Ordinary naturalization process in Switzerland

• Immigration and Citizenship Law in Switzerland
• Appeal Revocation of settlement permit C
• C permanent residence permit
• Early issuance of settlement permit C
• Leaving Switzerland Loss of C permit
• The B residence permit and appeals
• Permit L Issued Instead of B !
• Family reunification rejection appeal
• Name Change: appeal a rejection
• Brexit & British nationals in Switzerland
• Moving to Switzerland from US, UK, Canada etc.
• Retiring and emigrating to Switzerland
• Naturalization in Switzerland
  • Simplified naturalization in Switzerland
  • Appeal against revocation of citizenship
  • Appeal against denial of Swiss citizenship
  • Re-naturalization after lost of Swiss citizenship.
• Loss of permit after divorce or death

Basically, anyone who has lived in Switzerland for ten years and has a permanent residence permit C can apply for ordinary naturalization. The process is quicker for people who are married to a Swiss national. In these cases, so-called “simplified naturalization” is possible. People of the “third generation” can also apply for simplified naturalization.

Permanent residence permit holders (C permit). The Swiss federal law stipulates that a person must have lived in Switzerland for at least 10 years, 3 of which must have been during the last 5 years before submitting the application.

The period that someone has lived in Switzerland between the ages of 8 and 18 counts double. However, an application for naturalization cannot be submitted earlier than after 6 years of effective residence in Switzerland.

Depending on the canton, you may also be required to have lived in the municipality or canton where you wish to be naturalized for at least 2 to 5 years before submitting your application for naturalization.

The Swiss Citizenship Act also stipulates that citizenship is only granted to people who
are successfully integrated
are familiar with Swiss living conditions
do not endanger the internal and external security of Switzerland.
Further information on ordinary naturalization can be found on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration. The requirements for obtaining cantonal and communal citizenship vary greatly depending on the canton or commune.

Admission to citizenship also requires that applicants have sufficient language skills and are able to communicate in their day-to-day lives.
That they participate in economic life or in the acquisition of education;
That they respect the values of the federal and cantonal constitutions;
That they are familiar with general living habits and important public institutions in the commune, canton and federal government;
That they participate in social and cultural life;
That they maintain contacts with Swiss nationals;
That they have no entries in the criminal record or ongoing proceedings;

That they currently have no unpaid debt collection or loss certificates;
That they have not received any social assistance in the last three years, unless the assistance received has been fully reimbursed.

Difficult personal circumstances are taken into account in the naturalization procedure with regard to proof of language skills and participation in economic life or the acquisition of education.

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There are eight statutory justifications for simplified naturalization in Switzerland:

Art. 27 BüG for spouses of a Swiss citizen.

Art. 28 BüG for spouses of Swiss nationals living abroad.

Art. 29 BüG for foreigners who have lived in good faith that they have Swiss citizenship

Art. 30 BüG for stateless children under the age of majority.

Art. 31a BüG for the child of a naturalized parent who has not been included in the naturalization process

Art. 31b BüG for the child of a parent who has lost Swiss citizenship.

Art. 58a BüG for the child of a Swiss mother,
or grandmother born before July 1, 1985.

Art. 58c BüG for the child of a Swiss father who was born before January 1, 2006.

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