Procedure
Individuals requiring a visa are required to submit their visa application to the Swiss foreign mission in charge of their place of residence. The application form is provided by the Swiss foreign missions free of charge. The application form is to be submitted together with the travel document as well as, on demand, other documents which certify the reason of travel.
If the foreign mission demands a declaration of sponsorship, the foreign visitor(s) in question fill out the relevant form and submit this to the guarantor.
The guarantor completes and signs the declaration of sponsorship, which is then to be sent, together with all necessary documents, to the cantonal or communal authority in charge.
The declaration of sponsorship is checked by the cantonal or communal authority and entered into the Central Migration In-formation System.
The result of these considerations is immediately communicated to the foreign mission which then decides on the issue of a visa.
If my visa is refused...
You have statutory rights, make use of them following this instructions:
In the case of a refusal of the visa, the Swiss representation abroad communicates the decision to the applicant in the name of the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) using the form described in Annex VI of the Visa Code (art. 6 par. 2 FNA). The applicant can appeal in writing against this decision with the Federal Office for Migration, 3003 Bern within thirty days from the service (art. 6 par. 2bis FNA). Thereupon the FOM issues a contestable decision subject to a fee, against which the applicant can appeal with the Federal Administrative Court, PO box, 3000 Bern 14 within thirty days from the service. There is no independent right of appeal against a negative statement of the cantonal or local authorities.