I am now entitled to apply for facilitated naturalisation

However as my German isn't good enough (in my opinion), I am giving myself a year to get it sorted before I apply.

In this year I'd also like to swot up on the history of Switzerland and the Government etc, for the interview. I know that some people have super easy interviews for facilitated, but I'd like to be prepared for the worst case.

Does anyone have any good resources for swotting up on topics that might be asked at interview? In English or German.

Thanks

First thing: you'll only have a police interview, not an exam on Swiss history by the migration amt.
Then the police will only come to your place at the earliest 6 month after you've applied so you'll have time to prepare even if you apply now.
A police officer will show up without warning to see if you really live there, and if you're integrated. The questions are typically:
what are the main newspapers
what are the political parties
cite few members of the federal council (Bundesrat)
give famous mountains
6 month later you'll get you red pass.

http://www.echo-ch.ch/de/

This is the Politik und Gesellschaft booklet that many recommend, available in English as well as the Swiss languages. (Available in other languages too.)

Get both the German and the English copies to help you not only learn the material but also brush up your 'on topic' German.

You don't need to know all that stuff for facilitated. Your interview will be a standard one. 'Why do you want to be swiss' 'what groups do you belong to' 'are you a prostitute?' Do you and your spouse live together?' 'Are you planning to desperate?' Etc.

My interviews were at the commune, not with the police.

But as always, ymmv.

To show how far YMMV, my friend was required to take the Politik und Gesellschaft test, submit her German language certificates, attend a formal community interview with history, culture, and society questions in addition to the usual motivation questions. Not to mention the surprise police visits where very intimate questions were asked.

Yes, for facilitated naturalization. And she was rejected by the community, despite her 8 year marriage to a Swiss.

And I know someone who had to resit her B1 exam even though she already had a certificate to prove she'd done it the first time!

I'd have trouble to give an answer to this question in English. Never mind in German

Good luck with your preparation!

But Meli, you don't understand. Didn't her husband originally come from that other village further down the valley?

??? That is very odd. When was this? Not the procedure part. That certainly can and does vary. But that she got rejected. For facilitated naturalization the commune has very little say. Did she appeal?

I'm going to have to look up the law again.


Stupid phone!

'To separate '!!

I know most people have an easy time with the facilitated interview... but I've also heard examples of the opposite. My gemeinde is not particularly fond of us auslanders.. they make life difficult whenever possible, so I expect a hard time!

This being Switzerland, I suspecte even the facilitated naturlization process differs in each canton. At the time I did it, in Vaud, I lived in a village, was interviewed by the police municipal, who I knew because I saw him in the fitness regularly. The interview lasted about 3 minutes and it was about motivation for becoming Swiss and level of integration (and I guess linguistic ability). I think the policeman had already checked the boxes when I walked in.

I think he meant " are you planning to be desperate?"

Offer the police who come Tea and muffin. Thats all.And of course have this film running in the background


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqVmQmQPx0

I think she meant "are you planning to seperate?'.

well desperation has something to do with seperation

Freudian slip by my phone!

Are you desperate? Is better than Are you a prostite? .... I'm surprised you all where more concerned about the desperate part and didn't bat an eye at the prostitute question! Lol!

well one knows that they simply don't ask such questions anyhow

You just need to follow the Leitfaden…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqVmQmQPx0

They definitely ask the prostitute/ worked in the sex trade question in several cantons that I know if, not sure if they ask about being desperate though.

"Is your wife a prostitute?"

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/citizens...pill-/41295932