Swiss Citizen welfare
Have some benefits to becoming a Swiss citizen, including:
The right to live in Switzerland, even if you have lived elsewhere for a while
The right to vote and run for office in the Swiss election
The right to Swiss passport, ranked third in the world in the passport Power Index Visa-free entry into more than 150 countries.
However, Swiss citizens are also obligated. One of them is that if you are a healthy adult male, you must serve in the military.
Get citizenship in Switzerland for birth or descent
Unlike many countries, babies born in Switzerland do not automatically get Swiss citizenship. The child will be Swiss, if he/she is a descendant of a married parent, one of whom is a Swiss
born to an unmarried Swiss mother
is born to an unmarried Swiss father, if the father-son relationship is recognized before the age of 22
foreign children under the age of 22, one of the parents is not included in the application for naturalization and has lived in Switzerland for five years, including the child whose parents have lost Swiss citizenship but can prove that they have close ties with Switzerland. Read more about Renaturalization
Family cycling through the Swiss countryside
Born abroad, owns another nationality and at least one of the parents is Swiss child who loses Swiss nationality when they are over 25 unless they inform Swiss authorities (whether domestic or foreign) they want to retain their Swiss nationality.
In 2017, Switzerland passed a vote to make it easier for third-generation immigrants to obtain citizenship through naturalization procedures. See here for more information.
How to apply for citizenship through birth or ancestry
If you meet the criteria for applying to become a Swiss citizen through birth or ancestry, you will be eligible to apply for a simplified naturalization process. The specific process will depend on your state.
application may take up to 12 months to process and can be done through SEM or your local borough. In addition to meeting the birth/lexicon standards, you also need to present the following proof:
is closely linked to Switzerland (studying in Switzerland for a while, speaking the local language, and having a basic understanding of Swiss society)
shows respect for public safety, public order and Swiss values.
You need to submit an application form and various statements and questionnaires to prove your qualifications. Currently, the adult application fee is 600 Swiss francs . Children under the age of 18 can apply for free unless they apply on the grounds that the applicant's Swiss father has not married his mother. In this case, the fee is CHF 350.
You can find complete information on how to apply for citizenship on the Swiss government website. Children of married parents or unmarried mothers as children of an unmarried Swiss father
Obtain citizenship through naturalization in Switzerland
After 10 consecutive years of residence in Switzerland, those who do not meet the simplified naturalization conditions can apply for Swiss citizenship through normal naturalization. This is open to anyone who meets the residence requirements and has a C residence permit.
The time spent living in Switzerland from 8 to 18 years old is doubled, which means that people under 18 years old can apply to become Swiss citizenship in five years if they meet other requirements.
If you are applying for citizenship as a husband and wife, you must all meet the 10-year requirements. However, if one of the couple becomes a citizen before marriage, the other party is eligible to become a citizen after living in Switzerland for 5 years and being a spouse for 3 years. For more information, see the section below on obtaining citizenship through marriage.
You need to apply for citizenship through three levels of regular naturalization - federal, state and municipal. While the requirements for all applicants at the federal level are the same, requirements vary widely between states and municipalities.
For example, some states or municipalities may allow for short-term residence outside Switzerland during the period of residence, while others may not allow it. Some may also apply different conditions for EU and European Free Trade Union (EFTA) citizens.You can read the requirements for obtaining Swiss nationality in your state here.
Requirements for citizenship
The additional requirements for becoming a Swiss citizen through normal naturalization at the federal level are:
… Understanding Swiss Mandarin Level B1 Speaking and A2 written (introduced as part of the Swiss Citizenship Act 2018)
Integrate into Swiss life, familiarize yourself with Swiss customs
comply with Swiss laws and regulations
poses no threat to the internal or external security of Switzerland
In the past three years, there has not been a time spent on social welfare allowances unless you return the amount received
How to apply for citizenship through naturalization
0 Application procedures, fees and processing times vary in each state and municipality of Switzerland. It usually takes more than a year and costs more than CHF 1,000. This is because of the multi-stage process.
You need to apply through your local state or commune. The specific process depends on the laws of your state. Contact your State Naturalization Bureau for reference or see here to find the address of Swiss federal, state and community authorities.
You need to submit:
application form (can be obtained from the Naturalization Bureau of your state)
C residence permit proof
language proficiency Swiss language school
Extra files will depend on your Swiss state or commune.
Snowy village in Switzerland
Application is first evaluated at the federal level by the state election office. If you meet federal requirements, the State Employment Office will forward the application to the relevant state or community for further evaluation.
You then have to attend an interview at the relevant office of the local county or community, where you will be informed of the next steps to take. The
program may vary greatly. For example, some municipalities require applicants to take oral or written naturalization exams, while others are subject to the decision of the municipal council. See more details on state and community requirements here.
It is reported that getting Swiss citizenship in western Switzerland is more generous than elsewhere. If you move to another location in Switzerland during the application period, the state or municipal authority you filed the application is still responsible for making the decision.
Citizen applicants who have been rejected generally do not have the right to appeal.
