What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Swiss citizenship can also be inherited across generations abroad. The prerequisite is registration with a Swiss representation or entry in the Swiss civil status register by the age of 25.
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? For example, citizenship can no longer be inherited after a certain number of generations or a certain length of residence abroad?
Or is the current practice too strict and should registration still be possible after the age of 25?
Let us know what you think.
The Swiss abroad is the eternal catchphrase of the Swiss left: I don't know how many other countries in the world cultivate a similar problem so persistently. One cannot expect 'Swissness' abroad to pass from generation to generation indefinitely: that just seems absurd to me. When one lives abroad, one also takes responsibility for the choice one has made! It's nice enough that one can enjoy dual nationality, but to pass on this privilege to the next generation as well, seems to me only specious and also illogical. It is obvious that the left-wing parties in particular are constantly pushing in this direction, because they assume that the Swiss abroad vote more to the left because of their younger age. No one can fail to see that this attitude, including e-voting, is only pretextual and not a real problem.
Gli Svizzeri all'estero sono l'eterno tormentone della sinistra elvetica: non so quanti altri paesi al mondo coltivino un problema analogo con tanta insistenza. Non si può pretendere che la "svizzeritudine" all'estero passi di generazione in generazione sino all'infinito: ciò mi sembra solo assurdo. Quando si vive all'estero, ci si assume anche la responsabilità della scelta compiuta! E già bello che si possa godere della doppia nazionalità, ma tramandare tale privilegio anche alle generazioni successive, mi sembra solo pretestuoso e anche illogico. È ovvio che soprattutto i partiti di sinistra spingano di continuo in tale direzione, perché presumono che gli svizzeri all'estero votino più a sinistra causa la loro più giovane età. Non è chi non veda che tale attitudine, voto elettronico compreso, sia solo pretestuosa e non un problema effettivo.
The problem with the current Citizenship Act (BüG) is that it does not apply retroactively. This violates the rights of women who have lost their citizenship through marriage to a foreigner. Many of these women had children who were unable to regain their Swiss citizenship because they had exceeded the age limits when the mothers were finally given the opportunity to regain their own citizenship.
The same problem also affects those who have lost their citizenship due to technical difficulties in the third world country, in particular unreliable postal services and inadequate communication methods with Swiss embassies.
The age limit for regaining citizenship is completely illogical and morally questionable. Why is a foreign-born son or daughter of Swiss nationals automatically Swiss at the age of 25 if he or she registers with the embassy - without any further requirements - while a person who is 26 years old suddenly has to prove at least three trips to Switzerland within six years?
What kind of legislation makes such a difference between two people whose only difference is a single year of life? This is simply absurd and unacceptable.
Das Problem mit dem aktuellen Bürgerrechtsgesetz (BüG) besteht darin, dass es nicht rückwirkend gilt. Dadurch werden die Rechte der Frauen verletzt, die ihre Staatsbürgerschaft durch die Heirat mit einem Ausländer verloren haben. Viele dieser Frauen hatten Kinder, die ihre Schweizer Staatsbürgerschaft nicht zurückerlangen konnten, da sie die Altersfristen überschritten hatten, als die Mütter endlich die Möglichkeit erhielten, ihre eigene Staatsbürgerschaft zurückzuerlangen.
Dasselbe Problem betrifft auch diejenigen, die ihre Staatsbürgerschaft aufgrund technischer Schwierigkeiten im Drittweltland verloren haben, insbesondere wegen unzuverlässiger Postdienste und unzureichender Kommunikationsmethoden mit den Schweizer Botschaften.
Die Altersgrenze für die Wiedererlangung der Staatsbürgerschaft ist völlig unlogisch und moralisch fragwürdig. Warum ist ein im Ausland geborener Sohn oder eine Tochter von Schweizern mit 25 Jahren automatisch Schweizer, wenn er oder sie sich bei der Botschaft registriert – ohne jegliche weitere Anforderungen –, während eine Person, die 26 Jahre alt ist, plötzlich mindestens drei Reisen in die Schweiz innerhalb von sechs Jahren nachweisen muss?
Welche Art von Gesetzgebung macht einen derartigen Unterschied zwischen zwei Personen aus, deren einziger Unterschied ein einziges Lebensjahr ist? Das ist schlichtweg absurd und inakzeptabel.
What an odd question. Like americans claiming that they're irish having never stepped on irish soil for generations. How far should one be able to benefit from a society that they didn't contribute to? If your great grand father left country X for the US, his children and anyone after that are not from country X, they are Americans. Seems the interest is usually not much more than gaining benefits versus any type of pride in heritage. Are we to believe these folks are pining to pick up the alphorn? Or more likely to use social systems they haven't paid into? What exactly is it that they offer to Switzerland and what is it that they will take? Collecting passports for the fun of it? Are they going to move and raise cows in the Alps? Great, you're a citizen now..do you speak any of the Swiss languages or have any clue what Swiss society is like? How many have bothered to even visit versus wanting citizenship on demand?
