Travel book · Alpes du Nord

Visa for France and Switzerland with a Russian passport: the steps

Updated on 4 November 2026 11 min read

Do you hold a Russian passport and want to come skiing in the mountains this winter? You can: a traveller with a Russian passport can stay in France or Switzerland and rent a chalet or an apartment there, like any other traveller. What it takes is a short-stay Schengen visa (type C visa) and some time ahead: since 2022, applications from Russian nationals are examined more closely, and some rules have become stricter. Here are the steps, in order, whether you live in Russia or elsewhere, in Dubai for example.

At a glance

The visa: a short-stay Schengen visa, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The same visa covers France and Switzerland.
Where to apply: in the country where you live, to the country where you will spend most of your stay.
When: up to six months before departure, and no later than fifteen days before. A decision normally comes within fifteen days, sometimes up to 45.
The cost: a visa fee of €90 for an adult, €45 for a child aged 6 to 12, nothing under 6. On top of that comes the VFS Global centre fee: €36 for a French application lodged in Russia, about €30 in the Emirates.
The closest airport to the Alps: Geneva. A visa issued by France lets you land there.

Sanctions target people, not a nationality

European and Swiss sanctions target individuals and companies named on official lists. Russian nationality in itself does not prevent anyone from travelling to France or Switzerland, or from renting a property there. Tourist visas are still issued: in 2025, France granted just under 180,000 of them to Russian nationals, more than any other Schengen country. Like any European company, AEC Collection applies these rules: a person on a sanctions list cannot book.

For a Russian traveller, three things change in practice: the visa takes longer, payment goes through a bank based outside Russia, and the route avoids certain countries. Each point is covered below.

The steps, in order

Choose the property and the dates Your agent sends you the rental contract, which serves as proof of accommodation in your visa file. Discuss your timing with them before you commit: no visa can be taken for granted.
Fill in the application online For France, on the official France-Visas portal, which also lists the documents required. For Switzerland, on the online form of the VFS Global centre, to be completed before booking an appointment.
Submit your file By appointment, at the VFS Global centre of the country where you live. Your fingerprints and photo are taken there, unless they were already taken for a Schengen visa within the last 59 months.
Track your application France-Visas lets you follow the progress of your file and tells you when your passport is ready for collection.
Travel The ETIAS form does not concern you: it is for travellers who do not need a visa. The first time you cross an external Schengen border, your fingerprints and a photo are recorded in the European Entry/Exit System (EES), in operation at every border since 10 April 2026. It replaces the passport stamp: allow a little extra time on arrival.

The documents to gather

Checklist

A biometric passport, issued within the last ten years, valid for at least three months after your return date, with two blank pages. For France, ordinary non-biometric Russian passports have no longer been accepted since 14 April 2025, except for children under 15.
The application form, printed and signed, and a recent passport photo.
Travel insurance covering at least €30,000 of medical and repatriation costs, valid throughout the Schengen area.
Flight bookings, outbound and return.
The rental contract or the booking confirmation for your property.
Proof of means: recent bank statements, a certificate of employment or business activity.
If you do not live in Russia: your valid residence permit in your country of residence.

AEC tip: apply at least two months before departure, especially for Christmas and the February holidays. Depending on the place and the season, waiting times for appointments get longer, and a complete file on the first visit saves a second trip to the centre.

You live in Russia, or elsewhere

Where you apply depends on your country of residence, not on your nationality. A Russian national living in Dubai applies in the Emirates, not in Moscow.

You live in Russia

France: apply at one of the 18 VFS Global centres in the country, by appointment. The Consulate General of France in Moscow takes the decision.
Switzerland: apply at a VFS Global centre in Russia.
Type of visa: since November 2025, European Union countries generally issue a single-entry visa. Each trip requires a new application.
Flights: there are no direct flights between Russia and France or Switzerland. The journey goes through a stopover, in Istanbul or Dubai for example.

You live in Dubai

France: apply at the VFS Global centre in Abu Dhabi, the only one for France in the Emirates, including for Dubai residents.
Switzerland: apply at the VFS Global centre in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Condition: a valid UAE residence permit.
Type of visa: the single-entry rule applies to applications lodged in Russia. In the Emirates, the consulate decides case by case.
Flights: direct flights link Dubai and Geneva.

