Schengen VISA requirements [My preparations for Switzerland tour]

Switzerland – Schengen VISA Basic paperwork

1. Original passport (old / new) – should be valid for min. 6 months from the date of return. It must have minimum 6 pages blank. Passport should not be older than 10 years or issued before 2000. Previous passport also required by the embassy.
2. Visa form duly filled and signed by the passenger
3. Covering letter (on business letter head or personal letter head), Mentioning purpose, date of travel, duration, brief profile etc.(Sample format which I used is given below at end of the list)
4. 3 photographs – (35 x 45 mm, matt finish, white background, 80% face visible) – goto any photofast shop and they will know the correct format for photographs)
5. ITR / Saral / Form 16 for last 3 years.(for me it was 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11)
6. Savings account bank statement / bank passbook updated last 6 months with bank stamp & signature and healthy balance (this is what my consultant told me!). No internet bank Statements.(ICICI provides stamped statements)
7. Pan card copy.
8. If employed, leave sanction letter from employer on company letter head – mentioning , designation, reason for leave, leave dates and duration with company’s stamp and authorized signature.(I got this letter from HR department, since we do not have physical  form but have electronic leave sanctioning)
9. If employed. Last 3 months salary slips.(again here I got them stamped from Accounts department since we have electronic pay slips)
10. If director – memorandum & articles of association, shop act license, Company’s last 3 years ITR (2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11) & last 6 months current a/c Bank statement updated till dated with healthy balance.
11. If partner – partnership deed, shop act license, company’s last 3 years ITR (2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11 ) & last 6 months current a/c bank statement updated till date with healthy balance
12. If anyone sponsoring the tour, sponsorship letter (on business letter head or personal letter head) along with all the above documents and signature proof of the sponsoror ( pancard copy or passport copy or driver’s license copy)
13. For students- school/ college identity proof or bonafide certificate.
14. Overseas travel insurance having coverage of euro 30000. (this I did from Bajaj Allianze, I chose plan “Travel Elite Family” costing about 1400 Rs. for two persons)
15. Certificate of highest degree obtained

Important photocopies for Swiss Visa :

1. All the above document – 1 sets of photocopies
2. Photocopy of investments: LIC, PF, PPF, FD’s, NSC, post MIS, Share & bonds, DMAT statement
3. Photocopy of property papers.(Index 2 is sufficient to show the property possession)
4. Marriage certificate
5. Schengen consulate might ask for personal interview. (for me they did not call me for an interview)
   This is information which I have collected from various interactions I had with the VISA agency and you shall check on your own the current requirements (use this list as reference and per-preparation purpose only)

Other Switzerland VISA requirements if you are planning to travel on your own

1. Travel insurance to be done before applying for VISA,
2. Air tickets to be booked before application for VISA,
3. Hotel bookings to be done before application for VISA,

** also it is better to have bank account details for your wife too and investments on her name, this is to support the VISA officer to decide on approval. you know more investments you show it is all better 🙂

by the way the VISA takes less than 8 days in normal timelines (may be when it is rush it will take more time) and the agency charges ~6000 Rs per application, since they have to send and collect the passports back as well as do preliminarily check for the papers.

Covering letter sample format which i used for my Schengen VISA application (only for reference)

../../2013
To,
The Visa Officer
Consulate General of Switzerland,
Mumbai
Dear Sir/Madam
Subject: Request for issuing Tourist Visa.
I, xxxxxxxxxx, am working as a xxxxxxxxxxx for xxxxxxxxxxxxx for the past xx years. I, along with my wife xxxxxxxxxx, would like to visit the tourist attraction locations in your beautiful country.
Please note that I have already made the necessary arrangements for our stay in your country, such as hotel bookings, return air tickets etc. Please find enclosed our necessary documents signed and completed visa application forms, photographs, running account bank statement for past 6 months, business income tax return for past 3 years, etc. in support of our visa application for a tourist visa.
I confirm that during our stay in your country, I will bear all the expenses related to this trip, including the cost of return air tickets, travel expenses within your country, hotel expenses, food etc.
I hereby authorize our official agent, to collect our traveler’s passports, for visa purposes, on my behalf.
I would appreciate if you could issue us a tourist visa for with (Single/Multiple) entries, enabling me/us to visit your country for sightseeing purposes.
Thanking You
Yours Faithfully

NAME: xxxxxxxxxx,
ADD: xxxxxxxxxx,
Ph. No. xxxxxxxxxx

for more details I suggest you to visit their official website for India

http://www.vfs-ch-in.com/mumbai/index.html

I recommend reading complete Switzerland tour planning guide only for you guiding on budget to locations and food