Dual Citizenship Switzerland

CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH

The following categories of persons acquire Swiss citizenship at birth:

• Born to a Swiss father or mother and the parents are married;
• Born to a Swiss mother if the parents are not married;
• Born to a Swiss father if the parents are not married and the father subsequently acknowledges the child as his own.

CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT

Those born to at least one Swiss parent acquire Swiss citizenship, regardless of place of birth. If born abroad however, the child must be registered with a local Swiss consulate by the child's 22^nd birthday.

CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION

Those meeting the following requirements may apply for naturalization:

• Must be a permanent resident;
• Must have lived in Switzerland for at least 12 years (any years spent between age 10 and 20 count as double) and lived in the country for 3 out of the last 5 years preceding the application;
• Able to speak in German (Swiss German preferred), French, Italian or Romansch;
• Demonstrate integration of Swiss way of life, familiarity with Swiss habits, customs and traditions, compliance with the Swiss rule of law, and not be a danger to Switzerland's internal or external security.

A simplified naturalization is available for the following categories of persons:

• Women who lost Swiss citizenship through marriage to a non-Swiss citizen or through the loss of Swiss citizenship by a husband before March 23, 1992;
• Those born to Swiss mothers who lost their citizenship due to the marriage of a non-Swiss before March 23, 1992 but became renaturalized;
• Those born to Swiss mothers who acquired Swiss citizenship on the basis of a previous marriage to a Swiss husband;
• Those born before July 1, 1985 to a mother who acquired Swiss citizenship by descent, adoption or naturalization;
• Those having a mother who acquired Swiss citizenship by marriage to a Swiss husband before December 31, 1991;
• A spouse of a Swiss citizen who lives abroad after 6 years of marriage and who has close relations to Switzerland;
• Children of Swiss parents born abroad who were not registered with the Swiss consulate before age 22 can be renaturalized within 10 years after the 22^nd birthday;
• Children who have let more than 10 years pass for renaturalization if there is a close relationship with Switzerland.

CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE

Those who are married to a Swiss spouse may apply for facilitated naturalization after having lived in Switzerland for 5 years and having been married for at least 3 years. Such persons must also show that they are integrated into the Swiss way of life, are in compliance with the Swiss rule of law, and are not a danger to Switzerland's internal or external security.

For spouses of Swiss citizens overseas, they may also apply for facilitated naturalization after 6 years of marriage and if they have close ties to Switzerland.