Arriving through Geneva, the closest airport to the Alps

Geneva is the closest international airport to the resorts of the northern French Alps: Megève is about 1h15 away by road, Courchevel about 2h, Verbier 1h50. The airport is in Switzerland, and Switzerland is part of the Schengen area: a visa issued by France lets you land there and then drive on into France. Four points to know before you book your flight.

You apply to the country of your stay Not to the country of the airport. For a chalet in Courchevel or Megève, that is France, even if your plane lands in Geneva. For a chalet in Verbier or Zermatt, it is Switzerland. If your stay is split between the two countries, apply to the one where you stay longest; if the time is equal, to the one through which you enter the Schengen area.
Checks take place on the Swiss side After an international flight, you go through Swiss passport control and customs. The airport does have a French sector, but it does not let you bypass Switzerland when arriving from Dubai or Istanbul: you reach it after customs, or you simply drive on towards France.
Check the “Valid for” field It appears on the visa sticker. If it says “Schengen States”, Geneva is no problem. If it names only one country, France for example, the visa is valid for that country alone, and you then need to land directly in France, in Lyon, Paris or Nice.
Keep your documents at hand The border between Switzerland and France has no systematic stop, but checks may take place on the road.

Paying for the rental

Cards issued by Russian banks have not worked outside Russia since March 2022, when Visa and Mastercard suspended their operations in the country, and the Mir card is accepted neither in France nor in Switzerland. The deposit and the balance are therefore paid by card or bank transfer from a bank based outside Russia. A Dubai resident simply pays from their account in the Emirates.

Choosing your route

Several countries bordering Russia, such as Finland, the Baltic states or Poland, strictly limit the entry of Russian travellers, even with a visa issued by another Schengen country. The simplest option is to enter the Schengen area where you are staying: at a French airport, or in Geneva.

Rules that keep changing

Visa policy towards Russian nationals is still under discussion within the European Union. Since the European Commission’s decision of 6 November 2025 on single-entry visas, further measures have been announced as part of the revision of the Visa Code, expected in 2027. Before each trip, check the rules on the official websites below: they are the reference. We update this page when the rules change.

Useful links

Once you have your visa

The rest is like any other mountain holiday: your agent confirms the property, sends you the arrival details, and the chalet is ready for you. To choose, browse our properties in Courchevel, Megève or Verbier.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Russian national rent a chalet in France or Switzerland?

Yes. Russian nationality does not prevent anyone from staying or renting. A short-stay Schengen visa is required, and the person must not appear on a sanctions list.

Can Russians still travel to France since 2022?

Yes. Tourist visas are still issued, but applications are examined more closely and processing takes longer. In 2025, France granted just under 180,000 visas to Russian nationals.

I am Russian and live in Dubai: where do I apply for my visa?

In the Emirates, not in Russia. For France, at the VFS Global centre in Abu Dhabi, the only one in the country; for Switzerland, at the VFS Global centre in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. You need a valid UAE residence permit.

Can a Russian national get a visa for Switzerland?

Yes. Switzerland issues Schengen visas to Russian nationals: in Russia, through the VFS Global centres; in the Emirates, through those in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. You apply to Switzerland when most of your stay takes place there, in Verbier or Zermatt for example.

With a French visa, can I land in Geneva?

Yes, if the visa says “Schengen States”: Switzerland is part of the Schengen area. After an international flight, passport control takes place on the Swiss side, then you drive on into France.

For a chalet in Courchevel, do I need a French or a Swiss visa?

A French visa. You apply to the country where you spend most of your stay, even if your plane lands in Geneva.

How much does a Schengen visa cost for a Russian national?

€90 for an adult, €45 for a child aged 6 to 12, nothing under 6. On top of that comes the VFS Global centre fee: €36 for a French application lodged in Russia, about €30 in the Emirates.

How far in advance should I apply for the visa?

You can apply up to six months before departure, and no later than fifteen days before. A decision normally comes within fifteen days, sometimes up to 45. Allow two months, especially in high season.

Does the visa allow several trips?

For an application lodged in Russia, generally not: since November 2025, European Union countries issue a single-entry visa, and each trip requires a new application. From another country of residence, the consulate decides case by case.

Can I pay with a Russian bank card?

No. Cards issued by Russian banks have not worked outside Russia since March 2022, and the Mir card is accepted neither in France nor in Switzerland. Payment is made by card or bank transfer from a bank based outside Russia.

Is the ETIAS form enough for a Russian traveller?

No. ETIAS only concerns travellers who do not need a visa. With a Russian passport, you need a Schengen visa.