Swiss citizenship: how to obtain

What are the benefits of Swiss citizenship?

Only a small number of Russians can obtain Swiss citizenship, since the Government of the Confederation makes too many demands. To meet them, you first need to have serious financial savings. But, there is a chance to obtain citizenship for those who do not have many of them, if they find a job or get married.

If we take statistics, only 2% of foreigners with a residence permit can obtain the desired citizenship. These citizens can be called real lucky ones. They receive a Swiss passport with many of its benefits. These include:

free travel in Europe, Canada, America, Japan and other countries;
the opportunity to work not only in Switzerland, but also in Germany and Austria;
have the right to open a business with representative offices in Europe under a simplified taxation system;
employment in leading companies with high average salaries from €5,000;
purchasing real estate at prices for the Swiss;
life in the safest and most environmentally friendly country;
enjoy the Alpine valley, just a step away from your place of residence.

How to get it using the simplified system?

Citizenship can be obtained using a simplified system:

If the foreigner is married but does not live in Switzerland, the duration of the marriage will be at least 6 years
Married to a Swiss citizen.
Read also: obtaining a residence permit in Cyprus (category F)
Registered in partnership with a citizen.

The applicant must:

Be married/partnered with a Swiss citizen for more than 3 years.
Live in the country for at least 5 years.
Do not leave Switzerland for at least a year before submitting your application for citizenship.

If a foreigner is married but does not live in Switzerland, then the duration of the marriage will be required for at least 6 years, while maintaining a close connection with the state.

Important! Citizens who graduated from a university in Switzerland can apply for citizenship after 5 years, while 6 years of study do not count.

Is dual citizenship possible between Russia and Switzerland?

Since 1992, Switzerland has recognized dual citizenship, meaning Swiss people can have a second passport in Europe. Second citizenship is also allowed with third countries that are not members of the EU. Russians can get it without giving up Russian. This phenomenon is often practiced among politicians and businessmen who rely on banking secrecy inherent in Swiss jurisdiction. Russian oligarchs often acquire residence permits and can obtain citizenship: in Switzerland, Cyprus, and England. This number already includes A. Klishas, V. Vekselberg, O. Deripaska, A. Abramov, S. Gutseriev and others.

Swiss citizenship for Russians

Russians who have lived in the country for a certain time can become Swiss citizens. The duration of the period approved by law depends on the reason on which the passport is issued. Right of birth/adoption

Automatic conferment of Swiss citizenship is provided for children whose mother/father or both parents are citizens of the country.

This rule also applies to foreign minors under 18 years of age adopted by persons with Swiss citizenship.

Repatriation

Repatriates are ex-Swiss citizens who have lost their citizenship for any reason (including relocation to another country and confiscation for statutory reasons).

Applicants in this category receive special attention. Employees of the Federal Services carefully study the documents submitted for consideration. In addition, the following are checked:

Presence of a security threat (internal and external).
The reliability of the reasons that prompted the applicant for citizenship to return to their homeland.
Close ties with Switzerland.

Lawyers for the “Investor Visa” website recommend paying attention to the fact that Russians in the country are required to submit a request for citizenship to the State Secretariat for Migration.

Marriage registration

You can become a Swiss citizen by marriage after 3 years of residence with the official status of a spouse. At the time of filing an application for citizenship, the total length of stay in the country on a legal basis must be 5 or more years, of which the foreigner must live in the country continuously for the last 12 months.

Marriages concluded between citizens of Switzerland and other countries are checked for fictitiousness. From the date of registration, a married couple must live at the same address and run a household together.

The possibility of applying for citizenship is also available for foreigners living outside Switzerland with husbands/wives who have Swiss citizenship. Persons in this category must meet several criteria in 2021:

Registration of official marriage 6 or more years ago.
Regular visits to relatives/friends living in Switzerland during the holiday period.
Membership in the Swiss diaspora/association.
Knowledge of one/several national languages (we are talking about French, Italian, German and Romansh).
Maintaining communication with Swiss people forced to live outside of Switzerland.

