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Visa

Switzerland, for Namibian passport holders

What Namibian citizens need to visit, work, live and settle in Switzerland: the visas and permits, where to apply and what to prepare. The Swiss and German authorities decide; this guide helps you find the right office and arrive prepared.

Checked on 21 October 2026Authority · State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Quellenweg 6, 3003 Bern-Wabern, Switzerland · sem.admin.ch ↗

I · Visiting

Holiday and tourist visa

Namibian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) to visit Switzerland. It allows a stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, family visits or business meetings, but not work. In Namibia the German Embassy in Windhoek decides on Schengen visas for Switzerland, and applications are lodged at the TLScontact visa centre.

What the visa allows

A Schengen visa covers Switzerland and the other Schengen states. Your stay may not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period, and the visa sticker shows how many days you may stay and between which dates.

The German Embassy notes that visas are usually issued with 15 extra days beyond your planned travel dates, but the number of days written on the visa must not be exceeded.

A visa does not guarantee entry. The border police decide when you arrive. A tourist visa does not allow paid work in Switzerland.

Who decides and where to apply

Switzerland has no visa section in Namibia. The German Embassy in Windhoek decides on Schengen visas for Switzerland, as it does for Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta and the Netherlands. Apply for the country where you will spend most of your stay; if you spend equal time in several countries, apply for the first one you enter.

Since 19 January 2026 applications are lodged at the TLScontact visa centre: Maerua Office Tower, 3rd floor (Regus, Office 325), Maerua Mall, Centaurus Street, Windhoek. It is open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 15:30, by appointment booked online. TLScontact receives the application; the Embassy alone decides.

You may apply up to six months before your trip. The Embassy states that processing can take up to 15 days under the EU Visa Code, and its checklist mentions about 15 working days plus courier time. Your passport stays with the Embassy while the application is processed, so apply well before you travel.

Fees

The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11; children under 6 pay no visa fee. The fee is fixed in euros but payable in Namibian dollars; TLScontact currently lists N$1,690 for adults and N$850 for children.

TLScontact charges an additional, non-refundable service fee of €24.51 (TLScontact currently lists N$460; the Embassy states about N$500). The Embassy states that this fee is payable by card only. The Namibian dollar amounts follow the exchange rate; check the TLScontact fee page before your appointment.

Steps

  1. Fix your planDecide your dates, where you will stay and which Schengen country is your main destination.
  2. Fill in the form onlineComplete the application form in the German online system (VIDEX), print it with its barcode, then date and sign it where indicated.
  3. Book an appointmentBook your appointment on the TLScontact Windhoek website.
  4. Prepare your documentsUse the Embassy's checklist for your type of visit and sort your documents in its order. Print and sign the checklist and hand it in with your application.
  5. Attend the appointmentBring your passport, all documents and a bank card for the fees. Hand in your application and pay the fees.
  6. Collect your passportCollect your passport when TLScontact tells you it is ready. Check the dates, the number of days and the countries on the visa sticker before you travel.

Checklist

The declaration of sponsorship (Verpflichtungserklärung)

If there is doubt about whether you have enough money for the stay, a host in Switzerland can sign a declaration of sponsorship. Swiss citizens, foreign nationals with a Swiss residence or settlement permit, and companies entered in the commercial register can act as guarantor.

The guarantor undertakes to cover costs of illness, accident, return travel and living expenses that are not otherwise covered, up to CHF 30,000. The declaration is valid for twelve months from the day of entry and cannot be withdrawn. Depending on the canton, it is lodged with the commune or with the cantonal migration office, which checks the guarantor's finances and charges a fee (the City of Bern, for example, charges CHF 50).

The SEM information sheet states that Schengen states issuing visas on Switzerland's behalf may also ask for a Swiss declaration of sponsorship. The German Embassy's checklist for visits to family and friends lists a formal obligation 'where applicable', issued in the Schengen state concerned. Ask the Embassy or TLScontact whether one is needed in your case; your host should then contact the commune or cantonal migration office where they live to learn how to lodge it.

At the border: the Entry/Exit System

Switzerland and the other Schengen states use the Entry/Exit System (EES), introduced gradually from 12 October 2025. On your first entry your facial image and fingerprints are recorded, and every entry and exit is registered electronically. The system calculates the days you have spent in the Schengen area.

