Naturalisation in Switzerland: the complete overview

Three routes to Swiss citizenship

Foreign nationals can acquire Swiss citizenship in three ways:

• Ordinary naturalisation: The most common route for people who have lived in Switzerland for many years. The municipality, the canton and the Confederation check the application in turn. This page focuses mainly on this route.
• Facilitated naturalisation: For spouses of Swiss citizens, young people of the third generation of immigrants and other special cases. Here the Confederation decides. More in the guide to facilitated naturalisation.
• Reinstatement: For people who have lost Swiss citizenship.

Swiss citizenship has three levels. When you are naturalised, you receive the citizenship of a municipality, of the canton and of Switzerland. The municipality becomes your place of origin (Heimatort), even if you move later.

The requirements in brief

The Confederation sets minimum requirements, and the cantons may add further ones. Under federal law, ordinary naturalisation requires that:

• You hold a settlement permit C when you apply.
• You have lived in Switzerland for ten years in total, three of them in the five years before applying. Years between your 8th and 18th birthdays count double, but you must actually have lived here for at least six years.
• You meet your canton’s residence rule, two to five years depending on the canton.
• You are successfully integrated: you respect public safety and order and the values of the Federal Constitution, you can communicate in a national language at least at level B1 spoken and A2 written, and you take part in economic life or education.
• You are familiar with Swiss living conditions, meaning you have basic knowledge of geography, history, politics and society and take part in social and cultural life.
• You do not pose a threat to Switzerland’s internal or external security.

The guide to the requirements explains every detail.

How the procedure works

The ordinary procedure runs through three levels. The canton decides which authority receives the application. Usually it is your municipality, in some cantons a cantonal office.

1. The municipality and the canton check your documents, your integration and your basic knowledge. Depending on the canton this includes a citizenship test, an interview or both.
2. If the canton and the municipality can promise naturalisation, the application goes to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). It issues the federal naturalisation permit, usually within eight months of receiving the complete file.
3. The canton then decides within one year. With the final decision you acquire municipal, cantonal and Swiss citizenship.

You will find the individual steps, typical documents and what happens if you move in the guide to the process.

The citizenship test

Each canton checks basic knowledge in its own way. Federal law allows the cantons to require a test but does not prescribe one. Practice varies accordingly:

• Written test: for example in Zurich (50 questions), Bern (48 questions), Aargau (45 questions) and Vaud (48 questions).
• Interview: for example in Basel-Stadt, Fribourg, Nidwalden or Neuchâtel, where 16 questions are asked in the interview.
• Course with test: in Solothurn and Ticino.
• Depending on the municipality: for example in Lucerne, Schwyz, St. Gallen, Graubünden, Thurgau and Valais.

You will find what applies in your canton on the relevant canton page, along with practice questions and a mock test.

What naturalisation costs

Fees may at most cover the costs. The Confederation charges 100 francs for an adult, 150 francs for married couples applying together and 50 francs for minors. Cantonal and municipal fees come on top and vary widely. According to a 2025 Federal Council report, cantonal fees for a single person are about 300 to 500 francs in cantons such as Zurich, Lucerne, Schwyz and Vaud, about 1500 francs in Basel-Landschaft and Neuchâtel, and 2000 francs in St. Gallen. The guide to the costs gives an overview.

After naturalisation

As a Swiss citizen you can vote and elect at every level, sign initiatives and referendums and stand for office yourself. You can apply for a Swiss passport and identity card.

Citizenship also brings duties. Men are liable for military service. Anyone who does not do military or civilian service pays a military service exemption tax. Dual nationals usually do their military service in the country where they live at the time of recruitment.

Switzerland has allowed dual citizenship without restrictions since 1 January 1992. Whether your country of origin lets you keep your current nationality depends on its law. Ask your country’s embassy or consulate early on.

How best to prepare

First find out how your canton tests and which residence rule applies. Then plan the language certificate if you need one, because language test dates are often booked up weeks in advance. For the test itself, a study plan and regular practice help; more in the guide study plan for the test.