Obtaining a passport with the white cross is not a purely bureaucratic procedure, but rather the Swiss understand it as the final confirmation of an optimal level of integration.
Ordinary Naturalization Requirements
If you are not married to a Swiss citizen, you must follow the ordinary naturalization route, the main requirement of which is 10 years of residence in Switzerland (the years between 8 and 18 count double).
- Possess an Establishment Permit (Permission C).
- Having resided uninterruptedly in the same canton or in the same commune for the specific minimum time that they set (varies between 2 and 5 years depending on the region).
- Integration and language proficiency: Demonstrate written and oral ability in the national language of the canton (normally level B1 in speaking and A2 in writing accredited).
- Not having depended on social assistance in the last 3 years (or having repaid the money).
- Not have a criminal record or debts (non-payments or Betreibung paralyze the process).
The exam process
The procedure involves three levels of government (Community, Canton and Confederation). In most communes, you must take a written exam and an oral interview where your knowledge of Swiss civics, geography, cantonal culture and, sometimes, your relationship with neighbors is evaluated. It is in the commune where it is fundamentally decided whether your "degree of assimilation and local integration" is sufficient.