Manual stamping of passports was discontinued from 9 April 2026. Keep your own record of your travel dates.

Good to know

  • When you travel, carry copies of your invitation, hotel bookings and travel insurance with your passport. Border officers may ask about the purpose of your stay and your means.
  • The Embassy may issue a visa for a shorter period than requested and may ask for further documents at any time.
  • A visa does not allow work, including unpaid work for a Swiss business. Work requires a separate permit.
  • If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you need a national visa from the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria, not a Schengen visa.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

II · Staying longer

Holiday and tourist visa extension

A Schengen visa can be extended in Switzerland only in narrow cases: force majeure, humanitarian reasons or serious personal reasons that arise after you have entered. The application is made in person at the cantonal migration office of the canton where you are staying, before your visa expires. The 90/180-day limit still applies, and an extension is never automatic.

1. Understanding your permitted stay

Your authorised stay is set by your visa: the dates of validity and the number of days on the visa sticker. Within that, your stay in the Schengen area may not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. The day of entry and the day of departure both count.

The 180-day period is a moving window. On any given day, look back over the last 180 days and count every day you spent anywhere in the Schengen area. Repeated short trips add up.

A visit cannot simply be prolonged because you would like to stay longer. Extensions are granted for force majeure (for example a cancelled flight because of weather, a strike or war), for humanitarian reasons (for example a sudden serious illness that makes travel impossible, or the sudden serious illness or death of a close relative living in a Schengen state), or for serious personal reasons. The Canton of Zurich lists as not sufficient, for example: waiting for a decision on a residence permit, caring for family members, non-urgent outpatient medical treatment, business reasons and organisational reasons.

The canton decides whether an extension is granted and for how long. The Canton of Geneva states that a short-stay visa cannot in principle be extended, and the Canton of Zurich treats an extension request as a new visa application.

2. Where to apply

Apply to the cantonal migration office of the canton where you are staying. SEM publishes the addresses of all cantonal migration authorities.

Canton of Zurich: Migrationsamt, Berninastrasse 45, 8090 Zürich, open Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:30. You must apply in person at the counter. If a guarantor signed a declaration of sponsorship for your visa, the guarantor must come with you; a parent or guardian must attend for children under 18.

Canton of Geneva: Office cantonal de la population et des migrations (OCPM). The application is made with an online form through an e-démarches account (a paper form is available at the OCPM for those who cannot use the online process). You then receive an appointment by e-mail and must attend in person with your passport.

Other cantons: contact the cantonal migration office directly and ask how and when to apply.

3. When should you apply?

Apply as soon as you know you cannot leave on time, and in any case before your visa expires. The Canton of Zurich's directive states that holders of a three-month visa must apply in person 14 days before the visa expires, and that a late application is a ground for refusal. The Canton of Geneva asks applicants to apply well in advance.

Confirm the deadline with the cantonal migration office. Do not rely on the experience of other travellers, as procedures differ between cantons.

Steps

Recommended steps

  1. Check your datesEstablish the last day you may stay under your visa and how many of your 90 days you have used. The European Commission's short-stay calculator helps.
  2. Contact the cantonal migration officeAsk how to apply, the deadline, the documents required and the fees.
  3. Prepare your documentsGather proof of the exceptional reason, your insurance, your funds and your departure plans.
  4. Apply in personSubmit the application before your visa expires and attend any appointment in person.
  5. Keep your recordsKeep your receipt or reference number. If an extension is granted, check the new end date and any territorial limit on the new visa sticker.
  6. Leave on timeIf the extension is refused, leave by the date you are given. The Canton of Zurich notes that an appeal does not postpone the departure deadline.
Checklist

4. Extension checklist

Fees and processing

Fees differ by canton. The Canton of Zurich charges a processing fee of CHF 45 per person in every case; for extensions on serious personal grounds, and for refusals, a visa fee of CHF 45 is added. No visa fee is charged for extensions on grounds of force majeure or humanitarian reasons. The Canton of Geneva states that its fee varies with the reason and the nationality of the applicant.

Zurich notes that the examination takes some time and may only be completed on the next working day. Geneva states an average processing time of 5 to 10 days. These are not guarantees.

