[QUOTE=litespeed;3327899]Interestingly the team processing normal naturalisations has been increased from 8 to 10! Could be an indication of the current workload, or that there will be a transition due to 1 or 2 staff leaving.



https://www.zh.ch/de/direktion-der-j...ml#-1864346150[/Q

My wife and I (EU citizens) started the process on January 25 and we were told that Step 1 (Kanton) will take up to 4 months. After 2 months it was already sent to Gemeinde (step 2). The middle of June Kanton ZH informed us that they received the file back from Gemeinde and it should, again, take up to 4 months before it will go to Bund. We are with the person responsible for C from Kanton ZH and she has been very helpful every time we had a question. We were also told by Gemeinde that the rest of the process (Kanton - Bund - Kanton) should not take more than 8 months. But we were also told that all we can do now is wait.

I live in Zurich. In October I will be here 10 years. Can I start collecting documents now, or "Wohnsitzbestätigungen" would be invalid because I am not here already 10 years?

Online, I am reading that I need "Wohnsitzbestätigungen im Original
über den Zeitraum von mindestens 10 Jahren"

Exactly as it says - no, it needs to be for ten years so would not yet be valid.

I sent my application to Kanton ZH in April 2021 and in July it was sent to the Gemeinde.

Latest timeline - home stretch now I hope!

April 2019: Gathered all documents, cost around 250chf
5.May 2019: Sent all papers to Kt. ZH
July 2019: received letter requesting additional document (son on application)
August 2019: Letter from Kt.ZH saying dossier sent the Gemeinde
September 2019: Letter from Gemeinde requesting one original language certificate.
October 2019: Letter stating knowledge test is prerequisite for interview and they had enrolled me for the exam. Bill for 180chf paid and learning guides /sample test received.
13 December 2019: Knowledge test completed under exam conditions
27 December 2019: Letter stating test passed (92/100), invite to be sent re town interview
13 August 2020:Letter received informing me that, due to COVID, the town to decide based on the documents/application alone. (no interview!)
08 September 2020: Informed that town will grant me "Gemeindebürgerrecht" (30 days after publication), bill for 500chf
21 October 2020: Confirmation from Kt. ZH that they have received my application back from the Gemeinde and processing could take a while. As others have mentioned, the letter explicitly permits moving within CH.
23 December 2020: Request from Kt. for residence confirmation, etc for our newborn child (not provided by the Gemeinde as they led me to believe)
12 January 2021: Confirmation of Kantonal approval, stated bill for 500chf to follow
25 January 2021: Bill for 500chf to Kanton ZH
08 February 2021: Bill for 100chf to SEM (Bund)
12 August 2021: Letter from Kt. informing me that the approval from the SEM is received, may take 4 months from now.

__________________
So sayeth the 'Speed
* I do look like my avatar

congratulations ... good to hear that finally something is moving.

Yay, good news!
There was a small earthquake here 6 days ago worth 2.6 Richters, federales must have let your hourglass shatter

A few days ago we got a letter from the Gemeinde saying that the Auflagefrist is over, and there was no opposition from any citizen, so the process is finished at the Gemeinde level. Our documents have been sumitted to the Kantonale Amt für Bürgerrecht, and I quote: You will receive the Einbürgerungsmittelung in a few months. It’s moving ahead.

Juraj please pray for a new earthquake, maybe my hourglass breaks too at SEM. It's now more than 2.5 months since Canton pre-approval and I still have not gotten even the bill from SEM. As per your and Litespeed's experience, this means 8-10 more months. Happy new Year 2022!! 💪🏻

Congratulations! Happy to see you almost at the finish line..

Thanks everyone! Usually it's 6-8 weeks from this point, but not counting my chickens yet.

It would certainly be nice to have it before the 7th October, which is the 20 year anniversary of when I moved to Switzerland :-)

I'm so glad to hear your news, litespeed! It's really cheered me up. The black box aspect of the whole process makes it quite unpleasant for those of us who are worriers by nature.

@LiquidPaper : Could not agree with you more. Transparency and information would go a long way.

Well from next year the process in Kt. ZH will go digital, which should provide a better overview of where an application is "parked" at any given time and what the status is.
However I believe the hour glasses, as well as their hooded keepers, will remain in service for at least the next 50 years or so.

Litespeed, you've been at this for soooo long, now, that I'm delighted to read your update and good news. Thank you.
Yes, may that be so, and not take too much longer.

Congrats litespeed!

If only one parent can apply for naturalisation because the other one doesn't fulfill the conditions yet, can also their kids apply if they are very young (say 4 years old)?

Kids under 12 years old are automatically included in the naturalization process of any parent, so yes, they'll become Swiss if one of their parents does.

The assumption is children of the applicant parent will be included on the application. However, the non-applicant parent must sign a separate document giving consent.
Be aware you need to provide Zivilregister and residency confirmation documents for the children also. Our youngest son was born just before Gemeinde approval, and later I had to provide these documents as well (caused a delay).


You can choose not to have your under-12 kids on the application, but you need to provide a justification. (one that wouldn't raise eyebrows in your town).

That's something canton specific?
When we sent the application, I applied for myself and for my son (explicitly), and my wife applied on her own. VD has four separate application documents: single person (adult or minor), couple with child(ren), couple without children or single person with child(ren).

I guess each Kanton is different. I filled out the ZH application form (universal), but had to add an additional consent form signed by my wife "Zusstimmungseklärung zu Einbürgerung der Kinder".