The Einbürgerungsbewilliging from SEM is the 100-odd franc letter, right? Which in the old days had to be sent off but now you get a copy and it's transferred automatically?

I have one of these from early last year, it's nothing new.

This letter is from the Kanton saying they have received the Einbürgerungsbewilligung from the SEM and the are doing the final processing.


Previous successful applicants haven't mentioned a letter from the Kanton between the SEM bill and notification of citizenship.

Interesting. This phase when I sent it in via the old process was turned around fast....

Received SEM bill

Here are my updated timelines (Kanton Zurich)

Feb 2020: Submitted application
May 2020: Letter from Kanton that documents forwarded to Gemeinde
Sep 2020: Received invitation for interview
Oct 2020: Interview
Nov 2020: Approval and invoice from Gemeinde
Dec 2020: Letter from Kanton that documents received back from Gemeinde
Feb 2021: Approval from Kanton Zürich and stating Kanton and SEM bills to follow
Feb 2021: Invoice from Kanton Zürich (1 week after approval letter)
Mar 2021: SEM Bill (2 weeks after approval letter)

Hey @Mickey
Same here, update:

Canton Zurich, city of Zurich

End of May 2020: Submission
mid June 2020: Empfangsbestätigung with a note that it might take 2 months for further steps
mid September 2020: Zustellung an Wohngemeinde from Canton
***No interview needed, since I studied at ETH***
end of September 2020: Approval by Gemeinde and bill for 1200 CHF
beginning of November 2020: Returned to Canton with a note that it might take 4 months for further steps. And I am now able to move within Switzerland.
mid February 2021: Erteilung Kantonsbürgerrecht with a note that it might take 8 months for the rest of the process!
one week after Erteilung Kantonsbürgerrecht : Cantonal bill of 500 CHF
March 2021: SEM bill of 100 CHF

In case anyone is looking for more info and tips on the procedure in canton Vaud by messaging user Serena, don't waste your time, they are unwilling to help, see their response below:

Not cool to share private messages on the forum, and definitely not cool to bully and threaten another EF member via PM. For these reasons, matthias has been banned permanently.

Out of curiosity what is the full story here?

I think it's pretty clear from my post. Posting more details wouldn't help the situation at all.

But in your case, why not just ask matthias directly?

Is it possible? The user has been banned permanently.

I'm sure it's possible for you.

Not sure I'm following but OK

I guess we will never find out what happened

I would agree with 20.1 Metres that it's pretty clear: the banner user was harrassing a contributing member via PM. When rejected, he sought to discredit that member by posting contents of a PM without consent.

I think here his motivation is irrelevant, the behaviour is inexcusable.

- Applied Jan 2018
- Jan to June 18: Silence
- June 18 received a letter saying some issue with civil documents, latest original civil documents from home country requested
-Aug 18 Submitted everything
- Nov 18, Received a letter from Kanton saying all good. Case moved to Gemeinde
- Nov 18- July 19: Silence
- July 19: Invitation for test on Political knowledge (we already had B1 German, so language test was exempted)
- Sept 19: Geography/ political knowledge test
- Dec 19: test results: Pass
- Jan 20: Invitation for interview in the Gemeinde
- Feb 20: Interview, told at the end that we will be recommended
- Mar 20: Confirmation that Gemeinderat approved us, notices published in official publications. The letter said it takes another 6-8 months to complete the process

Sep 20:
Asked the Gemeinde to provide status. Got a reply saying that the case is with Kt ZH and they have a lot of Backlog due to Covid
Oct 20:
Received a letter from Kt ZH referring inquiry from the Gemeinde. Letter says that they have a large number of cases in hand and the processing will take 3 months +. Moving within CH is possible and if C permit is expiring it will need to be renewed

Mar21: Received letter of approval from Kt ZH

Finally some movement--

More than 3 years? And Zürich is supposed to be one of the fastest kantons...
I hope you clear the final hurdle quickly.

That's still the "old way", I guess, where the waiting times could be indeed decidedly geological.
My colleague applied in 2010 and completed the procedure in 2017 (VD).

This is unusually long stints between steps for Kt.ZH, sorry to hear this. But unless your on a watch list, the next steps should be formalities...but still about 5-6 months from the finish line.

Congratulations, I'm so happy for you! You have been waiting such a long time.

20.1 Metres!Thank you litespeed and that's indeed pretty much what happened. Since the post about me has stayed up I will address it and also because it's not right what happened last night. Just because I shared my timeline here it doesn't mean anyone can demand personal information from me. We share our experiences and knowledge voluntarily here as a community with each other but we don't owe anyone anything, even if they act like it. Everyone has the right to share as much or as little about themselves as they are comfortable with. I believe the vast majority of members in this thread are decent and respectful and know this already. Anyway it's all good now and let's get back to the obsessive mail box checking, even on Sunday's!

I am sorry for what happened to you. I hope you are feeling better now.