If you stay too long

Staying in Switzerland after your authorised stay has ended is an offence under the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration and can be punished with a custodial sentence of up to one year or a monetary penalty. SEM states that unlawful residence can lead to removal and an entry ban for the Schengen area.

The Entry/Exit System records every entry and exit and calculates the length of your stay automatically, so an overstay is visible at your next border crossing anywhere in the Schengen area.

5. Important reminders

  • Check the dates and number of days on your actual visa sticker.
  • Contact the cantonal migration office early to confirm the procedure and deadline.
  • Apply before your visa expires; a late application can be refused.
  • Explain your reasons clearly and truthfully, and support them with documents.
  • Confirm the fees and payment methods with the canton.
  • Do not assume that an extension will be granted, or that an application allows you to remain after your visa expires. Confirm your position with the migration office.
  • Do not overstay your authorised period.
  • A tourist or visitor visa does not allow work in Switzerland.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

III · Working

Work permit

Namibian citizens can work in Switzerland only with a permit, and admission is limited to qualified people: managers, specialists and other qualified workers, usually with a degree and several years of experience. The Swiss employer applies to the cantonal authority; permits are subject to annual quotas and to federal approval. Once approved, the employee obtains a national visa from the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria.

What the rules require

Workers from outside the EU and EFTA are admitted only where it serves the overall interests of Switzerland and the Swiss economy. The employer must show that no suitable candidate with priority was found: Swiss citizens, holders of Swiss residence and settlement permits, and workers from EU and EFTA states. This normally means proof of genuine recruitment efforts, including registering the vacancy with the regional employment centre (RAV) and advertising through EURES.

Pay, social security contributions and working conditions must match local, professional and sector standards. Suitable accommodation must be available. For longer stays, the authorities also consider professional and social adaptability, language skills and age.

The number of new permits is capped. For 2026 the Federal Council set 8,500 permits for workers from third countries: 4,500 residence permits (B) and 4,000 short-term permits (L). A job offer alone is not enough; a permit must also be available under the quota.

Permit types

L (short-term residence permit): for a limited assignment, generally for up to one year and tied to the length of the employment contract. In exceptional cases it can be extended to a total of 24 months with the same employer.

B (residence permit): for longer employment. For third-country nationals it is issued for one year at a time and renewed. B holders can generally change jobs without further authorisation, unless the permit is tied to a specific position.

Renewal: apply no earlier than three months and no later than two weeks before the permit expires, at the canton or commune of residence.

Who applies and where

The employer applies, not the employee. The application goes to the labour market or migration authority of the canton where the work will take place. Some cantons, such as Zurich, accept applications electronically.

The employee, who needs a visa, obtains a national (type D) visa from the Swiss representation responsible for their place of residence. For residents of Namibia this is the Regional Consular Centre at the Embassy of Switzerland in Pretoria, 225 Veale Street, Parc Nouveau, New Muckleneuk, Pretoria. Visa applications are received by appointment only; appointments are requested by e-mail at pretoria.visa@eda.admin.ch.

Steps

  1. Employment offerThe employer and the candidate agree a contract that states it is valid only if the permit is granted.
  2. Employer applies to the cantonThe employer submits the application and documents to the cantonal labour market or migration authority.
  3. Cantonal preliminary decisionThe canton examines the application under the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration and forwards approved files to SEM.
  4. Federal approvalSEM checks the application against the national admission criteria. The employer pays a fee for this decision. The approval alone does not allow entry.
  5. National visaThe cantonal migration authority sends an electronic visa authorisation to the Swiss representation. The employee then applies for and collects the national visa in Pretoria.
  6. Entry and registrationWithin 14 days of entering Switzerland, register with the authorities of your place of residence. Work may begin only after registration; the permit card is then issued.

Checklist

Processing

SEM states that applicants should expect six to eight weeks for a file to be processed fully, and that more complex cases can take longer. SEM's fee for its decision is paid by the employer. Ask the cantonal authority for the current cantonal and federal amounts.

