Dummy ticket for a Switzerland visa from India

The Swiss Embassy's tourist checklist requests a "flight reservation with names of all travelers". Where applicable, it also requests intra-Schengen flights, a train itinerary or car rental details. Submit the reservation through VFS Global in one of the 13 Indian cities listed in the source guidance. A paid ticket is not required; the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi decides the application.

A reservation that names every traveller

The Swiss wording has a detail the other Schengen checklists do not stress: the reservation must carry the names of all travellers. Switzerland is a family and honeymoon destination, and files frequently arrive as a set of four or six. Each person's application should contain a flight reservation on which that person is named, on the same flights as the rest of the group.

The second half of the line asks, if applicable, for "proof of intra-Schengen flights, train itinerary or car rental". So if your trip continues to Paris, Milan or Austria, the embassy wants to see how. The checklist also instructs you to arrange documents in its own order, without staples. Take the current version from the VFS Switzerland page or the embassy's site.

Group reservations are priced per passenger. Check that each name is spelt as in the passport before you print six copies.

Where Swiss applications are accepted

VFS Global accepts Swiss applications in 13 cities at the time of writing: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune. All files go to the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, which is responsible for India and Bhutan.

Switzerland is not an EU member but it is a full Schengen state, so the visa is an ordinary Schengen type C visa. Liechtenstein has no border control with Switzerland and is covered by the same visa.

The embassy counts its processing time from the day the file reaches it, not from your biometrics date, so add the transfer days from your VFS city.

Zurich nonstops, and what to do about Geneva

SWISS flies Zurich to Delhi and Zurich to Mumbai nonstop, and has announced Zurich to Bengaluru from 25 October 2026. Air India flies Delhi to Zurich. That is the picture at the time of writing; check the airline's timetable for the days you want.

Geneva has no nonstop from India. If your trip is Geneva, Montreux and Zermatt, either take a reservation into Zurich and continue by train (under three hours to Geneva), or connect by air through Zurich, Frankfurt, Paris or a Gulf hub. Arriving in Zurich and leaving from Geneva, or the other way round, is a sensible open-jaw for a west-to-east rail trip.

Basel is a special case: its airport sits on French soil with a Swiss exit. Stick to Zurich or Geneva on a visa reservation unless you have a reason to do otherwise.

Swiss tour circuits and the night count

Most Indian package tours combine Switzerland with something else, and the applicant has to work out whose visa it is. The general rule, most nights and then first entry, is set out with the other shared Schengen conditions (90 days in 180, €30,000 insurance, ticket purchase after the visa) in the Schengen guide. Applied to the common Swiss circuits:

• Paris 3 nights, Switzerland 4 or 5. Swiss application, even though the group lands in Paris. The reservation will show Paris in and Zurich out, and that is expected.
• Switzerland 3, Paris 3. A tie. First entry decides: land in Paris and it is a French application.
• Day trips. Chamonix and Mont Blanc from Geneva are in France; Lake Como from Lugano is in Italy. They are inside Schengen, need no extra flight, and do not change the main destination. Mention them in the itinerary.
• Switzerland and Austria by rail. Count nights; Innsbruck and Salzburg add up quickly. See the Austria page.

Trains are the internal transport proof

Inside Switzerland nobody flies. Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt and Geneva are linked by rail, and the checklist names "train itinerary" as acceptable proof of movement. You do not need point-to-point tickets for a visa file. A day-by-day plan with the rail legs, supported by hotel bookings in each town, does the job. If you have already bought a Swiss Travel Pass, include a copy.

This keeps the flight reservation simple: one international flight in, one out. Extra flight legs are only needed if you fly between countries, for example Zurich to Paris, and those make it a multi-city booking.

Honeymoon season, school holidays and timing

Swiss applications from India peak twice: April to June, when school holidays and the wedding season overlap, and December for snow. Slots for May travel are typically the hardest to find. You can apply up to six months before departure under Schengen rules, which is worth using for a fixed honeymoon date.

Arrange the reservation after the appointment is confirmed and a few days before it. FDT furnishes a genuine airline reservation with a PNR checkable on the airline's Manage Booking page, at ₹799 / $10 per passenger for one-way, return or multi-city reservations, sent by email and WhatsApp approximately 10 minutes after payment. Order for the whole family in one go at the booking page, and add hotel reservations if you need them (₹799 per hotel per passenger). It is a held booking that cannot be used to board. The embassy decides the visa.

Frequently asked questions

Does each family member need a separate flight reservation for a Swiss visa?

Each application should include a reservation showing that traveller's name. The checklist requests a flight reservation with the names of all travellers, so a group booking listing everyone works.

Our package is 3 nights Paris and 5 nights Switzerland. France or Switzerland visa?

Switzerland, because it has more nights. Landing in Paris does not change that. Indicate the Paris arrival, the train or flight to Switzerland, and the departure from Zurich.

Do I need to buy Swiss train tickets before applying?

No. The checklist accepts a train itinerary as proof of travel within the Schengen area. A dated plan that corresponds to your hotel bookings is enough.

Is there a direct flight to Geneva from India?

No. Fly nonstop to Zurich and take the train, or connect through a European hub. Zurich has nonstops from Delhi and Mumbai at the time of writing.

Is Liechtenstein covered by a Swiss Schengen visa?

Yes. Liechtenstein is in the Schengen area and has an open border with Switzerland, so no separate visa or flight is involved.