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Citizenship · Switzerland
For C permit holders who have lived in Switzerland for about 10 years.
Ten years of residence, three of them in the five years before you apply, and a C permit. Years between ages 8 and 18 count double. Then three authorities decide in turn: the federal state, the canton and the commune.
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How it works
The permit type decides whether a year counts in full, by half or not at all.
The Federal Act requires 10 years of residence, 3 of them within the 5 years before the application, and a C settlement permit. Years between the ages of 8 and 18 count double, with at least 6 years of actual residence.
Time on an L or N permit does not count; F permit time counts half. Cantons add their own 2 to 5 years in the canton or commune.
The federal fee for an adult is CHF 100. Cantonal and communal fees are added on top and differ by place, so we quote them for your commune.
A C permit is itself a precondition; it usually comes after 10 years, or after 5 with good command of the local national language.
We rebuild your residence history permit by permit, count the qualifying years under federal and cantonal rules and prepare the application for the canton.
What you getSchengen
Requirements
Federal conditions first; the canton and commune add theirs.
Legal basis:Bürgerrechtsgesetz (BüG, SR 141.0) – Art. 9Ordinary naturalisation
Cantonal residence restarts after a move; we check the canton’s rule before you move.
Years counted on permits that do not count, and cantonal residence cut short by a move.
Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case. We usually reply within one business day.
Process
Four steps through three levels of government.
We count your qualifying years permit by permit.
Written residence count
We prepare the application under your canton’s rules.
Filed application
Refusals
Three grounds.
Checked on
| Reason for refusal | What closes it | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying years short once L, N and F time is discounted | We count the years before filing.10 years | Bürgerrechtsgesetz (BüG, SR 141.0) – Art. 9 |
| No C permit | We check the permit first and plan the C permit if missing. | Not published |
| Cantonal residence period not met | We check the canton’s rule and your move dates. | Not published |
Long term
The settlement permit is a precondition.
Changes
Updated
Ordinary naturalisation (Art. 9 BüG)Open
| Date | What changed | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReformThird-country quotas for 2026 unchanged: 4,500 B and 4,000 L permits; UK quota 3,500. | Whole country | Swiss Confederation (Fedlex) | |
| ReformFederal inheritance and gift tax initiative (50% above CHF 50m) rejected by 78.3% of voters. | Whole country | Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement (EFD) | |
| ReformKPMG: average combined corporate tax rate 14.4% in 2025 (14.6% in 2024); several cantons raised rates for large groups in connection with the OECD minimum tax. | Whole country | KPMG Switzerland | |
| ReformVAT standard rate raised from 7.7% to 8.1% (reduced 2.6%, accommodation 3.8%) to finance old-age insurance (AHV). | Whole country | Swiss Confederation (Fedlex) |
Documents
Four core documents; cantons add their own.
Checked on
| Document | Who issues it | Apostille | Translation | Who prepares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant | ||||
| C permit | Cantonal migration office | No | No | You provide |
| Residence certificates for each commune | Communes | No | No | You provide |
| Birth certificate | Civil registry of birth country | Yes | Yes | You provide |
| Application and residence count | Cantonal forms | No | No | We prepare |
Send us your permit history; we reply with the count.Get a quote
Request
Permit history, canton and date of birth are enough.
The information on this site is general and is not legal advice for your specific situation.
Legal disclaimerQuestions
From the Federal Act on Swiss Citizenship.
10 years of residence, 3 of them in the 5 years before applying, plus a C permit and the canton’s own 2 to 5 years.
No. L and N permit time does not count; F permit time counts half.
The federal fee is CHF 100 per adult; cantonal and communal fees are added.
Sources
Swiss federal law and government pages behind this page.
| Source | Publisher | Type | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laws and regulations | |||
| Bürgerrechtsgesetz (BüG, SR 141.0) – Art. 9 | Swiss Confederation (Fedlex) | Laws and regulations | Checked on |
| Government sites | |||
| Ordinary naturalisation | State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) | Government sites | Checked on |