Naturalization

Holders of residence permit/permanent residence status who have lived in the country for 10 years or more can count on obtaining citizenship (periods of temporary stay are not taken into account).

For those under 20, each year spent in Switzerland counts as 2 years, reducing the minimum period of residence to 6 years. Currently, the migration service is making attempts to cancel the relaxation provided for youth.

Lawyers' recommendations

The fact of studying at one of the Swiss educational institutions does not contribute to obtaining citizenship. Time spent studying is not taken into account when calculating the required period of residence. Upon completion of the training course, Russians must leave the country. Re-entry is possible after receiving a work or other type of visa.

Some citizens who have entered into an employment contract with a Swiss employer manage to live safely and work in the country for 10 years. Fulfillment of this condition gives such persons the right to submit a request for citizenship.

Foreigners who invest money in a business can obtain Swiss citizenship. The developed business project should be of interest to regional authorities. The number of people wishing to become Swiss citizens on this basis is measured in dozens of applicants. The volume of investments (often quite impressive) and the investment period are discussed with the selected candidate, after which a citizen of another state can receive a Swiss passport (in most cases we are talking about 5-6 years).

List of documents

The list of documents to be submitted is presented:

A valid passport (supplemented with copies of all pages).
A certificate proving the absence of debts (issued by the tax service).
A document confirming no criminal record.
Certificate of passing the commission (can be obtained from a medical institution).
Birth certificate.
Marriage certificate (if available).
An extract issued by the bank confirming a sufficient level of income.
Documents proving full integration into local society.
Receipt for payment of state duty.
Other documents confirming the legality of stay in Switzerland throughout the entire period of residence (supplemented with copies).

The country's authorities may require additional documents in 2021, the list of which depends on the specifics of the specific situation.

Submission of documents

The package of documents submitted for consideration is completed taking into account the basis that gives the foreigner the right to obtain citizenship. Naturalization requires submitting a request to the cantonal administration. In other cases, the request must be submitted to the Swiss State Migration Department.

Ways to obtain Swiss citizenship for Russians in 2021

For citizens of the Russian Federation, the question of the availability of immigration to the safest country, Switzerland, is still open. Many facts are known about it, but it is not entirely clear how best to move there and obtain citizenship. Based on the Visa Code and the Citizenship Law, as recently amended in 2021, Swiss citizenship can be obtained according to two criteria: via the easy route or the regular route.

The processes for obtaining Swiss citizenship are divided into methods, of which simpler conditions are provided for children, foreign spouses, and former Swiss citizens. Here they understand:

Citizenship through marriage.
Citizenship by right of descent.
Citizenship for repatriates.

For Russians who are not included in any of the listed groups, there is a chance to take a different path:

Citizenship by naturalization.
Citizenship through payment of lump sum tax.
Citizenship based on business immigration.
Citizenship through refugee status.

Switzerland is not the most hospitable country, but it has a lot of respect for other nations, especially people who want to change their nationality to a Swiss passport. Only applicants are required to have an unblemished history, maximum knowledge about the country and compliance with visa regimes.

Through marriage

Obtaining citizenship through marriage in Switzerland gives the right to a foreigner or foreigner to acquire a passport much faster. The topic of foreign marriages is often discussed in Russian society, and brides or grooms from Switzerland involuntarily come under the spotlight. This is not surprising, because there is a rich national diversity among Swiss men and women. The small country is also home to Germans, French, and Italians, so there is quite a large choice.

Ways to obtain citizenship

By birth

Marriage with a citizen of the country must last for at least 3 years

This method is called filiation. Children born in an official marriage to a Swiss citizen can obtain citizenship using this method.

When a child appears in a marriage that is not officially registered, he will not be recognized as a citizen of the country, but will be stateless.

Through adoption

Minor applicants from other countries who were adopted by Swiss citizens.

Naturalization

This method is one of the longest, but if there is no marriage with a citizen of the state or family ties in Switzerland.

