SwitzerlandCitizenship

Ordinary naturalisation in Switzerland in Switzerland

Ordinary naturalisation is the standard route to Swiss citizenship for foreign nationals with a settlement permit who have lived in the country lawfully for a long time. The application is examined first by the commune and the canton and then at federal level: the applicant’s integration, their familiarity with Swiss living conditions and the absence of any threat to the country’s security are assessed.

Source: State Secretariat for Migration of Switzerland (SEM)

Who can apply

Residence requirements

10 years of residence in Switzerland, 3 of them within the last 5 years before the application
A valid settlement permit (type C) at the time the application is filed
Years lived between the ages of 8 and 18 count double; the actual period of residence must nevertheless be at least 6 years
Permits B and C and the diplomatic legitimation card count towards the period; permit F counts by half; asylum seeker status and the short-term permit L do not count
Cantons additionally require between 2 and 5 years of residence in the particular canton and commune

Integration requirements

Command of the national language of the place of residence: spoken at level B1 or above, written at A2 or above
Compliance with public order: no criminal convictions and no debts under debt enforcement proceedings, taxes paid
Respect for the values of the Federal Constitution
Participation in economic life or in education — work or study, with no social assistance in the 3 years before the application (or with it fully repaid)
Support for the integration of one’s own family members
No threat to the internal or external security of Switzerland

What it costs

Federal SEM fee per adult applicant	100 CHF
Federal SEM fee for a married couple or a family applying jointly	150 CHF
Federal SEM fee for a minor applying independently	50 CHF

How the process runs

The procedure runs in three stages: the commune and the canton, the federal SEM, and then the canton again.

1
File the application with the commune or the canton
The application form (Gesuchsformular) is filed with the competent authority at the place of residence. The canton checks the formal conditions and how far the applicant is integrated.
2
Federal approval by SEM
If the canton approves the application, the case is passed to SEM. The agency checks successful integration, familiarity with Swiss living conditions and the absence of any threat to the country’s internal or external security.
3
Decision of the canton
within 1 year of the federal approval
The canton takes the final naturalisation decision (Einbürgerungsentscheid) within a year of receiving federal approval from SEM — otherwise the approval lapses. The applicant acquires communal, cantonal and Swiss citizenship at the moment the decision enters into legal force.

Timelines and rights

Residence

Ten years of residence in Switzerland, three of them within the last five years before the application. Years lived between the ages of 8 and 18 count double, but the actual period of residence must be at least six years. Cantons additionally require between 2 and 5 years of residence in the canton.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Yes, this is a route to Swiss citizenship.

Frequently asked questions about Ordinary naturalisation in Switzerland

Who can apply for ordinary naturalisation?

Foreign nationals who have lived in Switzerland for 10 years, 3 of them within the last 5 years before the application, and who hold a settlement permit (type C). Successful integration, familiarity with Swiss living conditions and the absence of any threat to the country’s security are checked in addition.

How much does naturalisation cost?

The federal SEM fee is 100 francs per adult applicant, 150 francs for a married couple or a family applying jointly, and 50 francs for a minor applying independently. In addition, every canton and every commune charges its own fees for the ordinary naturalisation procedure — SEM does not disclose those amounts.

How is the period of residence calculated for the application?

10 years of residence in Switzerland are counted, 3 of them within the last 5 years before the application. Years lived between the ages of 8 and 18 count double, but the actual period of residence must be at least 6 years. Permits B and C and the diplomatic legitimation card count towards the period, permit F by half. Time as an asylum seeker and on the short-term permit L does not count.

What level of language is needed for naturalisation?

You must be able to make yourself understood in everyday life, orally and in writing, in the language of your place of residence: spoken at level B1 or above, written at A2 or above on the Common European Framework, CEFR (art. 6 of the Swiss Citizenship Ordinance, BüV). No certificate is needed if the applicant’s mother tongue is one of Switzerland’s national languages, if they attended compulsory school in that language for at least 5 years, or if they completed upper secondary or higher education in it.

How long does the application take?

SEM does not name an overall time for the whole procedure, but it does fix one clear deadline: once SEM has issued the federal approval, the canton must take the final decision within one year. After that deadline the federal approval lapses.

Can the application be filed before the 10 years of residence have elapsed?

No. The formal conditions — including the period of residence — must be met at the time the application is filed.

How does ordinary naturalisation differ from naturalisation for spouses of Swiss nationals?

The spouse of a Swiss national may apply for facilitated naturalisation (erleichterte Einbürgerung): with residence in Switzerland only 5 years are needed, the last of them immediately before the application, along with at least 3 years of married life together. Ordinary naturalisation requires 10 years of residence regardless of marital status, and the final decision on it is taken by the canton rather than by SEM.

Other ways to move to Switzerland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Switzerland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.