Swiss citizenship
News, information and practical advice about Swiss citizenship.
Why marrying a Swiss person doesn't guarantee you citizenship
Most foreigners who wed Swiss nationals are granted citizenship through a simplified naturalisation process. However there are cases where this doesn't happen.
How naturalisation has shifted Switzerland’s population balance
A recent analysis offers an interesting perspective on immigration – and particularly on how naturalisation changes Switzerland’s population landscape.
Where are Switzerland's newly naturalised citizens from?
Some 41,000 foreigners became Swiss in 2025, but where are they all from and which parts of Switzerland hand out most new passports?
Basel to slash cost of Swiss naturalisation fee from this summer
The price of becoming a Swiss citizen in Basel-City will drop significantly - from 1,750 to 900 francs – on July 1st.
'Learn about your community': What you need to go through to become a Swiss citizen
Australian Hugh Chaffey-Millar came to Switzerland in 2013 and finally became a Swiss citizen last year. Here he shares tips with The Local to help foreigners in their long, and often bumpy, quest for integration and naturalisation.
The bizarre reasons applicants have been denied Swiss citizenship
There are many reasons why an application for Swiss naturalisation could be refused — and some of them might be hard to believe.
How many dual nationals live in Switzerland and where are they all?
A fifth of he country’s residents are foreigners who obtained Swiss citizenship while still maintaining the nationality of their place of origin.
How to avoid your Swiss citizenship application being rejected
The strict criteria for obtaining a Swiss passport means that as many as one fifth of applications to become Swiss are rejected. Here’s what you should know about increasing your chances of being naturalised.
Do I need to earn a good wage to qualify for Swiss citizenship?
A Swiss passport comes with many rules attached to it, but is good income one of the conditions for naturalisation in Switzerland?
Under what circumstances could you lose your Swiss citizenship?
A man had his Swiss citizenship revoked in February 2026 for lying on his naturalisation test. What else could prompt authorities to take such a drastic step?
Swiss canton looks to scrap naturalisation fees for young people
Basel-Country could follow the example of its sister canton, Basel-City, in scrapping the fees for foreigners under the age of 25 who apply for Swiss citizenship.
How many foreigners are refused Swiss citizenship in Geneva – and why?
Geneva has Switzerland’s highest naturalisation rate, but not everyone who applies makes the cut.
Court backs woman denied Swiss citizenship over doorbell pranks
A Swiss court has upheld a woman’s appeal against a naturalisation refusal which saw her bid to become Swiss turned down because of a door-ringing and egg-throwing incident in her youth.
Swiss MPs reject plan to shorten wait period for citizenship
Lawmakers in Switzerland have voted not to back a plan that demands cutting the period of residency required to qualify for Swiss citizenship.
Court rules foreigner denied Swiss citizenship over 'inadmissible' test questions
An applicant for Swiss citizenship has won his court battle against his commune’s refusal of naturalisation after judges ruled many of the questions he was asked were "inadmissible".
How residents in wealthy Zurich areas are more likely to seek naturalisation
New data has revealed that Zurich has the second-highest naturalisation rate in Switzerland after Geneva, but disparities in numbers exist between richer and less well off communities.
New move in Switzerland to introduce stricter language rules for naturalisation
Switzerland already enforces strict language requirements for Swiss citizenship applicants, but could they soon become tougher?
New push for foreign entrepreneurs to get easier route to Swiss citizenship
A Swiss lawmaker has proposed that foreign entrepreneurs based in the country should benefit from a more streamlined naturalisation process.
COMPARE: How the cost of becoming Swiss depends on where you live
Naturalisation fees in Switzerland vary from canton to canton – and sometimes by municipality within that canton - and some are cheaper (or more expensive) than others. So how much can you expect to pay in 2025?
Why are Zurich authorities skipping naturalisation interviews?
New cantonal figures reveal that communes in Zurich are relying less and less on personal interviews with applicants as part of the Swiss citizenship procedure.
How do certain cantons want applicants to prove integration for Swiss citizenship?
Integration is a key requirement for everyone applying for Swiss citizenship. But how you need to demonstrate it depends on the canton where you live.
What does being 'successfully integrated' in Switzerland mean?
One of the criteria for foreigners to be naturalised in Switzerland is that they should be well integrated into Swiss society. In many instances, this requirement is more important than the knowledge of the country’s history.
Switzerland makes move to harmonise naturalisation rules
The requirements for Swiss citizenship vary considerably from one canton to another but a move is underway in Switzerland to harmonise the rules.