An indispensable condition is staying in the country for at least 12 years (taking into account the requirements of the canton), absolute assimilation in the cultural and social environment, knowledge of at least one official language of the country.

Marriage

This method is a simplified one; marriage with a citizen of the state makes it possible to obtain citizenship.

Important! A married couple living together can be checked by the police at any time to make sure that their marriage is not fictitious.

To apply for a Swiss passport you need:

Live within the country for 5 years.
A marriage with a citizen of the country must last for at least 3 years.
Live together with your spouse.
When spouses do not live within the country, the marriage must last at least 6 years, have close ties with Switzerland (stay in the state for a long time, maintain contacts with its residents, participate in the life of the diaspora in the state of residence, work in an organization from Switzerland).

Job

It is not possible to obtain citizenship through work. Having a legal job will give you the opportunity to adapt and obtain a residence permit, nothing more.

Business

This method will help to carry out registration according to a simplified scheme if their activities bring tangible benefits to the canton. You will need to draw up a business plan and arouse the interest of the canton.

Refugee

It is absolutely possible to obtain citizenship under refugee status. You only need to fulfill a list of conditions and confirm assimilation into society. In this case, you must live in the country for at least 5 years and confirm your reluctance to return to your home state.

Is it possible to buy a Swiss passport?

A Swiss passport is not for sale; it cannot be bought for direct investment in the economy, government bonds, or shares. There are resources where they present the sale of citizenship of the Swiss Confederation for a lot of money, but this is considered fake, i.e. fake information.

To obtain official status, you need to pay a lump sum tax every year, its amount is set by the municipality or canton. The term for its payment lasts for 6-12 years, only then can a Russian become a citizen. It is worth noting that Switzerland adheres to the rules for obtaining citizenship by individuals without a criminal record anywhere. But in practice, the country harbors many wealthy foreigners who are subject to criminal liability in their homeland.

Who can be denied Swiss citizenship

The government of the most prosperous country has the right to refuse many applicants for residence; the state does not particularly need new citizens. Its small territory is home to 8.5 million people, but as such there is no need to correct demographics; the Germans, French, and Austrians are helping out. They are given various concessions when obtaining a residence permit. For Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Baltic states, everything is much more complicated. Refusals to obtain a passport occur quite often; the main reasons can be identified:

there is not enough money to stay in Switzerland;
not impressed with the business project;
lack of knowledge of the official language at level B1;
the number of certificates and information does not meet the requirements;
there is no evidence for granting political asylum;
there are no confirmed close ties or no contacts with the Swiss;
have a criminal record in another country;
there are overdue taxes, utility bills, and fines;
there appears to be some danger from this citizen;
there are refusals in European countries;
the fictitiousness of the relationship was revealed;
possible reputational risks.

Requirements for applicants for citizenship status

The updated law established a three-stage system for obtaining citizenship. Gemeinde, the Federation and the canton and agrees on the applicant's acceptance of Swiss citizenship.

The main changes to federal regulations for obtaining Swiss citizenship in the standard manner are:

The lawyer has the opportunity to bring the applicant’s data into the form that is most consistent with the law
The main standard for considering an application for naturalization should not be the length of residence in Switzerland , but the level of integration into Swiss society. In addition, good integration implies respect for the constitutional order of the state and its public order, “economic independence” and knowledge of at least one official language orally and in writing. The level of minimum knowledge has also been tightened. Including from spouses and officially registered partners, they must also meet high requirements for the level of integration. All of these requirements relate to general norms, which leaves room for the authorities to make decisions on citizenship. Therefore, sometimes it will be justified to contact a lawyer in Switzerland. A specialist with a full-fledged education has the opportunity to bring the applicant’s data into the most compliant form with the law. Which, of course, will significantly increase a citizen’s chances of acquiring citizenship.
Read also: Goa for permanent residence
In addition, a permanent residence permit in Switzerland will be required; therefore, holders of other residence permits will remain outside the naturalization boundaries.
Official residence within Switzerland for 10 years. At this point, the authorities softened the conditions, previously there was a term of 12 years.
If a citizen stayed in Switzerland in the status of “temporarily accepted”, only 50% will be counted toward the 10-year qualification. For example, an applicant has lived in this state for 10 years, having the status of “temporarily accepted”; only 5 years will be counted in accordance with legal legislation.
Residence in an Alpine country between the ages of 8 and 18 will be counted double. In this case, actual residence cannot be less than 6 years. For example, a citizen of minor age, having stayed in the state for 6 years from the age of 12, then after turning 18 he receives the right to apply for Swiss citizenship.

