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    Embassies and consulates · Switzerland

    Bern: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued

    As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 2 months for student visa appointments and 2 months for visitor visas at Bern. 161 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.

    Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17

    By visa type

    Student and exchange visas

    2 months wait

    3,319 issued in the past 12 months

    Details →

    Visitor visas

    2 months wait

    11,291 issued in the past 12 months

    Details →

    Temporary work visas

    2 months wait

    2,166 issued in the past 12 months

    Details →

    Immigrant visas

    Scheduling Oct 2026

    225 issued in the past 12 months

    Details →

    Appointment waits at Bern

    The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Bern on September 17, 2026.

    Visa classBernMedian postPosts with a shorter wait
    Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available2 months1 month125 of 187
    Student and exchange (F, M, J)2 months15 days161 of 186
    Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q)2 months15 days161 of 184
    Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D)2 months15 days153 of 174

    Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17

    Bern student wait over time

    Bern has ranged same day to 2 months across 24 months on record, and today's figure is at the high end. It has been faster before, so re-check before making an irreversible decision. The median over that time was 15 days.

    Jul 24same day – 2 monthsSep 26

    Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09

    Immigrant visa interview scheduling at Bern

    In its October 7, 2026 update, the State Department listed the month a case had to become documentarily complete for the National Visa Center (NVC) to be scheduling its interview at Bern.

    Immediate relative

    October 2026

    update month

    Family-sponsored preference

    October 2026

    update month

    Employment-based preference

    October 2026

    update month

    Source: U.S. Department of State: IV Scheduling Status Tool · Published 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07

    Earlier scheduling months at Bern →

    Visas issued at Bern

    The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.

    Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026

    1,495

    14% fewer than February 2025 (1,732). 19,413 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).

    Immigrant visas, February 2026

    12

    37% fewer than February 2025 (19). 225 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).

    Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02

    Every visa class issued at Bern →

    Visitor visa refusal rate for Switzerland nationals

    The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of Switzerland wherever they applied, not a rate for Bern.

    Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025

    5.82%

    Ranks 187 of 199 nationalities, highest first.

    How the rate is calculated →

    Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025

    Get an email when Bern changes

    Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 2 months now

    We email you once each time the State Department publishes a different figure. Every email has an unsubscribe link.

    Where these figures come from

    The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.