In view of CERN's location on both Swiss and French territories, you may need to apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa (C). Please check with your local Swiss or French authorities if you are not sure.

For a stay of less than three months, to support your C visa application, we will issue you with either a letter of invitation to take to the Swiss consulate or a French Convention d’accueil, if you are applying with the French consulate.

For a stay of more than 3 months you must decide on whether you will be residing in France or Switzerland. According to this information we shall either issue you with a Swiss letter of invitation to apply for a special D-visa, or if you chose to reside on the French side, we shall send a Note Verbale to the French authorities and about 2 weeks later, you should go to the consulate with the invitation letter in order to start the application for the special D-type visa.

If you need a visa, please contact the TH secretariat with your
full postal (institute) address and e-mail address so that we can send you the necessary formal invitation.

Please note that visa applications should be made around 6-8 weeks before your planned date of travel.