Visa facilitation agreements

A visa facilitation agreement simplifies the granting of visas for short stays within the Schengen area (up to 90 days within a 180-day period). The agreement generally defines certain categories of persons that may claim special privileges in the visa process and the form of these privileges. This may be, for example, shorter processing times, lower fees or a waiver of fees for certain categories of persons (e.g. children, students, pensioners) and the issuing of multiple visas.

Through its participation in the Schengen cooperation, Switzerland has pledged to follow the same rules and practices as the European Union (EU) for issuing visas for stays of less than three months. Switzerland thus enters into visa facilitation agreements with those countries that have already signed similar agreements with the EU. This ensures harmonisation in the process of issuing visas within the Schengen area.

Signed agreements

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Last modification 26.02.2024

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