Visas for Switzerland and France - Time needed to process applications

Please note that any person required to be in possession of a visa in order to take up functions at CERN must start the application process sufficiently early to allow the visa to be issued in time.

The submission of an incomplete application, local circumstances and an increase in applications before the summer holiday period can all result in considerable variation in the time needed to process your application and issue the visa.

You are therefore recommended to submit your visa application at least three months, and not later than 21 days, prior to your departure date.

We would also like to remind you that the Swiss Consulate in Paris and the French Consulate in Geneva can issue visas exclusively to people resident within their respective spheres of competence (i.e. those who are holders of a French or Swiss residence permit respectively). You must therefore obtain all visas required for stays longer than three months in France or Switzerland from the visa-issuing authority competent for your usual place of residence before you take up your functions.

Relations with the Host States Service
relations.secretariat@cern.ch
Tel.: 72848