Student visa for Switzerland: how to apply (2026)

Which Swiss visas can you obtain?

Switzerland issues the following types of visa:

• Short-stay Schengen visa, category C
  For:

  • tourism

  • business trips

  • visits to relatives

  • short-term study (language courses, camps)

  Length of stay — up to 90 days within any 180-day period

• National visa, category D
  For:

  • study lasting more than 90 days

  • study at schools, colleges and universities

  • long-term language programmes

Main application rules

• For visa C:
  Switzerland must be:

  • your main country of stay
    or

  • the only country on your trip

• If your trip covers several countries with the same length of stay — you may apply to the consulate of any of them (most often — the country of first entry)

• For visa D (study):

  • Switzerland must be your main country of study

  • the course must take place there

Where to submit your documents?

Citizens of Kyrgyzstan submit their documents as follows:

• Category C visa (up to 90 days)
  Submitted through visa application centres working with Switzerland (operator TLScontact)

• Student visa D (more than 90 days)
  Submitted directly to the Embassy of Switzerland
  Embassy of Switzerland in Kyrgyzstan

Booking an appointment

• For visa C:
  book online via the visa application centre's website

• For visa D:
  contact the embassy (usually by email) to book an appointment

Processing times

• Visa C — around 15 calendar days

• Visa D (student) — from several weeks to 2–3 months

This can take longer, as visa D applications are referred to Switzerland's cantonal migration authorities for review

Attending in person

• Visa C:

  • biometric data is usually required

  • if you gave biometrics within the last 59 months — an exemption may apply

• Visa D (student):

  • submission in person is compulsory

  • a brief interview may be held

Minors must submit their documents accompanied by an adult

After entering Switzerland

Once you have the D visa and have entered the country, you need to:

• register with the local authorities

• obtain a residence permit

Visa fees

(current base rates according to the State Secretariat for Migration)

Visa C:

• adults — 80 euros

• children aged 6–12 — 40 euros

• children under 6 — free of charge

The visa application centre may also charge a service fee

Visa D:

• the fee is paid at the time of submission

• the amount is set by the embassy

• the fee is non-refundable if your application is refused

Preparing your documents

• All documents are submitted with copies

• Missing documents may lead to a refusal or delay

Translating your documents

• Visa C:
  translation is usually not compulsory, but translation into English is recommended

• Visa D:
  translation is compulsory into one of the following languages:

  • English

  • German

  • French

  • Italian

Civil registry documents (certificates and the like) require a notarised translation