Schengen visa appointments for Indian tour groups not stopped, clarifies Swiss embassy in New Delhi

The Swiss Embassy in New Delhi in a statement has clarified that it has not suspended Schengen visa appointments for Indian tour groups and has almost 800 daily appointments through the end of September 2023. The mission asserted that 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 following measures have been implemented since the beginning of this year to further ease the visa application process for Indian applicants," the statement further read.

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, it further added.


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, spokesperson, Embassy of Switzerland in India said.

Recently, in an article SchengenVisaInfo.com said that the Swiss embassy in New Delhi has declared its temporary suspension of Schengen visa applications for Indian tour groups until October.

Applicants seeking a Switzerland Schengen visa are required to submit various documents, including a duly completed Swiss visa application form, their passport, two passport-sized photographs, and copies of previous visas.

Additionally, individuals must provide evidence of a round-trip flight itinerary, confirmation of accommodation arrangements in Switzerland, proof of sufficient financial resources, and documentation of acquired travel health insurance, among other prerequisites.