Last summer I received my packet of papers from the Bundesamt für Migration. All in German, the application check list went something like this:
- Application Form
- Marriage certificate, no less than six months old from the Heimatort
- Wohnsitzbestätigung (residency certificate) from the last five years in Switzerland, no older than 2-3 months.
- Residency Permit photocopies
The application form asked similar questions to our marriage application form. Things like parents’ names and dates of birth and checking a box to note that Kay had his citizenship from birth. If Kay had gained his citizenship through marriage, I would not be eligible for facilitated naturalization and would have to do it the harder way with regular naturalization.
There were also some forms in the application promising that I am not a criminal and some papers that Kay needed to sign stating that we have a valid, honest marriage.
October-November 2013:
From October to November I went about ordering the marriage certificate and the residency certificates from all four towns or cities that I have lived in during the last six years.
Neither Kay or I have ever been to his Heimatort, the town that takes you back and takes care of you when you are bankrupt, so it was a bit funny ordering something from them, but they had an easy online site to use to order the marriage certificate. Also… how weird is it that we’ve only been married for three years and I already need to order a fresh marriage certificate for this? It’s a little over the top.
The residency certificates were easier. They all came at about 30 a pop, whereas the marriage certificate was 35.
December 2013:
The Migrationsamt (Migration office) told me on the telephone and wrote me a confirmation email that it was OK to turn my application in 1-2 weeks before my five year residency was completed, so 1.5 weeks before the end of the year, I went to the post office and sent my bundle of love in the mail.
I was pretty excited.
The day before we left for our New Year holiday in Oman and Thailand, I received a letter from the Migrationsamt stating that they had received my application and that it would take at least 1-2 years to process, possibly more if they are very busy.
Kay was dismayed that they said it would take so long, but it was exactly what I expected. They had my application and just wanted to let me know that they will take as long as they want to process it, which you can’t do anything about. 🙂
The waiting had begun!
Missed something?
Facilitated Swiss Naturalisation Part I