The referendum committee collected 135,000 signatures — 35,000 more than required by law — which means that the issue will be submitted to the national vote, though the exact date has not yet been set.
According to the committee, the law needs to be revised because current rules are too strict, especially for people from third-countries.
“There are few countries in Europe that place so many obstacles to naturalisation,” it said.
Compared - Which European countries have the toughest requirements for citizenship?
What residency criteria should you currently meet before applying for citizenship?
An applicant must have lived in Switzerland for at least ten years before qualifying for naturalisation (that is, citizenship through residency rather than through marriage or family ties).
The process is quicker for nationals of the European Union and EFTA states — Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
Only those who have C residency permit can apply for Swiss citizenship.
This is how it works for them:
After five years with a B permit, they usually qualify for the permanent residency — that is, the C permit.
Then, another five years of continuous residency is required before they can apply for naturalisation.
People from outside the EU / EFTA, however, face more stringent requirements: their wait to ‘upgrade’ from a B to C permit is twice as long — 10 continuous years.
There are, however, some exemptions from these rules.
For instance, Americans and Canadians are on par with their EU / EFTA counterparts: they can also apply for a C permit after five years of continuous residence on a B permit.
There are other exceptions as well: if you are a non-EU / EFTA spouse or the minor child of a Swiss citizen or a permit C holder, you too can apply for a C permit after five years.
Once you receive this permit, nothing stops you from advancing to the next level — you have been vetted by the authorities and cleared for citizenship.
READ ALSO: Five ways you can fast-track your route to Swiss citizenship
Other requirements
Length of residency is only one aspect of qualifying for citizenship and even if this measure is approved at the polls, other requirements for citizenship will remain the same. These include language proficiency, financial stability proving that you are well integrated into Swiss society.
Does the new initiative have a real chance of succeeding at the polls?
It is difficult to predict what the outcome of this vote could be.
But given that foreigners (the ones most concerned by this initiative) can’t vote in national referendums, the issue will be in the hands of Swiss citizens.
What is certain, however, is that — considering its anti-immigrant stance — the rightwing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) will do everything in its power to persuade voters to nix this idea.
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