The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world. It has certainly put all our plans on-hold. This story is how I was able to travel to Switzerland during the pandemic.

The borders of Switzerland reopened to a select few individuals outside of the EU and Schengen Area on August 3, 2020, almost 5 months from its border closure in March. Under the exemptions, unmarried partners of Swiss citizens and residents may be granted a visa to enter the country. I grabbed the opportunity and applied for a visit visa. The Swiss borders has opened to tourists since June 2021 so use the TravelCheck website to see if you're eligible to enter the country.

You may also watch my YouTube video about how I traveled to Switzerland twice during the pandemic.

Table of Contents

REQUIREMENTS FOR VISIT VISA FOR UNMARRIED COUPLES

You can get a copy of these requirements HERE or from the VFS website.

  • Valid passport - with at least 3 months validity from the end of the approved duration stay and must contain at least two
    blank visa pages
  • Visa application form - filled in completely and signed
  • 2 passport sized photographs - clear, colored, and taken within the last 6 months; the 1st photo must be attached pasted on the application form and the 2nd photo must be attached to the last page of the passport
  • Photocopy of valid passport as well as old passports
  • Photocopies of all visas (valid and expired)
  • Flight reservation - Round-trip air travel with name(s) of the applicant(s) and passenger registration number or reservation number
  • International travel insurance - purchased locally or in Switzerland; with a minimum coverage of EUR 30’000.00 per person (including expenses for personal accident, urgent medical treatment, urgent admission in a hospital or urgent repatriation on medical grounds); covers the entire stay in the Schengen territory and must be valid for all Schengen member states; must clearly and explicitly state full coverage of expenses due to the Pandemic
  • Invitation letter from the host(s) in Switzerland - duly signed and submitted together with the host's passport, residence permit and/or residence card in Switzerland
  • Certificate of residence from the municipality of the partner residing in Switzerland (Wohsitzbestatigung)
  • Confirmation of the partnership signed by both partners
  • Documents confirming that the partnership has existed for some time
  • Proof that the couple met at least once in Switzerland or abroad before the entry restrictions were introduced
  • Proof of financial status: original documents, printed in A4, and with stamp from the bank
  • Visa fee - PHP 4600

I got my travel insurance from Prudential Guarantee for PHP 4995 valid for 90 days.

Aside from the documents listed above, I also submitted a cover letter and sponsorship letter to explain why I need to travel during the pandemic and who will be sponsoring part of my trip and accommodation.

Gathering the documents alone took roughly 2 weeks.

APPLICATION TIMELINE

Since I already have a previous Schengen Visa, I am allowed to submit my application via post (postal application) to VFS Manila. Here's my timeline:

I also had to apply for a CFO-GCP Certificate.  The application and requirements in itself deserves a separate post.

Indeed, traveling during the pandemic can be tough. There are travel restrictions (a lot of them!) wherever you go.  You have to make sure that are updated with latest travel information or else your trip might be cancelled.

TEMPLATES

Here are some of the letters that I have used for my application:

FLYING TO SWITZERLAND

For my flight to Switzerland, I booked a flight with Turkish Airlines. The airline required a negative RT-PCR test result for my travel. I felt secure knowing that the airline is strict with this requirement. 

There was also no hassle with the dreaded Philippine immigration officers (IOs). I've been reading in forums of how difficult the IOs can be but I didn't experience any of that. They were quite thorough with going over my travel documents though.

And that is how I traveled to Switzerland during the pandemic.

References:

Unmarried Partner Visa Switzerland: https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-79949.html

Visit Visa for Unmarried Partners: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/switzerland/philippines/english/pdf/visitor-visa-unmarried-couples-jan-2022.pdf