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Mali → Switzerland

How to get a Switzerland visa from Mali

Visa types, fees, processing times and application requirements for Malian passport holders travelling to Switzerland.

Visa types & fees

4 visa options for travelling to Switzerland.

Business visa

Processing time15 working days
Validity90 days

Student visa

Processing time8-12 weeks
Validitymore than 90 days

Tourist visa

Processing time15 working days
Validity90 days

Work visa

Processing time8-12 working days
Validitymore than 90 days

Application requirements

Documents Malian applicants need to provide.

  • Duly completed and signed the visa application form.
  • 2 recently taken passport-size photographs, taken with a light background and conforming fully to the Swiss visa photo requirements specification.
  • A Malian passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least three months beyond your intended return date, is required.
  • A round-trip reservation or itinerary with dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit from Switzerland.
  • Travel medical insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000 within Switzerland and the entire Schengen Area to cover for expenses for personal accident, urgent medical treatment or any other medical emergencies.
  • A cover letter, including your itinerary, stating the purpose of your visit to Switzerland.
  • Proof of accommodation for the entire duration of your intended stay in Switzerland.
  • Proof of financial means for the entire period of stay in Switzerland.
  • Proof of paid visa fee. €60 for adults and €35 for children from 6 to 12 years old.

Visa type details

Tourist visa

  • Malians who intend to travel to Switzerland for tourism, sightseeing, and other leisure activities require a Swiss tourist visa. This visa grants a stay of not more than 90 days in the country.
  • A visa application form must be completed accurately. An incomplete visa application form will not be accepted and you will have to make a new appointment.
  • You are advised to make use of the online application and then make an appointment to submit because applicants who apply online and make an appointment will be attended to first.
  • You must submit your visa application form in person as your fingerprints will be captured unless you are under the age of 12 or your finger scans were collected within the last 59 months. Please note that if your previously collected fingerprints prove to be of insufficient quality, you will also have to appear in person.
  • 1 recent clear and colored passport-size photograph, with a white or grey background, must be submitted with your application form. You are NOT to staple the photo to the form.
  • Your Malian passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the approved duration of your stay in Switzerland and have at least two blank visa pages. If you have been issued a new visa within the last 3 years, you are to provide the original copy of your previous passport.
  • You are to make photocopies of the personal data page of your passport, all visas in it, and your national identity card.
  • You are required to provide proof of hotel accommodation in Switzerland for the entire duration of your stay, such as a confirmed hotel booking clearly showing the name and contact details of the hotel.
  • A tour itinerary of your planned trip showing your schedule of activities, places you plan to visit and how long you intend to stay in Switzerland should be submitted.
  • You should also provide a printout of your air travel itinerary. However, do NOT yet book a flight ticket so as not to incur a financial loss in case you have to return it.
  • To show that you can finance your whole trip and have about 100 to 200 CHF to spend per day, you are to provide proof of financial sufficiency. This could be your recent payslips and your bank account statements for the last 3 months.
  • If you are an employee, you are to provide proof of your employment in the form of a signed and dated employment contract, showing your data and the contact details of your employer as well as a leave of absence letter and the date you are to return to work.
  • If you are self-employed, you should submit proof of business certification such as the Business License and the company's certified bank account statements for the last three months.
  • If you are a student, you must provide a letter from your school containing your name and your parents' names, the date you were enrolled, your present class, a leave of absence from the school, school holidays and the contact details and name of the school representative.
  • If you are retired, you must provide proof that you are receiving a pension or other financial support.
  • Proof that you have paid the visa fee must be submitted.

Business visa
  • The Swiss Business Visa is issued to foreign nationals who intend to travel to Switzerland to engage in any form of business activity such as a business meeting, business summit, trade fair or other related activities.
  • You are to submit a signed and accurately completed visa application form to the embassy. This visa application form can be downloaded from the embassy website and saved as PDF once completed.
  • If you are traveling to Switzerland for business at the invitation of a business partner, an official contact or by an event organizer in Switzerland, your host must send a signed invitation letter as an email attachment directly to the visa section of the embassy of Switzerland in Addis Ababa.
  • The letter should contain your personal data, complete details of your travel as arranged by the host, such as purpose and duration of stay, travel and accommodation arrangement as well as a financial guarantee.
  • If you are an employee, you are to provide proof of your employment in the form of a signed and dated employment contract, showing your data and the contact details of your employer as well as a leave of absence letter and the date you are to return to work.
  • If you are a civil servant, you are required to submit a signed employer's letter from the Ministry/Organisation you are currently based, stating your purpose and duration of travel, accommodation arrangements and financial guarantee, separate from your travel health insurance. Along with this letter, you must provide an original verbal note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • If you are self-employed, you should submit proof of business certification such as the Business License and the company's certified bank account statements for the last three months.
  • You are required to provide the original copies of all documents with clear double-sided photocopies at the embassy. You should NOT staple the documents together.

