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SWISS CITIZENSHIP

Longtime US expat gives up citizenship quest

American expat Irving Dunn, a former professor at Switzerland’s top university, says he has abandoned his bid to become a Swiss citizen after living in the country for 43 years.

Published: 4 January 2015 21:12 CET

Longtime US expat gives up citizenship quest

Irving Dunn: throwing in the towel. Photo: SRF

Dunn, 76, told the Schweiz am Sonntag newspaper he was giving up making a second bid to apply for citizenship after learning he would have to pay a further 3,100 francs ($3,100) to regional authorities on top of 3,600 francs he already paid for an earlier application that was rejected.

The retired chemical engineering teacher and researcher at Zurich’s federal Institute of technology (ETH) has lived in Einsiedeln in the canton of Schwyz for 39 years and speaks fluent German.

But local officials in the autumn turned down his application to become a naturalized citizen, maintaining that he was not sufficiently integrated, despite having raised three children in the village with his English teacher German wife.

In October, Dunn told The Local he was hoping for a second chance with the authorities who rejected his application on the grounds that he did not know the local area well enough and didn’t have friends in Einsiedeln.

But he said he expected to get more of a break on the application fees than the 500-franc reduction offered by district officials.

“I think some local politicians do not consider it desirable that I become a citizen of Einsiedeln,” Dunn is quoted as saying by Schweiz am Sonntag.

He said he felt unfairly treated but he told the Sunday newspaper: “I will make no new application”.

In his first application, among the many questions he was asked, Dunn had to name the number of lakes in the canton of Schwyz, the largest employer in Einsiedeln and the name of holidays held only in Einsiedeln.

Dunn’s case has drawn nationwide media attention and has underscored the difficulties many longtime expat residents in Switzerland have in becoming citizens.

The process varies from canton to canton, but involves approvals at federal, cantonal and municipal levels.

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Do EU residents in Switzerland need to get Swiss citizenship?

While many foreign residents are impatiently waiting for the moment when they will be eligible to apply for a Swiss passport, others are in no rush to do so.

The desire (or the lack thereof) to become a citizen of Switzerland — in addition to maintaining their original nationality, if they decide to do so — varies from person to person, depending on many different factors.

The main one is undoubtedly whether the foreigner intends to stay in Switzerland indefinitely, or plans to return home eventually.

Another reason may very well be the desire to participate fully and completely in Switzerland’s political life and democratic processes — that is, to vote in referendums and elections, and feel that your opinion matters.

But a lot may also depend on another factor: your nationality.

For people from third countries who have lived in Switzerland long enough — 10 years with a B or L permit — before finally being eligible for their permanent residency C permit, is a huge event. (Americans and Canadians, on the other hand, can apply for a C permit after five years of consecutive residence).

It is therefore logical that many of these people, whose status in Switzerland has been conditional and tenuous for many years, will jump on the opportunity to be naturalised and ‘regularise’ their situation.

What about people from the EU / EFTA?

Admittedly, there is far less urgency — or need, for that matter — to become a Swiss citizen if you have a passport from an EU or EFTA state.

That’s because you have an almost unlimited access to Swiss jobs and residency, as well as sweeping rights overall. For instance, you are free to change jobs and move from one canton to another.

Another benefit that you, as a citizen of an EU / EFTA state have, is that you can come to Switzerland and look for work for up to six months without any visa requirements.

Also, in case of a job loss, an EU / EFTA citizen doesn’t have to leave Switzerland immediately.

Instead, they may stay in the country for at least six months to seek new employment.

Another perk is that if you are living in Switzerland as an EU/EFTA citizen, you can purchase property – indeed, you have the same rights in this regard as Swiss citizens do.

You do not need a permit or any additional permissions that a Swiss citizen would not require to buy property.

READ ALSO: Just how freely can EU citizens move to (and within) Switzerland?

All this to say that you can live in Switzerland pretty much indefinitely on your EU / EFTA passport, and neither your residency nor employment is subject to the same restrictions as those imposed on third country nationals.

You basically enjoy the same rights as Swiss citizens, except for the right to vote, which may or may not matter to you.

In that respect, you don’t need a Swiss passport, especially if you don’t plan to remain in the country longterm.

However…

…if you do want to continue living in Switzerland, it may be worth your while to apply for naturalisation, if only out of pragmatism.

That’s because if you leave the country for more than six months on a B permit, you will lose the residency rights (though can re-apply to have them re-established).

With a C permit, you have the benefit of putting it on hold for up to four years. But if you neglect to do so, then the permit (and your permanent residency status) will expire.

READ ALSO: How long can I stay out of Switzerland and keep my residency rights?

So in this respect at least, having a Swiss passport will give you more flexibility and security.

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