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SWISS CITIZENSHIP

City of Zurich lowers fees for citizenship applicants

As fees for naturalisation are only allowed to cover administrative costs and not make a profit, municipal authorities in Switzerland’s largest city have decided to lower the cost of the procedure.

Published: 30 August 2023 15:57 CEST

City of Zurich lowers fees for citizenship applicants

Zurich may be Switzerland's most expensive city, but it now costs less to become naturalised there. Image by Julian Hacker from Pixabay

The processing fee will fall from the current 1,200 francs to 750 francs for applicants over the age of 25 who are seeking Swiss citizenship in Zurich, the city council announced on Wednesday.

Those under 25 will continue to be entitled to a free process.

This change, however, only concerns citizenship granted at the municipal level.

Applications handled by cantonal authorities have different tariffs — from a low of 500 francs to more than 3,000, depending on the canton.

For instance, the fee can range from 500–1,600 francs in the canton of Jura to 1,800–3,000 francs in Fribourg, depending on which commune you live in.

In Vaud, you would have to pay 550 to 800 francs, and 1,000 francs in Valais.

In Geneva, while fees used to be based on income, they are now charged at a flat rate depending on age and whether you are applying as an individual or a couple.

According to official sources, naturalisation in Geneva costs 300 francs for minors aged between 11 and 17 years old; 850 francs for adults under 25; 1,250 francs for people over 25; 1,360 francs for couples where one person is under 25; 2,000 francs for couples over 25; and 300 francs per child included in the different procedures.

What about on the federal level?

The cost of filing an application with federal authorities is relatively low (100 Swiss francs for an adult, or 150 francs for a couple).

As a reminder, an application for citizenship must be approved at the cantonal, municipal, and federal levels, with the municipal authorities having the final say.

READ ALSO: Why do Swiss communes play such an important role in the naturalisation process?

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Can I get Swiss citizenship and then move abroad?

You may have a variety of reasons why you opt to move out of Switzerland after becoming a citizen.

Your decision may have to do with your work, education, family, or simply a desire to live elsewhere.

But is there a wait period before a newly-minted citizen can leav the country?

No, there isn’t.

There is no distinction between new citizens, those who had been naturalised years ago, or people who are Swiss from birth.

In the eyes of the law, they are all Swiss on equal footing.

This means you can leave the country and then return whenever you want — unless there is some compelling reason why you are not allowed to do so — for instance, if you are under criminal investigation.

In fact, an estimated 800,000 Swiss citizens — roughly 11 percent of the entire population — live abroad.

What’s more, you are not required to offer any explanations to any officials or authorities about why you choose to emigrate so quickly after becoming a Swiss citizen.

What do you have to do to leave the country?

Besides the usual steps you have to take when you relocate — like notifying your landlord and canceling your mail delivery — there are some official administrative procedures you are required to follow as well before you go.

One is de-registering from your commune of residence.

Once you do so, you can submit the de-registration document to your health insurance company, so you can cancel your policy.

What about tax authorities?

Once you de-register from your commune, the tax office in your canton will be informed automatically of your departure.

While you will no longer be required to pay income tax in Switzerland if you are employed abroad, you will continue to be taxed on your wealth if, for instance, you own property or other assets in Switzerland.

Primary versus secondary

All of the above applies if you leave Switzerland for good.

But some people, like dual nationals for instance, may choose to spend part of the year in their countries of origin, and the other part in Switzerland.

If this is your plan, you should decide whether Switzerland or another country will be your primary legal residence (for tax purposes you can have only one primary residence, with the other counting as your secondary one).

Primary — or tax residence — means that you live in Switzerland 30 days per year in a row while working, or 90 consecutive days if not employed.

If you choose another country as your main base, then you don’t have to do much of anything, from the administrative perspective.

However, in case you pick Switzerland as your main residence, you are required to maintain your Swiss health insurance, be registered in a commune where you live and, of course pay income taxes here.

What if you move away from Switzerland completely but want to come back?

Regardless of whether you leave the country immediately after becoming a citizen, and even if you have been living abroad for many years, you can always, at any time, return to Switzerland.

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