Application fee for naturalization
Citizen application fee is:
Federation level: CHF 100 in individuals, CHF 150 in married couples, CHF 50 in children
State level: up to CHF 2,000 per person (depending on the state)
Municipal level: CHF 500-1,000 per person (depending on the state)
In addition, there may be administrative fees (e.g., obtaining a certificate of criminal record) and the fees for taking necessary language tests (approximately CHF 250).
Get citizenship through marriage in Switzerland
If you are married to a Swiss citizen, you can apply for a fast-track (called simplified or convenient) naturalization. You need to meet the following conditions:
reside in Switzerland for 5 years, including 12 months before application
married for at least 3 years
pairs... Understanding Swiss Mandarin Level B1 oral and A2 written (introduced as part of the Swiss Citizenship Act 2018)
integrates into Swiss life, familiar with Swiss customs
comply with Swiss laws and regulations
is evaluated as no danger to the internal or external security of Switzerland
In the past three years, there has not been a time spent on social welfare allowances unless you return the amount received
If you are a registered partner of a Swiss citizen rather than a spouse, you cannot apply for simplified naturalization. You must be married. Those who register for a partnership must apply for citizenship through normal naturalization after 10 years.
If your partner has passed away, you cannot apply for simplified naturalization to become a spouse.
In Switzerland, the requirements and procedures for simplifying naturalization may vary from state to state and municipality, although not as significant as ordinary naturalization, as matters are handled primarily at the federal level. See more about the variant here.
How to apply for citizenship through marriage
Because the decision to obtain fast-track citizenship through marriage is made at the federal level, you need to apply to SEM. You can also submit your proof of language compliance from the SEM office or from your local state naturalization bureau.
In addition to the application form, you will also need to submit your proof of language compliance.It usually takes 12-18 months to apply. As long as your Swiss spouse can report to the Swiss embassy or consulate in your new residence, you can move within Switzerland during the application process, or even move abroad.
The fee for applying for citizenship through marriage is CHF 900. You will need to pay this non-refundable fee in advance. However, the applicant has the right to appeal the rejected application.
Obtaining citizenship through adoption in Switzerland
Under Swiss law, legally adopted children automatically obtain nationality and citizenship of their parents. Therefore, if a Swiss couple adopts a child, the child will become a Swiss citizen.
If a non-Swiss citizen couple living in Switzerland adopts a child, the authorities treat the child's nationality as if it were biological children.
See here for more information about adoption in Switzerland.
Get citizenship as a refugee in Switzerland
Recognized refugees and temporary entrants holding F licenses can apply for Swiss citizenship. In 2018, Swiss authorities granted 724 refugees and 267 temporary entrants citizenship. Both groups of
apply through normal naturalization channels. However, as a temporary resident with an F license, any time can only be counted as the 10-year residence standard for half a year. This means that people living in Switzerland with an F license for a long time must wait 20 years to qualify for citizenship unless they are eligible for simplified naturalization through marriage or blood.
Temporary entry personnel need to present a Class F license instead of a Class C license when applying. In addition, the requirements and procedures for refugee groups are the same as those for citizenship through naturalization.
Exceptions and Special Situations of Swiss Citizenship
Since 2017, third generation immigrants in Switzerland can apply for simplified naturalization if they:
At least one grandparent was born in Switzerland or had a right to reside
At least one of the parents has a residence permit and lived in Switzerland for 10 years
Born in Switzerland, with a C-class residence permit
Account for at least 5 years of compulsory education in Switzerland
Meet other requirements regarding language, fusion and respect for public order
Age under 40
Adult fee is 500 Swiss francs and 250 Swiss francs for children. You need to apply through scanning electron microscope .
find more information on SEM website.
Swiss citizenship exam
naturalization procedures vary by country Swiss states and communes. Not all places have citizenship testing as part of the application process, but many places are the case.
However, Swiss citizenship tests vary in states. Fees and application procedures also vary depending on where you take the exam.
Some regions, such as the French-speaking district Vaud , posted their questionnaires online. You can also use the information and sample questions for use in different states on the Swiss website.
For more information, please contact your State Naturalization Bureau.
Swiss Passport
If you become a Swiss citizen, you will be eligible for a Swiss passport. This will allow you to go in and out of Switzerland freely and enjoy the benefits of being a Swiss citizen overseas.
You need to apply for a passport in person at your community resident registry, or to your state’s passport office in person by phone or online (depending on the state you live in).
Since 2010, all issued Swiss passports have adopted biometric technology . Currently, the cost of an adult passport is about CHF 150 and the cost of a child passport is CHF 70.
Swiss Dual Nationality
If you join Swiss nationality, as long as your country of origin also accepts it, you can retain your nationality at birth (and therefore have dual nationality).
Because of the ability to retain dual nationality in Switzerland, eligible British citizens may consider joining Swiss nationality after the UK votes to withdraw from the EU. Several states reported a sharp increase in citizenship applications in 2016.
Since January 2017, people with dual nationalities can also enter diplomatic positions, eliminating the previous "outdated" and "discriminatory" ban.