Good to know

  • A Schengen visitor or tourist visa never allows work in Switzerland, not even for a short period. Anyone entering to work needs both a visa and a work permit.
  • Working, or employing someone, without a permit is an offence that can be punished with a custodial sentence of up to one year or a fine.
  • Students from outside the EU/EFTA may work up to 15 hours a week during term, starting no earlier than six months after the start of their studies. Graduates of Swiss universities have six months after completing their studies to look for work.
  • Spouses of Swiss citizens and of settlement permit (C) holders do not need a separate work permit. Spouses of short-term (L) permit holders need permission, applied for by their employer.
  • Exceptions to the priority rule exist for transfers of managers and specialists within international companies, and for certain researchers and graduates of Swiss universities.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

IV · Investing

Investor visa

Switzerland does not offer an investor or 'golden' visa: there is no residence category under federal law that is granted simply for making an investment or buying property. The routes that exist are admission as a self-employed person where this serves the Swiss economy, and residence without gainful activity for people of independent means where the canton allows it. Each is decided case by case by the canton, with federal involvement.

Route 1: self-employment in the Swiss economic interest

Third-country nationals can be admitted to work in Switzerland on a self-employed basis. They have no facilitated access to the labour market and must show the economic interest of their application. The Canton of Zurich explains that this can be the case where there is strong demand and no oversupply, and where jobs are created or investments made.

The business must be expected to generate enough income to cover its operating costs and the founder's living costs, and the necessary premises and equipment must be available. Sufficient start-up capital is required. The applicant must, like employees, be a manager, specialist or otherwise qualified worker, and admission is subject to the annual quotas.

The self-employed person applies personally to the canton where the business will be based. In Geneva, for example, the cantonal labour office examines the application and seeks the opinion of the tripartite commission for the economy before the permit is decided.

Route 2: residence without gainful activity (persons of independent means)

Retired people can be admitted without employment under strict conditions. The Canton of Geneva lists: the minimum age set by the Federal Council (55 years), special personal ties to Switzerland, sufficient financial means for the rest of one's life, and a commitment not to work in Switzerland or abroad, apart from managing one's own assets.

Some cantons also admit wealthy persons where this represents a significant fiscal interest for the canton. Geneva, for example, offers a permit for third-country nationals taxed on a lump-sum basis: the applicant transfers the centre of their interests to Geneva, spends most of the year there, does not work in Switzerland other than managing their own assets, and obtains a tax agreement from the cantonal tax administration. The application must be made before entering Switzerland and is submitted to SEM for approval.

Lump-sum (expenditure-based) taxation is available only to foreign nationals who take up tax residence in Switzerland for the first time or after at least ten years abroad, and who do not work in Switzerland. It has been abolished in several cantons, including Zurich, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt.

Steps

  1. Choose the cantonRequirements and practice differ by canton. Contact the cantonal migration office and, for self-employment, the cantonal labour market authority or economic promotion office.
  2. Prepare the fileFor self-employment, a business plan with budget, market analysis and financing; for independent means, proof of assets, income and ties to Switzerland.
  3. Apply before entrySubmit the application to the canton from Namibia. The procedure should in principle be completed before you enter Switzerland.
  4. Cantonal and federal decisionThe canton examines the application; as for other first permits of third-country nationals, its decision is normally subject to SEM approval.
  5. National visaOnce approved, apply for the national visa at the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria.
  6. RegisterRegister with the commune of residence within 14 days of arrival.

Checklist for self-employment

Checklist for residence without gainful activity

Good to know

  • There is no legal entitlement to any of these permits; the authorities decide at their discretion.
  • Fees and minimum tax amounts are set by each canton. Ask the canton for current figures before you begin.
  • The national visa for these routes is issued by the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria, not by the German Embassy in Windhoek.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

V · Settling

Permanent residency

Permanent residence in Switzerland is the settlement permit (C). Namibian citizens can normally apply after ten years of residence, the last five of them without interruption on a residence permit (B), provided they are well integrated. An earlier grant after five years is possible with particularly good integration and stronger language skills.

What the settlement permit allows

Spouses and children of C permit holders may work without a separate authorisation, and family reunification with a C holder is generally a right rather than a matter of discretion.

A C permit is also a precondition for ordinary naturalisation.

Who can apply and when

Standard route: at least ten years of residence in Switzerland on a short-term (L) or residence (B) permit, with an uninterrupted B permit for the last five years.

Early grant: after five years with a B permit, if integration is particularly good. This requires spoken skills at level B1 and written skills at level A1 in the national language spoken at your place of residence.

