Ten things you should know about winning the Swiss passport

1) I'm a French citizen, I live in France, but I was born in Switzerland, where my parents worked for years. Can I apply for Swiss citizenship?
No. In Switzerland citizenship is transmitted by background, according to the principle of “us sanginis”, rather than the birth seat (us soli).
The fact that you were born in Switzerland, or that your parents lived long in Switzerland, will not grant you the right to citizenship. As a rule, a stranger may request a red passport with a white cross only if he lives in Switzerland and has Swiss parents, or if his mate is Swiss.

2) I am a French citizen who has lived and worked for several years in Switzerland. Under what conditions can I apply for Swiss citizenship?
A stranger can apply for naturalization if he has lived in Switzerland for at least 12 years (the previous years in Switzerland between the ages of 10 and 20 are twice). This period will be reduced to 10 years since January 1st 2018, with the new nationality law coming into force. The applicant must meet a number of criteria: demonstrate that they are integrated, recognize the reality and traditions of the country, submit to the legal framework, do not pose a threat to public safety, respect the values of the Confederacy, and be able to express themselves with mouth and writing in at least one of the national languages of the country.

3) Should I have lived 12 years straight in Switzerland to apply for Swiss citizenship, or may some attitudes combine?
12 years of residence should not be successive. In other words, the person may have lived a number of years in Switzerland, then in another country, and return to Switzerland. In general, however, applicants must have spent at least the last two years in a canton and/or a certain town.

4) How does the naturalization process take place? How should I prepare myself, and how much does it cost?
Conditions and procedures vary greatly from canton to canton, such as the expenses you have to cope with for application (between 500 and 2,000 francs). In some municipalities authorities can carry out <x0 use of surprise” visit to the applicant's home or require a minimal period of stay on their territory (usually 2 to 5 years).

5) If my children were born in Switzerland, they would automatically get Swiss citizenship, even if both parents were foreigners?
No. Unlike other countries, such as the United States and to some extent Spain and France, Switzerland does not use land rights. So if you were born in Switzerland, it doesn't mean you're entitled to Swiss citizenship.

6) I'm a Swiss citizen, but I live abroad. Are my children Swiss?
Yeah. If the father or mother has Swiss citizenship, the children are automatically Swiss citizens. However, children born abroad who also have a passport of another state could lose Swiss citizenship if they do not appear to Swiss authorities before their 22nd birthday.

7) My mother and /or grandmother were Swiss. Could the “take” Swiss citizenship?
The descendants of Swiss citizens can take “nationality under certain conditions. This is especially true if they were born before 1985 by a Swiss mother who lost her citizenship through marriage to a foreigner. But the new law, which goes into effect on January 1, 2018, introduces stricter rules. In the future, if you have a Swiss grandmother, it won't be enough to regain the passport with a white cross.

8) If I request a Swiss passport, should I give up my former nationality?
Swiss law allows for dual citizenship. The same applies to almost all European countries, such as France, Italy and Germany. In Austria, unfortunately, dual citizenship is only allowed on special occasions, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger's calibre personalities.

9) My wife is Swiss. Can I apply for naturalization? And if he's my Swiss husband, does he change anything?
Yes, since 1992, men and women have been treated the same way, in the case of marrying foreign citizens. A person can apply for simplified naturalization if he is married for at least three years to a Swiss citizen, who has lived with him for a total of five years in Switzerland and has lived more consistently for at least a year. The applicant must prove that he is integrated, which means about the reality of Switzerland and learn to speak a national language.

10) If I'm married to a Swiss/e, but I live abroad, can I apply for Swiss citizenship?
Yes, but conditions vary compared with couples living in Switzerland. The applicant must be married for at least six years and demonstrate that he has a close relationship with Switzerland. This means having the ability to speak a national language, to have contacts with the Swiss community abroad, and has remained at least three times five days straight in Switzerland during the previous six years of application. /Albinfo. ch