Documents for Naturalisation in Zurich
The short answer
Since 1 July 2023 the canton of Zurich has had one set of rules for every commune. You file the application online with the canton’s Gemeindeamt (office for communes), not with your commune. For every person in the application you attach two documents (KBüV § 7):
- a document from the civil status office showing your civil status, and
- proof that you work, are in education, or otherwise support yourself.
You add proof of German and proof of basic knowledge if you already have them, plus a few documents that apply only in some situations (see the tables below).
You do not collect a debt collection extract, a criminal record extract, a tax certificate or a welfare confirmation. The authorities get these themselves. The canton also says that communes may not set conditions of their own. They only organise their part of the procedure.
Apply online at zh.ch/e-einbuergerung. Questions: your commune or the Gemeindeamt (043 259 83 81, einbuergerungen.gaz@ji.zh.ch).
How old documents may be
The canton’s checklist sets two limits on the day you submit:
- Civil status document: at most 6 months old.
- All other documents: at most 3 months old.
So order them last, shortly before you submit. The checklist does not say whether the 3-month limit also applies to certificates you earned earlier, such as school reports or language certificates. Ask your commune.
Start here: are you in the Swiss civil status register?
Without the civil status document your application is not processed. If you were born or married abroad, you may not yet be registered in the Swiss register. If so, register first, because this is often the slowest step:
- City of Zurich: fill in the city’s online form “Registration in the civil status register”. The office then emails you a list of the documents it needs. The city says registration can take several weeks to several months.
- Other communes: ask the civil status office for your area. Uster, for example, asks for a copy of your residence permit and your passport or ID card.
- Documents from abroad (birth or marriage certificate) usually have to be legalised or carry an apostille in the country that issued them, and may need a translation. Zurich authorities do not translate. Events abroad can also be reported through the Swiss embassy or consulate.
Once you are registered, ordering the document itself is quick. In the city of Zurich a proof of civil status (Personenstandsausweis) costs CHF 30 plus CHF 1.20 postage.
Documents you provide
| Document | Who needs it | Where to get it | Cost | Maximum age when you submit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil status document (for example proof of civil status or family record) | Everyone in the application | Civil status office (Zivilstandsamt). City of Zurich: order online. | City of Zurich: CHF 30 plus postage. Other offices: ask. | 6 months |
| Proof of current activity (see next table) | Everyone aged 12 or over | Your employer, school, unemployment fund, pension fund and so on. The city of Zurich has an employer form to download. | Usually free | 3 months |
| Proof of German (B1 spoken, A2 written), if you already have it | Everyone aged 12 or over, unless German is your mother tongue | School reports (5 years of compulsory school in German), a diploma taught in German, a current school confirmation, or a recognised certificate (KDE, telc, ÖSD, Goethe, fide). See Language certificates. | Test fees vary; the KDE costs CHF 200 to 280 in the communes below | See “How long are certificates valid?” |
| Proof of basic knowledge, if you already have it | Everyone aged 12 or over | School reports (5 years of compulsory school in Switzerland, 3 of them at lower-secondary level), a Swiss upper-secondary qualification, a current school confirmation, or the knowledge test certificate. See Knowledge test. | Test CHF 100 to 250, depending on the commune | See below |
| Proof of sole custody, or consent of both parents | Only if minor children are included | Divorce judgment, custody arrangement or decision of the child protection authority (KESB). With joint custody both parents sign the signature sheet in the online form. | Depends on the court or office | 3 months |
| Declaration on registered partnership and proof of your partner’s citizenship | Only if you want the shorter residence periods for registered partners | Both partners sign in the online form. Proof of citizenship from the civil status office of your partner’s place of origin. | Ask the office | 3 months |
| Proof of personal circumstances (for example a medical certificate) | Only if illness, disability or similar reasons stop you from meeting a requirement such as the German test | Your doctor or another specialist. It must say exactly what you cannot do and why. | You pay for it (KBüV § 16) | Not stated; ask your commune |
If you do not yet have proof of German or basic knowledge, your commune tells you when and where to take the test. Some communes want both before you file, others after (see “What differs between communes”).
Proof of current activity
| Your situation | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Employed | Current confirmation from your employer |
| Self-employed | Copy of pages 1 to 4 of your latest tax return |
| Unemployed and receiving benefits | Unemployment benefit statements for the last 3 months |
| Receiving payments from others | Statement from AHV/IV, SUVA, health insurance, pension fund, maintenance payments, grants and so on |
| Homemaker | Proof of the family’s income, for example a bank statement or pages 1 to 4 of the latest tax return |
| Not working and no benefits | Proof of assets, for example a bank statement |
| In training or further education | Current confirmation from the school or course |
| At school | Current school confirmation or a copy of the school report |
What the authorities get themselves
| Check | Who gets it | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Debt collection register (unpaid debts, including tax debts, from 5 years before you apply) | Gemeindeamt | KBüV § 4 (3) |
| Criminal record (federal register VOSTRA) | Gemeindeamt | Canton’s handbook |
| Social welfare received in the last 3 years | Your commune | KBüV § 15 |
You do not need to order a debt collection extract (CHF 17), a criminal record extract or a residence certificate for ordinary naturalisation. If someone asks you for one, ask which rule requires it. Lists that still mention such papers, for example in Winterthur’s fee overview, refer to facilitated naturalisation (for example through marriage), which has different rules.
What differs between communes
Communes cannot add requirements, but they do differ in when you take the tests, whether there is an interview, and the fee. A sample from commune websites and guides, checked in October 2026:
| Commune | Tests | Interview | Communal fee, adult 25+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Zurich | German test (KDE, CHF 250) after you file, if you have no certificate | Only if questions remain | Not stated on the city’s page |
| Winterthur | Not stated. KDE CHF 250, knowledge test CHF 150. | Yes, by the city’s naturalisation department (not confirmed on its page) | CHF 1,200 (20 to 24: CHF 600; under 20: free) |
| Uster | Both proofs before you file | Not mentioned | CHF 1,380 single, CHF 1,910 couple or family; free up to age 25 |
| Dübendorf | Not stated. Knowledge test CHF 175, KDE CHF 280. | Not on its page | CHF 1,000 (20 to 24: CHF 500; under 20: free) |
| Bülach | Both tests before you file | Normally none | CHF 1,000, couple CHF 1,500. Tests CHF 250 each. |
| Wädenswil | Knowledge test information is sent after you file | Not stated | Not stated |
| Otelfingen (small commune) | Both tests before you file | Normally none | CHF 500. KDE CHF 200, knowledge test CHF 100. |
If your commune holds an interview, the law gives you rights: you choose Standard German or Swiss German, you may bring an adult companion, and the commune keeps minutes or a recording. Children under 12 are not interviewed (KBüV §§ 13 and 14). Cantonal and federal fees are on the page Fees.
How long are certificates valid?
- Language certificates: neither the canton nor the SEM sets a fixed expiry. A certificate counts if it was on the SEM list of recognised certificates on the day you submit. The authority may ask for a new assessment, especially if the certificate was issued a long time ago. If you send an original, you get it back at the latest when the procedure ends.
- Knowledge test: the canton’s pages and handbook do not say how long a pass stays valid. If you passed some time ago, ask your commune whether the result is still accepted.
A sensible order
- Check that you are in the Swiss civil status register. If not, register now. It can take months.
- Ask your commune whether you take the German and knowledge tests before or after filing, and book them.
- Within 3 months before submitting, collect proof of your current activity. Within 6 months, order the civil status document.
- File online at zh.ch/e-einbuergerung and upload everything.
For many people the knowledge test is the biggest thing to study. The free questions show you how you are doing.