

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.

Apply for an extension of your visa

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.

4. Travel document or return visa for permit N or F holder

For whom

Persons holding an N or F permit for temporarily admitted foreign nationals may obtain a travel document or return visa in the following cases:

  • serious illness or death of a family member
  • the resolution of important, strictly personal, non-deferring matters
  • cross-border travel made mandatory by the school or training institution attended
  • active participation in a sporting or cultural event abroad.

Persons holding an F permit for temporarily admitted foreign nationals may also obtain a travel document or a return visa for holidays or family visits in a third country under the following conditions:

  • the country of destination may not be their country of origin or provenance
  • the F permit must have been issued more than 3 years ago
  • you must have a valid passport (unless you are a Somali national or your asylum procedure is not closed)
  • you must be employed and financially independent
  • you need to demonstrate good integration.

When

The application for a return visa or a travel document must be submitted at least 2 months before the scheduled departure date.

Terms

Only one trip of up to 30 days per year is possible.

Make an appointment

To obtain a travel document or a return visa, you must first make an appointment via the contact form by selecting: "Documents d'identité, de voyage et visa", then: "Prendre un rendez-vous pour un visa de retour - permis F ou S".

Showing up at the counter

The appointment is sent by mail.

The person concerned must come in person to the Protection, Asylum and Return Service desks with the following documents:

  • valid national passport (unless you are a Somali national or if your asylum procedure is not closed or if it is at the State Secretariat for Migration - SEM). If it is not possible to obtain a valid national passport, a certificate from your consular authorities stating that it does not issue national passports.
  • 1 passport-sized photo
  • 1 letter indicating the reasons, destination and dates of the trip
  • any other document justifying the trip (written confirmation from the organiser in case of a sporting or cultural event, original medical certificate specifying the diagnosis as well as the prognosis, original death certificate, etc.). Where applicable, these documents must be translated into a national language or into English
  • CHF 25.- in cash per person.

Persons holding an F permit who wish to take a holiday or family visit must bring the following additional documents:

  • certificate from the prosecution office, dated less than 3 months
  • certificate of assistance from the Hospice général, dated less than 3 months
  • in the case of financial assistance from social assistance:
    • if the person is working, a copy of the employment contract and the last salary slip
    • copies of language course attestations (evidence of courses and language level taken)
    • proof of any volunteer or association activities
    • possible evidence of integration

Follow-up of the request

Your request will be forwarded to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), which is responsible for the matter and will issue a decision.

In the event of a positive decision, the SEM will issue the travel document or return visa upon reception of payment of the federal fee and send them to your home.

If your biometric data is required, you will need to request an appointment via our contact form.

For a travel document, select: "Documents d'identité, de voyage et visa", then: "Demander un passeport pour étrangers" and : "Prendre un rendez-vous biométrique pour un titre de voyage"

For a return visa, select: "Documents d'identité, de voyage et visa", then: "Demander un visa"

During this appointment, you will need to bring the SEM mail and your permit.

In the event of a negative decision, the SEM decision will be communicated to you in writing.

Price

Cantonal fee: 25.- francs

Federal fee: 115.- francs for adults ans 35.- francs for children.

5. Change or cancel your visa appointment

For whom

People who have received an appointment by email or text message and want to change or cancel it.

Terms

Have the appointment code received in the confirmation sent by email o text message.

Change or cancel your appointment