The makers of Swiss: the continuation
The makers of Swiss: the continuation
I read with interest your recent explanations about the "Handbook on naturalisation". Does becoming Swiss always mean knowing how to make fondue, as in the film mentioned in the title of your column?
A. Geneva
Foreign nationals residing in the canton of Geneva and wishing to acquire Swiss nationality must, under the ordinary procedure, hold a valid settlement permit (permit C) and have lived in Switzerland for 10 years, including 3 years in the last 5 years preceding the application, and for 2 years in this canton.
They must also meet conditions linked to integration in our country, such as respecting public order and Swiss values, knowing how to speak French and being financially able to support themselves and their dependent family members.
According to the Cantonal Law on Genevan nationality, it will be verified that a candidate for naturalisation is integrated into the Geneva community and has ties with the canton that demonstrate his or her "adaptation to the Geneva way of life". Applicants must therefore demonstrate that they have acquired sufficient knowledge of the geography, history, politics and social characteristics of Switzerland and the canton.
In Geneva, a tutorial is available on the canton's website, with a quiz to assess your level of knowledge (www.ge.ch/connaître-suisse-geneve). It states, for example, that the Jeûne Genevois is a cantonal public holiday and that it is customary to eat a prune tart on this occasion. Knowledge of the fondue recipe does not appear to be a prerequisite for acquiring Swiss nationality, at least not according to the list of questions, but it is possible that other cantons are more sensitive to this skill, which is a source of pride for many Swiss people!
Verification of integration conditions is practised in a similar way in neighbouring cantons, and a few cases of refusal have made the headlines in recent years. For example, the case of a person who was turned down by Nyon's "naturalisation commission" (now disbanded) because he did not know which way the pole on the town's coat of arms was pointing... Most communes and some cantons now offer a catalogue of questions, available on the Internet, to help applicants prepare as well as possible and to ensure equal treatment.
