How To Apply Switzerland Schengen Tourist Visa for UAE Residents + Flight Guidelines

Applying for Schengen Visa is a daunting task but it can be done DIY. According to the Schengen statistics of the year 2020, compared to Malta which has a 49.56% refusal rate, Switzerland is only 13.3% in UAE. Although it’s not the reason why I chose to apply for Switzerland, it’s because the country is safe and has a high quality of life (comes with a price though 🙈)

Here’s the sequence I did in applying for our visa application (I will not repeat the other requirements which is already given on the links):

1. Book an appointment first! (Due to the rise of applications, consider at least a month of waiting time. The closest appointment we got was after two weeks plus another 14 days for visa processing.)
2. Download the necessary documents: Visa Application Form & Application Checklist
3. Fill in the details correctly (guide)
4. Latest passport photo (Don’t recycle old photos! or else you will be forced to avail their photo capture services)
5. Detailed Itinerary Letter addressing to the Embassy
6. Letters: Company Letter (with Trade License) and NOC (for spouse and parent’s visa)

Track the application through this link using the reference number from the VFS receipt. We received our visa exactly 14 days of processing. In our application, we only applied for single entry (since it’s our first time) but the Embassy gave us a multiple entry for 30 days (butttt we can’t afford to stay that for long in the country 😂).

Abu Dhabi → Switzerland

• Check for updated measurements related to pandemic
• Download the IATA Travel Pass app — not used in actual
• Take COVID-19 PCR test only at IATA participating labs (48 hours before flight)
• Contact Tracing Form Switzerland (48h before entry)
• Download COVID Certificate app (FOPH)
• Register National COVID Certificate application platform and generate transfer code from COVID Certificate app to synchronize and verify data

Switzerland → Abu Dhabi

• Register at the ICA uaeentry.ica.gov.ae (before and after travel)
• Take COVID-19 PCR test only at suggested facilities Purehealth or at m3 Sanitrade (48 hours before flight)
• Download Al Hosn App (applicable for Abu Dhabi residents to enter public places)
• FREE PCR Test upon arrival Purehealth (also required on the 6th day)

The following fees are as follows:
Tourist visa fee – 355 AED each (free for 6 years below)
VFS Service charge – 127.8 AED each
SMS fee – 12 AED each (I think this is a default choice by VFS and receive the SMS — visa confirmation after a month of application 🤪)
Photo Express Studio (mall) – 94.5 AED

Miscellaneous travel expenses:
(PCR test exempted for ages under 12 years)
UAE PCR Test (Biogenix Abu Dhabi) – 50 AED each
Switzerland PCR Test (Unilabs Meyrin) – 664 AED each
Switzerland Covid Certificate – 30 CHF each

Note: Printed copy of PCR certificate results may be needed by the immigration authorities for validation.

It is recommended to buy a Switzerland compatible adaptor ahead of time to avoid unnecessary spendings (source).

Available on Ace Hardware for 32 AED.