🇨🇭 Citizenship

Processes for ordinary naturalisation applications will be digitalised. The exchange between the responsible cantonal authorities and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will now occur digitally instead of by mail. The Federal Council approved the necessary ordinance amendments on 12 June 2026, which will take effect on 1 August 2026. The project aims to optimise the transmission of ordinary naturalisation applications to SEM and the communication between SEM and the cantonal naturalisation authorities. After reviewing applications, cantons will be able to transmit them to SEM via a new interface within the Central Migration Information System (ZEMIS). SEM can then communicate its decision on granting or refusing federal naturalisation permits through the same method. This requires adding new data fields in ZEMIS and assigning additional online access rights to the cantonal naturalisation authorities.