Switzerland Short-stay Schengen Visa (Type C) — Applying from Japan

Submission office and jurisdiction

Applications from Japan are accepted by the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, Swiss Visa Desk in Tokyo (5-9-12 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo). The Embassy has sole jurisdiction over all of Japan (consular district: Japan) — there is no jurisdiction split, and applicants from any prefecture apply in Tokyo. The Consulate of Switzerland in Osaka handles only education, research and innovation matters and does not process visa or consular affairs. No external service provider such as VFS Global is used; submission is direct to the Embassy only.

If Switzerland is the main destination (longest stay or main purpose) of a multi-country Schengen trip, you apply to Switzerland.

Application form and required documents

The Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) application form is completed online at www.swiss-visa.ch. At the end of the process you print the PDF, sign it, and use the submit button to send the data online to the Embassy. You bring the signed printout and all supporting documents to the appointment. Long-stay cases (Type D) are submitted by post under a separate National visa requirements leaflet, so they are out of scope for this page.

The Tourist/Transit required-documents list asks, alongside the photo, for your passport and purpose-specific supporting documents. The official guidance we checked does not explicitly require submitting a Japanese residence card as such; Japan residence is the prerequisite for jurisdiction, and the purpose-specific leaflets (Tourist/Transit, Private Visit, Business/Conference) each require documents showing your residence and stay situation. Incomplete applications (missing documents or copies) are not processed and are returned, so check carefully. For the photo size, background, glasses and other detailed requirements, see the global Switzerland visa photo page. Because the required documents differ by purpose of travel, confirm the latest Embassy leaflet for your trip before you book.

Appointment, timing, fee and passport return

You obtain an appointment through the www.swiss-visa.ch system after submitting the online application. Walk-in (arrival without an appointment) is not accepted, and one appointment is required per applicant — each member of a group application must book separately. Duplicate appointments for the same person are prohibited, and appointments cannot be made by e-mail, at the counter, or by phone. In high season the wait for an appointment can run to several weeks. Family of EU/EFTA nationals must also book in advance.

Applications can be filed from 6 months before travel, and the consular section normally decides within 15 days. However, if a consultation with other Schengen member states is required for your nationality, it can take up to 14 calendar days, so applying at least 2 months before travel is recommended (and no earlier than 6 months before your planned entry).

The fee from 1 April 2026 is JPY 16,000 for adults, JPY 8,000 for children aged 6–12, free for children under 6, and free for family of EU/EFTA nationals. It is paid in cash or by credit card at submission and is not refunded even if the application is refused or withdrawn. Because the Swiss mission reserves the right to adjust the amount for exchange-rate movements, confirm the current figure on the fees page before you book. A passport with the visa affixed can be returned by post if you bring a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope with a tracking number from a secure carrier (your own name and address as both sender and recipient); the Swiss mission is not liable for documents lost in the post.

Biometrics: fingerprints and photo

Since 12 October 2015, all Schengen missions in Japan have collected biometric data (a digital photo plus 10 fingerprints) from Schengen visa applicants, under the Visa Information System that the Schengen member states introduced on 11 October 2011. Fingerprints are taken from age 12 and are re-captured every 59 months after the first capture. The paper photo you bring is for the file and is separate from the digital photo captured at the appointment.

If your fingerprints were taken for a Schengen visa within the past 59 months, the next application may not need a new fingerprint capture and may not require personal appearance. In that case you submit copies of all Schengen visas issued to you within the past 59 months alongside the other required documents. However, if the quality of the earlier fingerprints is insufficient, you must attend again in person to have them re-captured.

Children's applications and biometrics

Children under 12 are exempt from both personal appearance and fingerprinting. However, the Embassy reserves the right to request a personal interview after reviewing the application. Minors under 18 require additional documents: a birth certificate showing both parents' names, copies of both parents' passports, and — when travelling with one parent or alone — a notarised travel consent letter.

For the child photo rules (white background, ICAO format, and so on), see the global Switzerland visa photo page.