Russian Federation to Switzerland visa requirements

Russian ordinary passport holders need a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa to visit Switzerland for tourism. There is no visa-free, eVisa, or visa-on-arrival option. Since the EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement was fully suspended on 12 September 2022, Russian applicants pay the standard EUR 80 fee, face longer processing, and as of November 2025 are generally issued single-entry visas only. Switzerland is a Schengen Area member, so Russian nationals must obtain a uniform Schengen Type C short-stay visa before travel. The visa permits stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the entire Schengen Area. Applications for trips where Switzerland is the main destination are lodged in Russia through the official outsourcing partner TLScontact (Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and other centres) and processed by the Swiss representation. Following the full suspension of the EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement on 12 September 2022, the privileged EUR 35 fee and 10-day processing no longer apply: Russian applicants are now treated under the general EU Visa Code, meaning an EUR 80 consular fee, a standard 15-day (extendable to 45-day) decision period, and additional documentary scrutiny. From 7 November 2025 the European Commission tightened rules further, so Russian tourists generally receive single-entry visas only and must reapply for each trip, with multiple-entry visas reserved for narrow exceptions (close relatives of EU residents, transport workers, journalists, human rights defenders). The biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) began rollout across Schengen in October 2025, requiring fingerprints and a facial image on first entry. ETIAS (planned for Q4 2026) does NOT apply to Russian nationals because it is only for visa-exempt travellers; visa-required Russians continue to need a full Schengen visa. Travellers must carry proof of accommodation, return travel, sufficient funds, and Schengen-wide travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000.