For citizens of New Zealand

New Zealand citizens do not need any visa to enter Switzerland.

However, you will need to apply for an assurance of a residence permit directly with the competent Office of Migration of the Canton of your future place of domicile before you enter Switzerland.

Therefore please contact the local immigration authority for any questions:
Cantonal immigration and labour market authorities

Study in Switzerland:

The future University in Switzerland has to submit the application for the assurance of a residence permit, to take up studies, directly with the Office of Migration of the Canton of the future study place in Switzerland. The Embassy is not involved in this process.

Other nationalities

For other nationalities, please refer to the list on the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

SEM – Overview of ID and visa provisions according to the nationality (Annex 1, List 1: nationality)

If you are obliged to hold a visa, please submit your application in duplicate and refer to the information on the webpage:

Where to apply for a national visa?

If you are not obliged to hold a visa, you are allowed to enter Switzerland without visa. However you are obliged to register within 14 days on arrival in Switzerland at the competent cantonal authority of your place of residence.

A)

All third-country nationals, regardless of their visa obligation status, who wish to enter the Schengen Area through Switzerland must be in possession of a travel document that meets both of the following two requirements:

1. The validity of the travel document must extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area; and
2. the travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 years.

The date of issue of the travel document shall be the determining factor, notwithstanding any decision by the authorities to extend the period of validity of the travel document.

Please find travel documents entitling the holder to cross the external borders in Annex 2 of the Visa Guidelines:

Annex 2: Recognized travel documents

To ensure that the most recent documents are available at all times, reference is made to the website of the European Commission. The documents can be found on the right under "Info": (Travel documents issued by third countries and territorial entities (Part I); Travel documents issued by Member States (Part II); Travel documents issued by international organisations and other entities subject to international law (Part III); List of known fantasy and camouflage passports)

In case of employment at an official international organization, the future employer in Switzerland will request the issuing of a FDFA legitimation card through the Swiss permanent mission in Geneva. The FDFA legitimation card replaces the Swiss residence permit. 

Additional information

SEM – Stay of more than 90 days (de, fr, it)

SEM – FAQ Frequently asked question