Student visa
  • The Switzerland student visa is required by Malians intending to study in Switzerland for any period exceeding 90 days. This visa is also known as a national visa (Type D visa).
  • 3 visa application forms must be accurately submitted and signed by the applicant in blue or black ink. The form should be filled in BLOCK letters.
  • Applicants are required to submit 3 recently taken passport-size photographs with a white or grey background. The photos must NOT be stapled to the forms.
  • The Malian passport used for the visa application must have at least 2 blank visa pages and remain valid for at least 3 months beyond the approved duration of stay in Switzerland. If you have been issued a new passport within the last 3 years, you are required to submit the previous passport.
  • 2 photocopies of the data page of your passport and of all visas (valid and expired) in your passport must be submitted.
  • You must also send 2 photocopies of a signed and dated acceptance letter with contact details from the school in Switzerland to the visa section of the Switzerland embassy by mail as an attachment. The letter must show the applicants personal data, duration, and type of course/research work to be done, financial guarantee and that the applicant has sufficient knowledge of the language the program will be taken in.
  • You are also required to send as an email attachment 2 copies of a signed confirmation letter stating that you have made a pre-payment of the tuition fees.
  • 2 photocopies of a detailed time table of the subjects you are to study must be submitted.
  • You are required to submit 2 photocopies of all your previous school certificates and diplomas.
  • 2 copies of your curriculum vitae must also be submitted.
  • To obtain a student visa, you must provide 2 copies of a motivation letter written by you, explaining why you would like to pursue your studies in Switzerland, which diploma you intend to pursue, the duration of your study, your address while in the country, your intention once your diploma has been obtained and confirmation that you will leave Switzerland at the end of your studies.
  • As proof that you have the financial resources to sponsor your studies and entire stay in Switzerland, you must provide recent payslips and certified bank account statements for the last 3 months. If someone else will be sponsoring your study/research, you should instead provide a letter signed by the sponsor and a copy of their passport showing their signature.
  • Your biometric data will be collected at the point of submission of your application form. Thus, you are advised to submit in person.

Work visa

  • Ethiopians who intend to work in Switzerland as employees for a period exceeding 90 days must obtain the Switzerland work visa. This visa is also known as a national visa (Type D visa).
  • 3 visa application forms must be accurately submitted and signed by the applicant in blue or black ink. The form should be filled in BLOCK letters.
  • Applicants are required to submit 3 recently taken passport-size photographs with a white or grey background. The photos must NOT be stapled to the forms.
  • Your Malian passport used for the visa application must have at least 2 blank visa pages and remain valid for at least 3 months beyond the approved duration of stay in Switzerland. If you have been issued a new passport within the last 3 years, you are required to submit the previous passport.
  • 2 photocopies of the data page of your passport and of all visas (valid and expired) in your passport must be submitted.
  • You must also submit 2 photocopies of a signed and dated employment contract signed by both you and your employer in Switzerland. This implies that you must have already received an employment offer before you can apply for a work visa in Switzerland. Your employer must also confirm if you will be traveling with your family.
  • If you will be traveling with your spouse and/or children, you are to submit 2 copies each of a signed letter from your spouse, the data page of their passport, marriage certificate and birth certificate of the child(ren). Please note that each person traveling with you must still fill their visa application form.
  • You should also provide a printout of your air travel itinerary. However, do NOT book a flight ticket yet so as not to incur a financial loss in case you have to return it.
  • The visa application fee of 60 euros must be paid to the embassy at the time you submit your application form. Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.
  • You are not allowed to work in Switzerland without a valid work visa.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get work permit in Switzerland
It takes a minimum of 8 weeks to get a Swiss work permit and then a few more days to get your visa (please note that the entire process will take, at minimum, 3 months).

Is Switzerland expensive to visit
Switzerland is rated one of the most expensive in the world to visit, with Geneva and Zurich being two of the ten most expensive cities to live in.

What do Swiss speak
The four national languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh.

How long does Switzerland visa take
The processing time is generally 2 weeks for a short stay visa (in some rare cases it can take up to 2 months).
Switzerland embassy in Mali All Mali visa requirements
Visa fees and rules change often. Confirm the latest Switzerland visa requirements with an official embassy or consulate before booking travel.