Normal Naturalisation Switzerland - applicant diary

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
41
Thanks @valaboro. Did you apply in the commune of Lausanne or elsewhere? It'll be 4 months since my submission now and still no call for interview. Getting a little worried. I've heard that it takes longer in Lausanne than other communes due to the volume. So that could be it. But getting worried nonetheless.

42
Long time listener here, first time caller.

I wouldn't worry. Canton and Commune Fribourg are already much longer:

2014 Feb - Initial documents in with Canton via the ZEA (Amt fuĢˆr Zivilstandswesen und EinbuĢˆrgerungen)

2014 April - Request for more documents.

2014 May - Approved to "apply".

2014 September - Notification that there is a file open with the ZEA.

2014 November - 1 hour interview with functionary in the ZEA.

2015 March - 5 minute visit from the Communal Police.

2015 June - Citizenship course run by the Fribourg Commune.

So, I'm still waiting for an interview with the Commune. However, they did mention during the course that we are near the top of the pile and will be interviewed near end of July or during September.

43
Hello,

My wife applied for regular naturalization earlier this month in Gemeinde Basel in Canton Basel-Stadt.

I'm Swiss but we have only been married for a little over a year so she can't do the facilitated naturalization.

I'll post her progress(time line) as things develop.

Has anybody had any experience with regular naturalization in Basel? Any ideas of how long it takes to complete the process?

Thanks in advance.

44
Here's an update on my case:

21 November 2013 - official application date

15 March 2015 - received a convocation to appear at the police station for an interview

30 April 2015 - interview with police

20 June 2015 - received the first bill (communal 250CHF)

The policewoman who interviewed me told me to expect an invitation for an interview sometime in the fall.

45
Here is the timeline of my journey (Kanton ZH)

Application submitted - 19.09.2014

Gemeinde Interview - 26.12.2014

Gemeinde Approval - 27.12.2014

Requested to enter Family Datat into Registry - 21.01.2015

Kanton Approval - 07.04.2015

Federal Approval - 17.07.2015

Final Confirmation - Swiss!!!!! 13.08.2015

46
Hi grepthis,

First of congratulation!

Great that you have provided the timeline.

I am really curious to know more info. Can you please give more information such as:

1. The overall cost

2. How many interviews you had and how were they?

3. Did you apply from within Zurich City Gemeinde or outside city in ZH Kanton's Gemeinde? Basically, if your residency is in Stadt Kreis

4. Did you have the exam? How was it? Did refer any material for preparation?

5. It would be great the list of document you submitted?

Thanks in adavance!

Cheers,

Junaid

47
Hi Juniad,

Thanks. I have added the answers inline. I hope that helps.

Cheers

Kurt

48
Hi Kurt,

Thank you very much for this information!

Cheers,

Junaid

49
Thank you to all who have posted their timelines here. It is a real help to see how it all unfolds in the different cantons/gemeindes.

50
I'll just add to what I wrote earlier.

Dec 2015.

Well, just had my interview with the Gemeinde.

15 questions in 15 minutes. Really rapid fire.

The only thing I'm sure of is a bill in the mail.

Probably 2 "not 100% perfect answers".

51
22-12-15: And .... I just received the bill. The second 750chf. However, they did also give me a thumbs up ... so it's off to the Kanton.

52
I just received a letter for what I believe to be my interview appointment for Swiss Citizenship. During the interview, they will ask questions about "Staatskunde der Schweiz und ihren politischen Institutionen". They provided a link where I can find the infos in regards to the questions they will ask.

I'm concerned that it's quite a bit of information I need to know. I also speak fluent German but this political jargon is a bit out of my league. My question is how much of the staatskundekurs and the politische Institutionen should I know? Should I just memorize all 18 pages of the Staatskundekurs and my canton's political institution?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

53

To ensure you have sufficient knowledge, you might want to take an EinbuĢˆrgerungskurs, e.g.:

http://www.bwdbern.ch/bwd-wb/weiterbā€¦ergerungskurs/

54
Hmmm...the interview is on Jan 22. I don't quite have time to take a course. I am sure the course would be extremely helpful however, time just does not permit. Thank you.

55

Aargau has a on-line EinbuĢˆrgerungstest that might be useful:

http://www.einbuergerungstest-aargau.ch/

56
I should add that I am in canton Fribourg. Thanks.

57

Hi s268952,

I think that you may need to de a bit of research and put some small effort in.

A quick google turned up this http://www.fr.ch/sainec/de/pub/naturā€¦skundekurs.htm Download the PDF (if it wasnā€™t sent to you already).

The PDF isnā€™t that long and just going through this should not take too long. 5 or six sessions of 30 minutes should be enough. The information in the PDF is a minimum. Bonus: just studying the material will brush up your vocabulary on politics, which helped me no end.

Without further information from you, based on your posts, I think that this is just the interview with the ZEA. I had mine last year. It lasted one hour and was partially ā€œabout meā€, confirming details from my application. The second half was really about what my motivation and then facts on Switzerland.

  • Know the Executive of the Confederation.
  • Know the names of the different legislative bodies and Cantonal and Federal level, and the name of Executive branches.
  • Know at least some politicians at the Kantonal level. Make sure you know the 2016 changes and not last yearā€™s situation.
  • Know what happened on important dates. 1291 and 1481 for starters.
  • Some famous Swiss (current and past), important geographical points, current affairs at cantonal, federal and gemeinde level.
  • Name at least 3 Swiss friends. My tip: Be prepared and make sure at least one or two have ā€œtypicalā€ swiss family names. Mine werenā€™t contacted, but you never know.

Obviously they are assessing not just your technical level of german, but your ability to have a conversation ā€œintegrationā€.

If you watch Tagesshau and read one of the local newspapers regularly (not 20 Minuten), then it should be a easy.

This first interview has nothing to do with either the Cantonal or Gemeinde level interviews. Fribourg (gemeinde) offered a course before the interview, but after this interview at the ZEA.

58
thanks! that's a great starting point. the link you provided is the link they sent to me. obviously I've cracked this pdf file open and have started reading it...German dictionary by my side.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned that my process is simplified naturalisation. my husband is Swiss and we have a son who was born here and is a Swiss citizen. me becoming a Swiss citizen is really just a formality to complete the circle in that my husband is Swiss, my son is Swiss so I should also be Swiss. by no means am I saying that I am entitled to citizenship simply based on this fact. I am willing to do the due diligence to be a citizen. now considering all this, will I still be grilled pretty thoroughly? I've heard of people simply being visited by local police and being asked a few questions. seems as if my situation is pretty straightforward, no?

59
Ok. I can only offer 2nd hand information from a co-worker about Simplified Naturalisation. However, there is already a wealth of information in these forums about that process. Yours will be a "one interview, job done, bill and passport in the mail" type thing.

All the information I provided above was about Ordinary, or Normal Naturalisation.

60
Well, I've gone through the interview now. I feel pretty good about it, but we'll see what comes in the post.