Please do not lump together all descendants of Swiss abroad who live in countries outside the UNITED STATES. Many of us have contributed significantly to the Swiss Confederation. We are not at all interested in the financial benefits that the state might offer - our fight is about our identity.
Regarding your argument that the children of emigrants automatically belong only to the country in which they were born: That is simply wrong. A tiger remains a tiger, even if it is born in a cage with chimpanzees. In the same way, Swiss born abroad remain Swiss - they love their home country and are still phenotypically part of the Swiss national community.
On the subject of travelling: You are arguing from a privileged US perspective. The majority of descendants of Swiss in countries like Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay speak the dialects of their cantons and live according to Swiss culture, but cannot afford the luxury travel that wealthy people can afford. Especially not to Switzerland - the most expensive holiday destination in the world.
I hope this answer has helped to clarify your questions.
Bitte werfen Sie nicht alle Nachkommen von Schweizern im Ausland, die in Ländern ausserhalb der VEREINIGTEN STAATEN leben, in denselben Topf. Viele von uns haben in erheblichem Masse zur Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft beigetragen. Uns interessieren die finanziellen Vorteile, die der Staat möglicherweise bieten könnte, überhaupt nicht – unser Kampf geht um unsere Identität.
Zu Ihrem Argument, dass die Kinder von Auswanderern automatisch nur dem Land zugehören, in dem sie geboren wurden: Das ist schlichtweg falsch. Ein Tiger bleibt ein Tiger, auch wenn er in einem Käfig mit Schimpansen geboren wird. Genauso bleiben Schweizer, die im Ausland geboren werden, Schweizer – sie lieben ihr Heimatland und sind phänotypisch weiterhin Teil der schweizerischen Volksgemeinschaft.
Zum Thema Reisen: Sie argumentieren aus einer privilegierten US-amerikanischen Perspektive. Die Mehrheit der Nachkommen von Schweizern in Ländern wie Argentinien, Paraguay und Uruguay spricht die Dialekte ihrer Kantone und lebt nach schweizerischer Kultur, kann sich jedoch die Luxusreisen, die sich wohlhabende Menschen leisten können, nicht erlauben. Besonders nicht in die Schweiz – das teuerste Reiseland der Welt.
Ich hoffe, dass diese Antwort Ihnen bei der Klärung Ihrer Fragen geholfen hat.
I was born in the United States in 1963 and inherited my Swiss citizenship from my father, who inherited his cititzenship from both of his Swiss-born parents. My sister and I have been registered as Swiss citizens since the mid-1970s, when we were teenagers.
When I was 20 years old in 1983 -- and again when I was 21 in 1984 -- I wrote actual letters to the Swiss Embassy in Chicago to verify my dual citizenship. Dual citizenship is a big deal, and I believe the prerequisite to register by age 25 is fair, especially since the internet has made communication so much easier. Parents and their children will make it a priority if it's important to them.
As far as generational limits, I'd say Yes to that. My grandparents were born there about 125 years ago and have been gone for a long time now.. I don't have children, but if I did, I think the connection would be relatively meaningless to them.
Hello SwissMissUS
Thank you for your contribution.
What is your connection with Switzerland today? The fact that you read SWI swissinfo.ch suggests that there is still a connection? Do I see that correctly?
You write that you are in favour of a generational boundary. In other words, if you had children, would you no longer pass on your Swiss citizenship?
I look forward to your feedback.
Guten Tag SwissMissUS
Vielen Dank für Ihren Beitrag.
Wie sieht heute Ihre Verbundenheit mit der Schweiz aus? Die Tatsache, dass Sie SWI swissinfo.ch lesen lässt erahnen, dass noch immer eine Verbundeneheit besteht? Sehe ich das richtig?
Sie schreiben, dass Sie für eine Generationengrenze wären. Sprich, wenn Sie Kinder hätten, würden Sie die Schweizer Staatsbürgerschaft nicht mehr weitergeben?
Ich bin gespannt auf Ihr Feedback.
Dear lady,
Many descendants of Swiss abroad were not born in the United States. We did not have a functioning postal system or the sophisticated communication networks that are taken for granted in the United States. Therefore, we often did not learn about changes in the law in time.
It was also common for our birth registration letters not to arrive or for our own consulates to lose our documents. All of this has created a historical injustice that urgently needs to be corrected.
I hope for your understanding.
Kind regards
Sehr geehrte Dame,
Viele Nachkommen von Schweizern im Ausland wurden nicht in den Vereinigten Staaten geboren. Wir hatten kein funktionierendes Postsystem und nicht die hochentwickelten Kommunikationsnetzwerke, die in den USA selbstverständlich sind. Daher erfuhren wir oft nicht rechtzeitig von Gesetzesänderungen.
Zudem kam es häufig vor, dass unsere Briefe zur Anmeldung von Geburten nicht ankamen oder dass unsere eigenen Konsulate unsere Dokumente verloren. All dies hat eine historische Ungerechtigkeit geschaffen, die dringend korrigiert werden muss.
Ich hoffe auf Ihr Verständnis.
Freundliche Grüsse
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