The Swiss embassy in India says it has not suspended Schengen visa appointments for Indian tour groups. Press reports from the South Asian nation suggested it had.
This content was published on
1 minute
www.swissinfo.ch/ds
“The Embassy of Switzerland in India has not suspended Schengen visa appointments for Indian tour groups,” a spokesperson for the embassy told SWI swissinfo.ch in a written statement. “We have almost 800 daily appointments through the end of September 2023. These include 22 groups.”
People-to-people contact is at the core of Swiss-Indian relationship, it added.
The Embassy of Switzerland in India says in 2023 it processed more visa applications than it did in 2019, surpassing its pre-pandemic processing levels. From January until June, it handled 129,446 applications, compared to 120,071 during the same period in 2019 – a 7.8% increase.
The spokesperson also pointed to several measures that were introduced this year to further ease the visa application process for Indian applicants. It is now possible for applicants to request a visa six months before their date of travel, instead of just one month as was the case in the past. So, someone wishing to travel in June can already apply for a visa in January.
Second, the embassy has increased overall visa processing capacity in India. With a new Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Lucknow, there are now 13 VACs all over India, where applications can be submitted. It now takes no more than 13 working days to have the embassy’s decision on an application.
Switzerland to introduce flight passenger database
This content was published on
Switzerland plans to introduce a flight passenger database to collect and process personal data in a bid to combat terrorism and serious crime.
Government plans to invest over CHF16bn in Swiss rail network
This content was published on
The federal government intends to invest CHF16.4 billion ($18.1 billion) in railway infrastructure between 2025 and 2028, CHF2 billion more than for the current period.
Swiss to vote on pension reform and biodiversity in September
This content was published on
Swiss citizens will vote on occupational pension schemes and a biodiversity initiative on September 22, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
Ukraine peace talks: 50 countries have confirmed participation
This content was published on
To date, 50 countries out 160 invited delegations have confirmed they will attend the Ukraine peace conference, held in central Switzerland in mid-June, according to Swiss public radio, RTS.
Federer-backed On boosts forecast after sneaker demand rises
This content was published on
Swiss footwear company On Holding AG posted strong first-quarter revenue, boosted by demand for its running shoes and new line of training apparel.
Michael Schumacher’s watches fetch CHF4 million at Swiss auction
This content was published on
Watches belonging to Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher sold for around CHF4 million ($4.41 million) at auction house Christie's in Geneva on Tuesday.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
This content was published on
Swiss State Secretary Livia Leu has held high-level talks in India focusing on bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.