Any book recommendations for Naturalisation Interviews

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
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Hi,

Being married to a Swiss and having completed the eligibility criteria (5 years in CH, min 3 years marriage), I am in process of applying for simplified naturalisation process. My German is at B2 level but haven’t certified it yet other than cours attendance papers; so I guess my first step is having a full exam for certification. Then I’ll be getting prepared for the interview.

Do you know if there are any books or websites in german (or in english), which helps you get prepared for the associated interview process?

I would like to see something like questions (and answers) which have already come out in previous years and some tips for getting properly prepared.

Thanks for your help

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There's enough info here on EF to fill at least one book. Browse this section and you'll find many threads where people have shared their interview experiences.

You can sit an exam for the German certificate, but you don't really need it. You'll have a police interview (in German) where they'll ask you some basic questions about your marriage and your life in Switzerland. If you're at a B2 level you'll get through that without too much difficulty.

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I found the e-book “Swiss Decocracy in a Nutshell” interesting for explaining how parliament and voting works...

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Mani Matter lyrics.

Polo Hofer

A bit of Dürrenmatt.

S Totemüggerli

Of course also knowing the names of the Bundesrats helps and being able to find the different cantons on the map.

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The 'Staatskundebroschüre ECHO' was recommended to me many moons ago for questions on things federal:

https://www.heks.ch/unser-angebot/sh...en-zur-schweiz

Available in several languages; you might want to order it in both English and German.

Caveat: I am not applying for citizenship, so obviously have not been through any interviews and thus have no idea if this guide is really is as helpful as those who recommended it to me claim.

And obviously you'll need to brush up on cantonal and community info as well.

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I ordered the book, thanks.

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The link is full of very useful info. No matter they ask it or not, it is good to learn. Thanks🙏🏻

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Aside fm what others have said, you need to just read up on general swiss topics.

I used this app https://www.together-in-switzerland.ch/en/

alot leading up to my interview, which was useful for learning (and testing yourself on all swiss topics) It is in English as well as German/French - which is good practice for whatever language your interview will be in.

This site is also useful for info re: swiss administration etc

https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home.html

Also,closer to your interview date, it is good to read up on current voting topics, just to show you are up to date on some current affairs.

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https://www.bk.admin.ch/bk/de/home/d...-erklaert.html

Available in all official languages + English.

You can either download it or order printed version(s) - Absolutely free of cost

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I'm not sure about the Basel area, but here in Bern a number of the towns around us place free newspapers in our mailbox once a week. There's also a monthly newspaper from the municipality that tells all about what's going on, whom to contact for what, etc.

I found it helpful when preparing for naturlization just to browse the papers and see what the hot topics were. For example: should the dorfmusik fest stay at the primary school or move to a different location?

Also the booklet ankurm mentions - it's free and in English!

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Books

TipTopf / Croqu'menus - Ursula Affolter, Monika Jaun Urech, Marianne Keller, et al.

When you want to cook like a Swiss educated child.

Aus Schweizer Küchen - Marianne Kaltenbach

Please read the sections, about Capuns, Fondue, and at least two local specialties. Also know the difference between Urner and Märchler Hafechabis.

Le Patrimoine culinaire suisse - Paul Imhof

Please read the sections about Papet Vaudois, Cardon de Genève, and at least two local specialties. Know the difference between Saucisse d'Ajoie and Saucisse neuchâtelois.

Der Waschküchenschlüssel - Hugo Loetscher.

Specially the story about the Waschküchenschlüssel.

Zivilverteidigungsbuch - Albert Bachmann and Georges Grosjean

The part about personal food stock pilling.

German , French , Italian

Further background Information .

Final Report of the Independent Commission of Experts Switzerland – Second World War - Jean-François Bergier et al.

Read it and do not mention it. Never ever.

Anneli. Erlebnisse eines kleinen Landmädchens. - Olga Meyer

Just that you know how it was in the past.

Abschied von Surava - Edited by Erich Schmid.

can be substituted by Er nannte sich Peter Surava - Peter Hirsch

Derborence - Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz

Written by the guy on the old CHF 200 bank note.

