Facilitated naturalisation for the third generation: who qualifies and how the procedure works

The background in two sentences

Since 15 February 2018, Switzerland has had its own naturalisation route for third-generation foreign nationals. The idea: someone born here, whose parents grew up here and whose grandparents immigrated to Switzerland, should not have to go through the same long process as someone who has just arrived.

The law was accepted in a popular vote in February 2017 and came into force a year later. Since then, this special procedure has been run by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), while the canton and municipality are only consulted.

Who counts as “third generation”?

The term sounds simple, but the legal definition is precise. To count as third generation for the purposes of simplified naturalisation (erleichterte Einbürgerung), several conditions must all be met.

The grandparent condition

At least one grandparent (father’s mother, father’s father, mother’s mother or mother’s father) must have been born in Switzerland or have held a right of residence in Switzerland. This must be provable, typically through residence documents or certificates of domicile.

In practice, it is enough to prove that the grandparents were officially registered in Switzerland. This does not mean they stayed here long or integrated. What matters is that they arrived in Switzerland legally and were recorded here.

The parent condition

At least one parent must have lived in Switzerland for at least ten years and attended compulsory school here for at least five years. This parent must also hold, or have held, a residence permit.

The parent condition ensures that the parent really grew up in Switzerland and did not just live here briefly. Someone who, for example, came to Switzerland as a child with their parents, then later left and had children abroad, does not automatically meet the parent condition.

Your own condition

According to the SEM, under the rules currently in force, the applicant must, among other things, have been born in Switzerland, hold a C permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung C), have completed at least five years of compulsory school here, and meet the applicable age limit. Before submitting your application, ask the SEM directly which requirements and transitional rules apply to your case.

The age limit and the early transitional rule

When the law came into force in 2018, there was a transitional rule for people who were already older at that point and had had no chance to use this route until then. This transitional rule applied only for a limited time.

In practice, access today is based on the age limit set out in the Citizenship Act. The SEM provides information on which age rule applies to the specific application. It is therefore worth asking the SEM or a legal adviser, before you submit the application, whether your situation still falls under this route.

What “immigrated to Switzerland” means for grandparents

A frequent point that comes up in the assessment: exactly how must the grandparents’ residence be documented? The federal office requires proof that at least one grandparent came to Switzerland legally and lived here.

Typical proof includes:

• Old residence permits belonging to the grandparents. Found in the archives of the former Aliens Police or the residents’ registration office.
• Entry documents or visa entries, if still available.
• Church registers or school reports documenting the grandparents’ place of residence in Switzerland.
• ZEMIS entries from the State Secretariat for Migration. A common data source for more recent immigration cases.

If the grandparents have already passed away, proof must be provided through archival documents. This can be laborious, especially if the immigration took place many decades ago.

The procedure at federal level

Unlike ordinary naturalisation, this procedure runs directly through the State Secretariat for Migration. The canton and municipality are consulted, but the decision lies with the federal government.

Step 1: Application form with the SEM

The application for third-generation simplified naturalisation is submitted to the SEM, not to the municipality. The form is available on the SEM website. You fill it in, attach the proof, and send it off.

Step 2: Document package

The application typically includes:

Your own documents. Identity document, C permit, birth certificate, school reports from compulsory school in Switzerland, a current extract from the criminal record (Strafregisterauszug), an extract from the debt collection register (Betreibungsregisterauszug).

Proof about your parents. Residence documents, proof of the ten years of residence in Switzerland, proof of schooling (at least five years of compulsory school in Switzerland).

Proof about your grandparents. Documents proving that at least one grandparent had a right of residence in Switzerland or was born here.

Proof of integration. Similar to ordinary naturalisation: references, club memberships, employment certificates. Since you grew up in Switzerland, these will often be easier to provide than for someone who immigrated.

Step 3: Consultation of the canton and municipality

The SEM consults the canton and municipality of residence. Both can comment on your integration. This is usually done in writing, not in person. There is no right of veto, only an opinion.

Step 4: Federal decision

The SEM makes the decision alone. If the outcome is positive, you receive the naturalisation ruling. You are then entered in the civil register and can apply for a Swiss passport.

Duration and costs

Third-generation simplified naturalisation usually takes twelve to eighteen months, similar to simplified naturalisation through marriage. The costs are a few hundred francs, which is considerably cheaper than the ordinary procedure, because cantonal and municipal fees largely do not apply.

A language test or a knowledge test?

Unlike ordinary naturalisation, there is no formal naturalisation test in the usual form for third-generation simplified naturalisation. The federal government checks familiarity with Swiss circumstances in a different way.

In practice, it is assumed that someone born here who attended Swiss school knows the basics. There is usually no formal exam with multiple-choice questions.

Proof of language is also usually handled differently. Anyone who has completed compulsory school in a national language in Switzerland is considered to have proven their language skills. An additional certificate is usually not needed.

When the requirements do not quite fit

Typical cases where the third-generation route does not apply, despite the family’s immigration history:

The parents did not reach the required ten years. For example, because although they were born in Switzerland, they then worked abroad and only returned late.

You were not born in Switzerland. Even if your whole family has lived here for generations: being born on Swiss soil is one of the hard requirements.

The grandparents are not on record. If the family no longer has any documents and the archive finds nothing, the proof can fail. In these cases, legal advice is sometimes available from specialist lawyers or integration offices.

You have exceeded the age limit. The ordinary route remains open and is the right option in these cases.

Who is it worth it for?

The third-generation route is designed for people in a very specific situation: young, born in Switzerland, with family roots here for at least two generations. For this group, it is the shortest and cheapest route to a Swiss passport.

If you meet the requirements, you should not hesitate. If in doubt, a short consultation with a municipal office or an integration advice service is worthwhile, to clarify whether the proof relating to the grandparents can be obtained.

Anyone who narrowly misses the requirements (a parent had only eight instead of ten years of residence in Switzerland, you were born abroad, or you have passed the age limit) can still take the usual ordinary route. It takes longer and costs more, but it is open to everyone.