Becoming Swiss can cost up to CHF4,000 in some cantons
Keystone
Naturalisation fees vary among Switzerland’s 26 cantons. This has caught the eye of the federal price watchdog, who doubts that the fees fall within the legal framework.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ts
العربية
ar
مراقب الاسعار الفدرالي ينتقد الرسوم المشطة المرافقة لتقديم مطالب التجنيس
He says one reason for his doubts are the great differences between cantons. These are “far too large and are not comprehensible against the background of the cost recovery principle”. The result is a “great inequality in treatment of people seeking naturalisation”.
What is a justified price for naturalisation? Meierhans considers a cantonal and municipal fee of a maximum of CHF1,500 ($1,540) per adult to be fair. He adds that it should be possible to increase the fee moderately for an “extraordinarily high amount of work”.
Most cantons charge around this figure, but a survey by the price watchdog shows there’s a wide range, with the process costing from CHF200 to CHF2,200. In 19 cantons the average is not more than CHF1,000. In several cantons, however, naturalisation can be considerably more expensive, with fees of up to CHF4,000 being possible.
More
More
7 questions on Becoming Swiss: ‘Where do I sign?’
This content was published on
Swiss citizenship is highly sought after – and correspondingly hard to get. swissinfo.ch looks at how to get the naturalisation ball rolling.
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Swiss Abroad elect representatives online for first time
This content was published on
Swiss citizens in 50 countries have used electronic voting for the first time to elect representatives to the Council of the Swiss Abroad for the 2025-2029 legislative.
Nestlé scraps Nutri-Score food label in Switzerland
This content was published on
Nestlé plans to phase out its Nutri-Score nutrition labelling system on products sold in Switzerland. The food giant says it is almost the last company in the country to use it.
Swiss National Bank chairman warns of ‘great insecurity’ caused by US tariffs
This content was published on
The president of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), Martin Schlegel, has warned of the huge financial uncertainties caused by recent US tariffs.
Study: spring in Swiss Alps starts earlier and earlier
This content was published on
Climate change is transforming the Alps: after the snow cover disappears, plants in meadows and pastures are sprouting roughly six days earlier than 25 years ago.
This content was published on
The number of tourist coaches stopping at Schwanenplatz in the centre of Lucerne was down by two-thirds in April, compared to the same month last year.
Swiss-German border regions reaffirm stable Swiss-EU relations
This content was published on
Swiss and German officials have reaffirmed their commitment to stable and sustainable relations between Switzerland and the EU.
Pro-Palestinian protesters end University of Geneva demo
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian protesters who camped out in front of the rector's office at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) left the premises on Thursday evening.
WEF courts Lagarde as next leader after founder’s abrupt exit
This content was published on
Klaus Schwab’s abrupt departure from the World Economic Forum has complicated carefully laid plans to persuade Christine Lagarde to assume the helm in a seamless transition.
Swiss passport attracts more Russians than Italians
This content was published on
Not everyone wants to become Swiss. Residents from far away find it more attractive than Europeans, a new study has found.
Meet the man trying to make Switzerland less expensive
This content was published on
Switzerland has an official price watchdog – someone who fights unfair prices that hurt consumers. Where does he see potential for savings?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
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.