Swiss citizenship by naturalization

How to get Swiss citizenship: three routes

• By descent. A child acquires citizenship if at least one parent is a Swiss citizen.
• Through marriage. The spouse of a Swiss citizen can apply for simplified naturalisation after 3 years of marriage, having lived in Switzerland for 5 years in total, including the year before applying. A spouse living abroad applies after 6 years of marriage with close ties to Switzerland.
• By naturalisation. A foreign national who has lived in Switzerland for at least 10 years and holds a C settlement permit files an ordinary application. Integration and knowledge of a national language are required: B1 spoken and A2 written.

A separate simplified procedure exists for the third generation of foreigners born in Switzerland. There is no citizenship by investment: money and property only give the right to live in the country, and a passport comes only after 10 years of residence.

How long you must live in Switzerland to become a citizen

Ordinary naturalisation requires 10 years of residence and a C permit. Years spent with B and C permits count towards the period. Years spent in Switzerland between the ages of 8 and 18 count double, but you must actually have lived in the country for at least 6 years. Three of the 10 years must fall within the 5 years before applying.

On top of the federal period, cantons require 2 to 5 years of residence in the canton and the commune. Moving to another canton shortly before applying therefore delays citizenship: the local period starts again.

How much Swiss citizenship costs in 2026

Federal fees are set by Article 25 of the Swiss Citizenship Ordinance as in force from 1 August 2026. Dollar amounts are converted at the European Central Bank rate and rounded up.

Cantonal and communal fees are added to the federal fee: each canton sets its own, and together they are usually larger than the federal part. A language certificate, if you are not exempt, and translations and certification of foreign documents are paid separately. The cost per adult starts at the $121 federal fee, and we calculate the full amount for your family and canton in the chat after a short look at your situation.

Murblz support

We check residence periods and permits, choose the language exam, gather documents, prepare the application under your canton's rules and support the procedure to a decision. We quote our fee after a consultation: it depends on the canton, the family and how many documents must be obtained abroad.

Step by step: how naturalisation works and how long it takes

1. Checking residence and permit. We count years on B and C permits, years between 8 and 18 and the canton's local period. If something is missing, we name the date from which you can apply.
2. Language. You take a recognised exam in your canton's national language: B1 spoken, A2 written. No exam is needed if it is your native language or you attended compulsory school in it for at least 5 years.
3. Documents. We gather residence certificates, income details, marriage and children's documents and translations of foreign papers.
4. Filing with the commune and canton. The canton sets the procedure: some cantons hold an interview or a test on life in Switzerland.
5. Federal permit. The canton forwards the file to the State Secretariat for Migration, which usually decides within 8 months of receiving a complete file.
6. Final decision. After the federal permit, the canton and commune grant citizenship, in some cantons with a ceremony.

For simplified naturalisation of spouses the State Secretariat for Migration handles the case: a decision is usually made within 12 months of the canton's report.

Documents for Swiss citizenship

• a valid passport and a C settlement permit;
• certificates of residence from communes if you have lived in several places;
• a language certificate at B1 spoken and A2 written, or proof of exemption;
• evidence of income or studies: the applicant must cover living costs and family maintenance obligations;
• marriage and children's birth certificates, with translation and certification of foreign documents as the canton requires;
• evidence of no criminal record and no debts: the authorities run some of these checks themselves.

The canton sets the exact list and forms, so we prepare the file for your specific commune so that it is not returned for completion.

What to check before applying for Swiss citizenship

• No C permit or not enough years. A B permit counts towards residence, but you cannot apply without a C permit.
• Social assistance. Anyone who received social assistance in the 3 years before applying or during the procedure fails the requirement to take part in economic life, unless the assistance is repaid in full (Article 7 of the Citizenship Ordinance).
• Criminal record and violations. Significant entries in the criminal record, repeated breaches of the law and wilful failure to meet obligations, including debts, mean the applicant is not considered integrated (Article 4).
• Language below the required level or no recognised certificate.
• Local period not met in the canton and commune after a move.

A refusal of the federal permit costs about $370, so we check every condition before filing and apply only when the chances are high.

Taxes for a Swiss passport holder

Taxes in Switzerland depend on residence, not citizenship: a resident pays federal, cantonal and communal tax on income and wealth whatever their passport. Becoming a citizen does not change the tax burden, and tax residence ends with residence when you leave the country. Rates and rules are on our Switzerland taxes page.

How to move to Switzerland to start the 10-year count

• Employment. For nationals of countries outside the European Union and EFTA, the employer must show that no suitable candidate from Switzerland, the European Union or EFTA is available.
• Business. The business must bring economic benefit to the canton and create jobs; a business plan and proof of funds are required.
• Financial independence. Wealthy foreigners not working in Switzerland obtain a permit by paying lump-sum tax based on living expenses rather than income. More on the Swiss residence by investment page.
• Study. A student permit is issued for the period of study; for citizenship the total time on B and C permits matters.
• Family reunification with citizens and residents of Switzerland, given sufficient means and housing.
• A short-term L permit for 3 to 12 months for seasonal work and internships, extendable to 24 months.

All residence routes are on the Swiss residence permit page.

Risks and what can change

• Cantonal rules differ. The local period, the test on life in Switzerland and the fees depend on the canton and commune, and cantons change them.
• Breaks in residence. A long absence can break continuity, especially in the 5 years before applying.
• Social assistance and debts in the years before applying block citizenship until repaid.
• Marriage under the simplified procedure must exist both when applying and when naturalised.

Alternatives: citizenship elsewhere in Europe

• Austrian citizenship - also a long residence period and a German exam, but the previous citizenship usually has to be given up.
• German citizenship - after the reform the naturalisation period is shorter and dual citizenship is allowed.
• Irish citizenship - 5 years of residence out of the last 9.
• Luxembourg citizenship - a European passport with a Luxembourgish language exam.

Monaco is stricter still: Monaco citizenship requires 10 years of living in the principality and giving up your previous passport, and only 21 people received it in 2025.

What has changed and our sources

A new Swiss Citizenship Act has applied since 1 January 2018: a C permit became mandatory for ordinary naturalisation, and the required residence period was cut to 10 years. The procedure, language and fees are detailed in the Swiss Citizenship Ordinance, in force as amended on 1 August 2026. Sources: the State Secretariat for Migration and the official compilation of Swiss federal law.

Advantages of a Swiss passport

How to get Swiss citizenship

FAQ

Where you can travel visa-free with a Swiss passport