Swiss visa office to be closed in Abu Dhabi

UAE travellers heading to Switzerland over the summer will now only be able to apply for a visa at the Alpine country's consulate general in Dubai from May 1, an official told Emirates Business.

Gerhard Bruegger, Consul General of Switzerland, said there were no political implications in the move. "It's part of an overall restructuring to avoid duplication and take advantage of economies of scale," he said, "and it is in line with a general initiative by our head office to cut expenses while still maintaining an acceptable level of service to our customers."

The Swiss Consulate General in Dubai will now process applications for short- and long-term visas to Switzerland from all UAE nationals and residents. All decisions on processing and issuance of a visa rest solely with the consulate-general.

Of the about 11,000 visas processed in the UAE, Bruegger said about 8,500 were processed in Dubai, with the rest being channelled through Abu Dhabi.

He said there were no short-term plans to open a new visa-processing centre to serve residents of Abu Dhabi emirate, but added that could change over time.

Switzerland and the UAE?have concluded negotiations on a visa exemption agreement for UAE diplomatic, service and special passports. Until the agreement is signed by both parties, the Swiss embassy in Abu Dhabi will continue to process visa applications for holders of those passports, he said.

More information is available at www.switzerland.ae.

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