This individual hails from an EU country (distinct from German-speaking nations) and completed a master's degree at ETH. Apart from the master's degree which was taught in English, this person did his entire education in his home country. Although I'm not certain about the specific Gemeinde (possibly Kreis 7), I am curious if the current norm involves obtaining naturalization solely through the application process, without an in-person interview. Could there have been recent modifications to the naturalization laws?
I am acquainted with an individual who recently achieved naturalization without undergoing a personal interview. The entire journey, spanning from the initial application to the receipt of the approval letter (golden letter), took less than a year, as it appears.
Is that person married to a Swiss and it is a facilitated naturalisation?
I know a couple of people that did not have an interview, but they were all well integrated. If you know the Geminde president, play football with the local club and Joss with around the stammtisch with the local police, there is not much point in interviews. In this case, who you know does count.
Way back when I went through the process of naturalisation through marriage there was no interview, but some kind of an data verification process and I just went over it with the local copper after our card game one night.
Nope. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked this question here.
Some crucial info is missing, you don't qualify just by doing a typical masters here.
Sounds like individual was exempt from basic knowledge interview/test due to tertiary studies at a public university/ETH in Switzerland, which was the case for naturalization applicants in Kt. (and more specifically Stadt) ZH until not long ago.
Believe there was a recent cantonal vote regarding naturalization criteria in ZH that has changed this practice.
Yes, tertiary studies exempted you from the interview and tests at your local Gemeinde up until 30.06.
You still need to do a German test or provide relevant evidence or certification.
Starting 1.7. Everyone needs to be interviewed and tested in ZH.
Do you have a proof of that? On the website of our Gemeinde the information about an interview disappeared after 01.07.2023. Now they require a test (before it was not needed), but no mention of the interview.
https://www.zh.ch/de/migration-integ…uergerung.html
Read the part about the new law
This part?
The not exactly small problem with all of this is that a masters takes far less than the 10 years required for normal naturalisation.
For what it's worth to complete the thread, I've known at least two cases in GE without interview. But this was a special time before the new naturalisation law came into force and GE had a big backlog they wanted to clear before the new one came into force. Thus, they were just calling applicants to verify a few points, like language, and that was it. I don't think it applies to the OP but just mention it as it happened.
Isn’t this thread a kind of how long is a piece of string question? Aside from the process varying from Canton to Canton, the naturalisation process is different from Gemeinde to Gemeinde. Given there are approx. 2100 Gemeindes in Switzerland there’s no way knowing what awaits in the OPs particular case. Best thing to do is go and ask at your local community office.
I could be entirely wrong here but I don’t think the masters removes the other requirements for applying for citizenship. All it does is removes the need for the knowledge test and/or interview.
The 10 years are a federal requirement so the canton couldn’t bypass that.
AFAIK cantons are free to apply stricter criteria but not lower them,
Just to clarify a few points-
- This individual has resided in Switzerland for the past 12 years.
- Following the completion of his master's degree, he commenced employment in a private company and remains with the same organization.
- Despite anticipating a naturalization interview, he received all necessary approvals without being summoned for the interview, much to his surprise.
- He has attained a proficiency level in German at B1/B2.
I recall coming across information suggesting that the interview might be discretionary in certain situations, although this was mentioned in the context of the COVID period. Nonetheless, he recently obtained naturalization without undergoing the interview.
There is no way of knowing, it might just be a simple clerical error.
No error, it was already established above that it’s due to having pursued tertiary education in Switzerland and requested naturalization in ZH before 30.06.2023
How is that not what I wrote?
Answered by now, obviously.
This is the key, as mentionned above
''It is at the discretion of the municipality whether it wishes to conduct a naturalisation interview
(§ 13 KBüV). An interview is particularly useful in cases in which the following integrati-
integration criteria need to be examined in more detail:
- Participation in the social and cultural life of society in Switzerland,
- Contact with Swiss nationals,
- Respect for the values of the Federal Constitution or
- Promotion of the integration of family members
If the municipality can assess the requirements on the basis of the available
documents available, it can dispense with an interview.''
Nothing to do with Higher Qualifications, but more local integration and knowing the 'right people' who are aware of your local involvement and knowledge of local language.
It’s not at all as I understood it, your post implied that the person hadn’t fulfilled the 10 year residency requirement and had been naturalised solely on the basis of his Masters qualification.