My son will be able to apply for Swiss citizenship in 2025 when he is 14. What are the advantages of that over keeping a C permit?
The obvious one is that he can leave Switzerland if he so chooses for any length of time (eg to study abroad) when he gets older and return with no bureaucratic kerfuffle. But given he has an EU passport that might not be a clinching argument for him. Nor is the right to vote paramount to him right now.
The obvious downside is that he’d do national service, although I think it would be good for him ... meeting others from all walks of life and parts of Switzerland, character forming and all that.
The citizenship cannot be taken away. I mean, the circumstances would have to be truly exceptional. The C permit though... I mean, the BBC and Guardian were writing not so long ago that you can get kicked out of Switzerland for speeding.
Yeah I’m sure BBC and Guardian journalists are able to correctly interpret the federal foreigners and integration act and court rulings in a national language
Also check whether your home country doesn't have a military service and whether that can be substituted for doing it here - eg if you are French and do the French military visit (which is what counts for military service there) you can apply to have that recognised here and so be exempted from military service here.
I know a couple of boys who did this but then felt really left out to not be doing military service and did it anyway! It is something of a bonding/rite of passage so do not assume that when it gets to it, your son will not want to do it - peer influence and seeing all their friends go off to do it can count for a lot.
He should go for the citizenship. As for the military - I think these days he has some sort of choice as to what sort of "soldier". The initial training may interfere with the timing of studies, but after that it is paid additional holidays. If he wants to stay in Switzerland, it is still a huge plus socially.
I was being fastidious but there was a point there. The C permit is on somewhat moving sand, subject to (much easier changed) conditions compared to the citizenship.
And also your life situation could change and put your C Permit into doubt eg you have an illness and are no longer able to work - people have had C Permits revoked after too many years claiming social assistance. It is hard to see so far ahead and take such seemingly vague possibilities into account but when you have citizenship, you have zero worries on this score
Thanks for the replies. To be clear, I'm very much in favour of him applying, not just for any material advantage, but because I believe this is a truly wonderful country and citizenship of it would be huge privilege. I'm looking forward to the day I can apply too.
We haven't discussed it in any great depth, but on initial broaching he's very amenable; he just understandably wants to know more. I'm looking for the clincher argument. He really loves living here and is well integrated, but like most 12-year-olds has a rather hazy view of the long term.
As long as he doesn’t lose his current citizenship, I would go for naturalization.
Nothing short of citizenship is certain, even with a C permit you are always living with the potential of having to leave one day.
We are quite worried about our next renewal (ja, ja, Kontrolle) as it is due after OH retires. We are getting very pointed questions about leaving, so I suspect there may be difficulties this time around.
Sure, that is 50 years in the future for your son, but what shows successful integration better than planning ahead?
Naturalization will never be easier for your son than it is now, while he is young. Go for it.
Unfortunately, you automatically lose your German citizenship if you apply for and receive foreign citizenship. I'm not aware of any EU/EEA exception. There is an exception for minors, but I think only if they receive foreign citizenship automatically, not if they apply for it.
Dual (or more) citizenship is possible if you have those citizenships by birth or apply for German citizenship, afaik.
Under what circumstances do C permits require renewal?
I was under the vague impression when starting this thread that C was basically similar to citizenship but without voting right. Clearly not the case ...
An EU passport gives you specific rights in respect of the labor market and specific aspects of the single market agreement negotiated under the bilateral agreement and that is it.
For instance there is no right to obtain a residents permit for the purpose of remote working or to establish self employment through a commercial activity not grounded in the Swiss economy and so on.
Well it is a very long time ago since I studied taxation, but I can’t recall a single EU country at least that does not tax domiciled and resident individuals on their global income with the exception of income from immovable property in some cases and subject to the appropriate reliefs granted by double tax treaties etc.... And of course the US goes one step further in taxing non resident citizens.
And of course if he makes that kind of money he will be able to pay the tax avoidance bloodhounds to find ways around it.