Dear all,
I thought of giving it a try and seek for some guidance or advice with my case...
- I am married to a Swiss citizen and I just received my confirmation letter to perform the citizenship interview. I live in Basel-Land and I have around 6 weeks to prepared (slightly nervous considering all the bad experiences I have read in internet so far about how tough the interviews can be). I don’t speak fluent German but I am proficient in Italian, and I was informed that I could take the interview in Italian even if I live in a German speaking canton (my language test was in Italian); however the confirmation letter that I received was German written and now I am feeling insecure about the interview being really performed in Italian.
Questions:
- Has anybody done an interview in a different language than the one spoken in your canton of residence?
- I have heard in some cases that the spouse is part of the interview... Is this correct?
- I was told to use the app “Einbürgerungstest code schweiz” to prepare for my interview, but the app is only in German and French”... Can anybody recommend an English or Italian language ap, or book, or website to help me prepare for the interview questions?
- Any final heads-up, tips, or advice that you could offer would be highly valuable!
Thank you for taking the time to read through this thread and for any kind of guidance you can offer to me.
Have a nice day!
I have never heard of the interview being conducted in a different national language to the canton of residence. I doubt any of the interviewers in Basel speak Italian.
The SEM website just says you need to able to communicate both orally and written in a Swiss national language. So I guess it really depends on whether Basel insist on you speaking/writing their official cantonal language.
https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home…rheiratet.html
Far as I know you should speak/write whatever the official language of your canton is. Guess you’ll find out when you go along for the interview.
I have several friends who have tried something similar in different communes/cantons and all were denied the ability to do the application and interview in anything but the local language. French friends in Aargau had to speak German, and in Vaud German, Italian, and friends who spoke better German than French all had to do everything in French.
At the end of the day it is the commune that accepts you as a citizen, it does not surprise me that they expect their citizens to be able to communicate in their language.
It's not, though. If this is a facilitated naturalization case, only SEM has the decision power, localities and cantons do not decide (cantonal officials are in charge of interviewing you, though). If you naturalize as a spouse, you will become a citizen of the spouse's commune of origin, not the place you live.
Yes, fair point. I am only familiar with the normal naturalization process.
First one becomes a citizen of a Canton and then a citizen of Switzerland. I am Swiss, but first I became a Vaud citizen. And when I promised, I promised to uphold the Constitution of Vaud, not Switzerland.
There are 3 bilingual and 1 trilingual cantons. In these any of their languages are sufficient.
Switzerland is not actually a country. It is a confederation of independent Republics.
Not in case of simplified naturalization, like due to marriage to a Swiss. In this case SEM will decide and the commune can only give a veto. Specially Art. 12 Abs. 3 does not apply were the cantons could set higher requirements. Therefore, competency in any national language is in theory enough.
According to this post https://www.englishforum.ch/3216656-post62.html you simply need to have fluency in one national language.
If in doubt, phone (or get someone to phone) the Migrationsamt in Frenkendorf. We found them helpful and friendly.
Is the interview at Gemeinde or Kantonal level?
I had my interview in the Gemeinde where I was living in oberwallis, but became a citizen of Basel (my husbands Heimat) who never even met me. I also live in a bilingual canton, but had to do the interview in German, not given the option of French.
You may find that the person in your Gemeinde doesn't know the rules 100%, and expects you to take the exam in Germany.
I would call them and verify/confirm, maybe armed with a link to the appropriate guidace (in German)