The standard procedure for acquiring Swiss citizenship contains 3 steps:

Confederation level.
Canton level.
Gemainde (community) level.

To obtain a passport you will need to go through all these steps. If at least one of these levels results in a refusal, citizenship will not be granted. The 1952 Legislative Rules define the standards for applicants at the Confederation level.

So, the candidate must meet the following standards:

The total period of residence in Switzerland is at least 12 years. For citizens who lived in the country between the ages of 10 and 20 years, the time spent was counted double.
During the last five-year plan - 3 years of permanent uninterrupted residence in the state.
High rate of integration into Swiss society.
Familiarization with the norms, foundations and traditions of Switzerland.
Respect for the Swiss legal order.
No threats to state security.

Swiss Consulates in Russia

To learn more about obtaining citizenship, visit the official website of the Swiss Confederation www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home/themen/buergerrecht.html. In addition, citizens of the Russian Federation can contact one of the diplomatic institutions of Switzerland at the following addresses:

119121, Moscow, Serpov lane, 6.;
telephone;
work schedule: from 9-00 to 17-00 h.

119034, Moscow, Prechistenskaya embankment, 31;
telephone;
work schedule: from 9-00 to 17-00 h.

191123, St. Petersburg, Chernyshevsky Avenue, 17;
phone: 8 812 3270817;
work schedule: from 9-00 to 17-00 h.

Russian visa for Swiss citizens

If a Swiss citizen often visits Russia on business, he must obtain a business visa. To issue it, he will need a business invitation. He can receive such an invitation with the assistance of legal entities located in the Russian Federation (this can be business partners or other organizations).

Find out more: Business visa to Russia for foreigners

Complete step-by-step instructions for obtaining a Russian visa in all languages

There are three types of such invitation:

letter from the organization;
FMS form;
Telex.

Our company recommends that Swiss citizens issue an invitation letter from an organization, because:

A letter of invitation is cheaper than a telex and an invitation on the letterhead of the Federal Migration Service
It can be completed online in five minutes and sent to you by email immediately after payment.
In addition, the original invitation for submission to the Russian Consulate is not required and you will NOT spend money on postal services to send the original
With this type of invitation, if you have 2 or more previous business visas to Russia, you can receive an invitation to Russia and a visa for 3 years at once!

Take three simple steps:

fill in the form
pay by credit card or paypal
receive an invitation instantly after payment to your email

Order an invitation letter online!
Price from €49.28 Firstly, the inviting organization (if it is accredited with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation) can write to the embassy or consulate where the Swiss is going to receive a visa, a request to issue him a visa. It only takes 1 day to complete such a letter.

Secondly, a legal entity can apply in accordance with the established procedure with a request to issue a business invitation to a certain person. In this case, it will take 12 working days to issue an invitation for a single or double entry visa, and 17 working days for a multiple entry visa. It takes so much time to check whether the Swiss was brought to trial on his previous visits, and whether he was deported from Russia.

Thirdly, the invitation can be sent by Telex. Such invitations may not be issued by all organizations, but only by those that represent the interests of the state. This invitation is an order from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue an invitation to a specific foreign citizen.

Read more: How does Telex differ from an original invitation?

A business visa can be single-entry, double-entry or multiple-entry. The maximum period of its validity is 5 years.