VOIWORLD/DESK
Planning a trip to Switzerland? You may need to stretch your budget as Schengen visa application costs have gone up for Indian travellers.
VFS Global has increased its service charges for Switzerland Schengen visa applications by 45%, significantly raising the overall cost of securing a visa.
Visa Fees vs. Service Charges
The hike applies to the service fee, not the visa fee itself. A Schengen visa for adults still costs around ₹8,000–₹10,000. However, VFS Global’s mandatory service charge is now much higher, adding to the total expense.
What is VFS Global?
VFS Global doesn’t issue visas. Instead, it serves as an intermediary between applicants and embassies, handling services like document collection, biometric enrolment, and appointment scheduling.
A VFS Global spokesperson said
“Last hike in Switzerland visa service fee was in July 2025 as per the new contractual obligations, and the update on the same was published on our Switzerland-in-India website as well. Please also note that all fees levied on visa applicants are duly approved by the respective client government. The VFS Global service fee, in particular, is determined by multiple factors, including the scope of the overall engagement, volume of applications expected, resource and infrastructure costs required to fulfil Service Level Agreements, and the robust connectivity and security measures adopted. The service fee varies for each country in line with contractual agreements with the respective government.”