Outdoor mit dem Taschenmesser - Felix Immler

Do not know why, but Google listed it when I search for relevant books. Oh, and you will need an Swiss Army Knife, because: Ein richtiger Schweizer hat immer einen «Sackhegel» dabei.

One of the Globi, Papa Moll, Titeuf, and Carigiet books.

Movies (many can be watched for free on https://www.playsuisse.ch ):

Wir Bergler in den Bergen

Die Göttliche Ordnung

Die Schweizermacher

Das Boot ist voll

Achtung, fertig, Charlie!

Die Schwarzen Brüder

Anna Göldin – Letzte Hexe

La grande peur dans la montagne

Uli der Knecht

Dällebach Kari

Zwingli

Derborence

Dutti, der Riese

Kinder der Landstrasse

Mein Name ist Eugen

Der Verdingbub

Schellen Ursl i

Wachtmeister Studer

Looks like some of the more controversial movies are not available. I really recommend "Der Verdingbub", "Kinder der Landstrasse", and "Die Göttliche Ordnung" to learn more about the darker side of Switzerland.

Speaking of which, if you are interested in the true horror Switzerland and the Swiss has to offer see here: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/sendung/d...e-1b803ea08b00

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I'm afraid this is all going to be very specific to your Canton and Commune.

For those in Vaud, there is this guide to federal and cantonal questions for naturalisation on this page.

https://www.vd.ch/themes/population/...aturalisation/

You should consult your town's commune page to see if they list typical questions on the local level.

FYI, having gone through the process, about one third were federal or history type questions, one third regional or cantonal, and about one-third local questions. But again this may be dependent on the Canton and commune.

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That's a wonderful list, ASwissInTheUs;

the kind of items that'd make me homesick for Switzerland if ever I were to move away.

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FWIW in Lugano there is a booklet to study for the interview (~oral exam)

called Conoscere Conoscersi

https://www.lugano.ch/dam/jcr:9e5e60...017-lowres.pdf

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May end up varying from region to region but where I live, I never provided any certification of my French level for my naturalization interview - of course my interview with local police was done entirely in French

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Some more resources:

From the Swiss Federation: Welcome to Switzerland (other languages ) The Swiss Confederation – a brief guide Social security in Switzerland (other languages )

Cantons test * Vaud * Zurich Lucerne Aargau Entries marked with * are official. You might want to try the tests of other cantons as well.

German Books: Die Schweiz verstehen - hep Verlag Der kleine Schweizermacher - hep Verlag ECHO Informationen zur Schweiz - HECKS

French Books: Naturalisation - Seismo Verlag Comprendre la Suisse - hep Verlag ECHO - Informations sur la Suisse - HECKS

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Geneva practice test and study resources offered by the Canton.

And here is the book Naturalisation - Seismo Verlag (in French) that @aSwissInTheUS recommends above. It is the accompanying guide to the Naturalisation exhibition . Worth a read, especially pages 55-59 have an inventory of typical questions asked in interviews.

The exhibition has been running in Bulle, canton Fribourg. It is totally worth your time — highly recommended if you can catch it. It is on its last weekend, closes 22 Jan. Hugely informative. If you can’t make it, read the guidebook which sells for CHF 48.- in hard copy but free pdf download from publisher above.

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My boss told me to read Homo Faber, they said it would help me understand the Swiss. All it's told me is that the if you're a listless mid life crisis having Swiss engineer, don't mess around with people half your age.

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Not a book, but a four part RTS documentary series on naturalisation: La Fabrique des Suisses is a captivating watch. Available in all four languages here .

Another shorter one from RTS also on the naturalisation process : Les Faiseurs de Suisses. Watch here in French.

And of course, the classic 1978 film Les Faiseurs de Suisses / Die Schweizermacher / I fabbricasvizzeri by Rolf Lyssy. Watch here .

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OP, I suggest you go ask your Gemeinde for the naturalization process. The process is decided at Gemeinde-level. So the experience of others here may differ from yours.

For example, in my Gemeinde there was a written exam for the "knowledge" part. They offered reading material and a course for it. I decided to just take the reading material. All the questions that came out in the exam was in the reading material. Since the exam took care of the knowledge part, the interview was a simply a getting-to-know-you type.