As 2014 began, I tried not to think about my application because I knew it would be many months before I heard something.
March 2014:
At the end of March I received a naturalization request a couple of days before I finally found out and had my biopsy for my celiac disease. My world was upside down as I was preparing to de-gluten our kitchen and switch diets, and with Kay traveling, I was already an emotional mess without the federal immigration office involved.
Now, normally I would probably recommend a friend in this situation to calm down and address the naturalization situation later, but in a few weeks we would go on holiday for three weeks. I knew that all the documents I needed to order would take time and it clearly stated in my letter that, A: They are going to do absolutely nothing on my application until they get these documents and B: I should really turn them in within one month of their letter.
If I didn’t start the scavenger hunt immediately, I wouldn’t receive the documents until we were away for weeks, so then it would be over six weeks until I could send them. Cue freaking out!
In round two I needed:
- Steuerbescheinigungen: Tax certificates from the last three years. (Not older than 2-3 months)
- Betreibungsauszüge: Debt register certificates from each city and town I have lived in on my application to prove I was and am debt free. (Not older than 2-3 months)
- Lebenslauf: CV demonstrating my integration in Switzerland
Normally landlords in Switzerland request a Betreibungsauszug when you apply for a flat to prove that you do not have any current debts. I could order the one for Zürich and my town online, but Rümlang and Winterthur required that I come in person.
It seems that it was best I came in person because everyone in Rümlang, Winterthur and Zürich were confused why I was asking for a Betreibungsauszug from the past. Zürich flat out ignored my request until I came in person and each of the three offices wanted to see the letter from immigration because they just didn’t understand why I need old certificates. Nobody ever asks for those.
The lady in Winterthur tried to sweetly explain to me in German that I need to get a Betreibungsauszug from the current town where I live. She probably thought I was applying for a flat or something. Poor little foreigner. So confused. Nope, I explained. Doing my naturalization… need all these documents from the past. “But, but you only lived here for three months five years ago!?!” she exclaimed. “That’s just tedious!” Yes… yes I know. That is how naturalization is. I collected all four Betreibungsauszüge for around 20CHF each.
The tax forms were similarly complicated. The immigration office should have realized from my application that I haven’t been in my current town for a tax year yet, but they sent me tax forms for both my current town and Zürich so I sent both of them off.
I received the tax certificate from Zürich a couple weeks later and my current town forwarded the request on to Zürich without my permission who then sent me another tax certificate and another 75CHF bill. Luckily I could call them and convince them that this was either my town’s presumptuous mistake or Zürich’s mistake for processing the same form twice and not wondering why.
I also called the immigration office and asked them what exactly a CV for this entails because while the form had areas highlighting education, training, work experience and hobbies, it didn’t really explain what the CV is for or how far back I was supposed to detail.
A nice man from the immigration office answered my questions and said that the main purpose was to show my integration, so it would be good if I listed all my education and especially any German courses. I filled it out to show how I arrived here from school and how I learned German, although I was a bit worried because I haven’t completed any courses further than A2 because of work and laziness.
April 2014:
By the time I finally received my tax info from Zürich and went to the Zürich office to pick up my last Betreibungsauszug, it was just a day before we left on our three week trip. I was so happy to get this part of the scavenger hunt done.
Hopefully there won’t be any more big to-do applications like this!
Costs until now:
Marriage certificate: 35CHF
Wohnsitzbestätigung X 4: 120CHF
Betreibungsauszüge X 4: 80CHF
Steuerbescheinigung: 75CHF
Train ticket to pick up Betreibungsauszug: 6.60CHF
Post costs: 4CHF
Total Costs: 320.60CHF ($361.09)
Missed something?