Final results show 64.8% of voters endorsed a decision by the cantonal parliament from last year, based on a proposal by a member of the centrist Christian Democratic Party.
The amendment will bring Aargau in line with two other cantons.
Left-wing and some centrist parties unsuccessfully tried to overturn the parliamentary decision.
Under the law, citizenship requests can only be made by applicants who haven’t received social welfare for the past ten years. The current waiting period is three years – in line with regulations at a national level.
Potential candidates for a Swiss passport would also have to pass a test about basic facts of the country’s politics, society, history and geography.
The political left has denounced the legal amendment as discriminatory and disproportional. Political parties to the right argue stricter regulations are necessary to prevent an increase in welfare beneficiaries.
The citizenship procedure involves federal, cantonal and local authorities and leaves municipalities wide-ranging autonomy.
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How to get a Swiss citizenship
Swiss citizenship laws have undergone dramatic changes in the past 20 years.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
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A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
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Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
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In many cases, China's use of AI undermines the national security of the US and its allies, according to a US government representative.
Swiss Hells Angels trial alleges rape and money laundering
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An allegedly high-ranking member of the Hells Angels is accused of money laundering totalling millions and rape, among other serious crimes.
SWISS is airline ‘group flagship’ says Lufthansa boss
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Despite challenges, Lufthansa and its most important subsidiary, Swiss International Airlines, promise increased satisfaction and continued growth.
Swiss rediscover communist zeal after 84-year hiatus
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Over 300 participants founded the Revolutionary Communist Party (RKP) at its congress in Burgdorf in canton Bern at the weekend.
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Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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Italian unfairly denied Swiss citizenship after 30-year residence
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The man was rejected for poor social integration and because his geographical and cultural knowledge was deemed insufficient. But the court said that too much emphasis had been placed on these criteria and that some of the questions he was asked were too specific. For example, he did not know that bears and wolves are…
Swiss court backs residency request of welfare recipient
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The Federal Administrative Court has overturned the decision of the State Secretariat for Migration to refuse residence permits to the children of a foreigner who received social assistance while studying in Switzerland.
Ten things you need to know about Swiss citizenship
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How do you become Swiss? Who is entitled to naturalization? swissinfo.ch has collected questions from readers, and ten of them are answered here.
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Foreigners who gain Swiss citizenship generally increase their annual earnings by CHF5,000 compared to those who don't get naturalized.
Swiss revoke mother’s citizenship over suspected Islamic State links
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The Swiss authorities have revoked the citizenship of a French-Swiss women for her suspected links to the Islamic State militant group.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.