Holidays Notice

China has decided to extend its visa-free entry policy for Switzerland to 24:00 on December 31, 2026. Swiss citizens holding ordinary passports who go to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchange and transit purposes, will be exempted from Chinese visa to enter into China, for a period not exceeding 30 days from the date of their entry. Swiss citizens who do not meet the above mentioned purposes and time limit for visa exemption or holding service passports still need to apply for Chinese visa before entering into China.

Important notice

In order to serve applicants more efficiently, the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland, the Chinese Consulate General in Zurich, the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Bern, and the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Zurich have officially started the online application mode for Chinese visas. From Monday August 26, 2024, the online visa application process is as follows:

(I) Prepare visa application materials

Prepare application materials including basic materials and other supporting materials.

(II) Fill in the visa application form online and submit supporting documents online

Please log into the website of the Visa Application Service Center www.visaforchina.cn, select Switzerland, Bern, register with your email address, fill in the visa application form and submit relevant supporting documents online, and wait for approval. All applicants (excluding visa for Hong Kong, China and Macau, China) must fill in the application form and submit relevant supporting documents online through this website.

(III) Submit the materials and pay the fee at the visa center

1. After submitting the application, the Embassy or visa center will provide feedback on the materials you need to supplement at any time. Please check the "My Account" on the website for details. When you find the status is "online review completed", please print out the last page to sign and the email attachment of confirmation "Visa Application Certificate". You can come to the visa center from 9:00 to 13:00 on working days without an appointment to submit visa application materials:

① Original passport;

② The last page of the "Visa Application Form" with signature;

③ "Visa Application Certificate";

④ 1 color photo within 6 months, bareheaded, white background, 48mm×33mm;

⑤ Declaration & GDPR Terms and Conditions;

⑥ Supporting materials required by the Chinese Embassy and the visa center.

2. Please pay all fees when submitting the materials, including visa fees and visa service fees. The visa application center accepts bank cards, cash and bank transfer.

(IV) Collect documents

Please come to the visa center with the pickup form obtained when submitting materials at the corresponding time to collect your passport and visa.

Notice

1. There is no need to make an appointment online, but you need to submit the Visa Application Form online.

2. Applicants who meet one of the following conditions do not need to collect fingerprints and can apply for two-way mailing service according to personal needs:

① People under 14 years old or over 70 years old;

② People who have had fingerprints taken on the same passport at this visa application center within 5 years;

③ People who apply for a single or double entry short-term visa and stay in China for less than 180 days (until December 31, 2025).

Notice: If you apply for two-way mailing, please be sure to contact us by phone and email in advance for detailed steps. If the materials you mail directly are unfortunately lost, the visa center is not responsible.

Telephone: +41 58 618 89 88 （9:00-14:00）

E-Mail: berncenter@visaforchina.org