Shorter periods apply to nationals of certain states, mainly EU and EFTA states, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, under settlement agreements or reciprocity. Namibia is not among them, so Namibian citizens follow the standard or early route.

Spouses of Swiss citizens can obtain a C permit after five years of marriage and living together in Switzerland, subject to the integration requirements. Shorter periods can also apply to spouses of C permit holders; ask your canton.

Integration requirements

The authorities examine your conduct and integration: respect for public safety and order, respect for the values of the Federal Constitution, language skills, and participation in working life or education. Debt enforcement records, dependence on social assistance and criminal convictions can stand in the way, and the cantons note that even minor breaches can count against an application.

Language: for the standard route, spoken A2 and written A1; for the early route, spoken B1 and written A1. Proof is a certificate from a provider recognised by SEM (for example fide). Cantons exempt applicants whose native language is the local national language or who completed their schooling or higher education in it, on proof.

Steps

  1. Check your yearsCount your years on L and B permits and confirm the last five years on B were uninterrupted.
  2. Take a language testObtain a recognised certificate at the level required, unless you are exempt.
  3. Ask your cantonContact the cantonal migration office or your commune's residents' office for the form and document list. Procedures differ by canton.
  4. Gather the documentsDebt and criminal record extracts are usually required to be recent, often no older than one month.
  5. Submit the applicationSubmit it to the office your canton names, for example the residents' office of your commune.
  6. Keep your B permit validRenew your B permit on time while the application is pending: no earlier than three months and no later than two weeks before it expires.

Checklist

Good to know

  • There is no legal entitlement to a C permit on the standard route; the canton decides.
  • An incomplete application can lead to a refusal with costs. The Canton of St. Gallen charges at least CHF 200 for a refusal.
  • Time spent on an L permit counts towards the ten years for a C permit, but not towards the residence period for naturalisation.
  • Periods abroad can affect the required uninterrupted residence. Ask your canton before a long stay abroad.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

VI · Family

Residency by marriage

A Namibian citizen married to a Swiss citizen, or to a foreign national with a settlement (C) or residence (B) permit, can apply to live in Switzerland through family reunification. The cantonal migration authority decides, and the national visa is issued by the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria. Couples who wish to marry in Switzerland first complete a preparatory procedure with the Swiss civil registry.

Who can join whom

Spouses (and registered partners) and unmarried children under 18 can join a Swiss citizen or a foreign national living in Switzerland. The marriage must be recognised by Switzerland; unmarried partners cannot be brought in through family reunification.

With a C permit holder, family reunification is generally a right. With a B permit holder it is not automatic and is at the authorities' discretion. With an L permit holder, the family members also need a cantonal work permit before working.

The conditions include living together, accommodation large enough for the whole family by Swiss standards, and not depending on social assistance. Where the spouse cannot communicate in the local national language, proof of at least spoken A1 or enrolment in a language course leading to it is required. For spouses of Swiss citizens the rules on this point differ between cantons, but the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria's checklist asks spouses and fiancé(e)s for this proof, so prepare it.

Deadlines: an application for family reunification must generally be made within five years, and within twelve months for children over 12.

Where to apply

The decision lies with the cantonal migration authority where the family will live. Applicants in Namibia apply for the national visa at the Regional Consular Centre of the Embassy of Switzerland in Pretoria, 225 Veale Street, Parc Nouveau, New Muckleneuk. Applications are made in person and by appointment only; appointments are requested by e-mail at pretoria.visa@eda.admin.ch, giving your name, surname, date of birth, passport number and nationality.

The Embassy states that the overall processing takes about 8 to 12 weeks. The passport is lodged for registration and returned; once the authorisation is received, it is submitted again and the visa is issued within 2 to 5 working days. Spouses and children of Swiss or EU/EFTA nationals pay no visa fee.

For the spouse of a Swiss citizen, the application can be processed only once the marriage is registered in Switzerland, or once the marriage preparation documents have been submitted to the Embassy.

Marrying in Switzerland

A preparatory procedure is required before any civil marriage in Switzerland. If you live abroad, it is carried out through the civil registry office where the wedding will take place or through the Swiss representation abroad. Each partner signs a declaration on the conditions for marriage in person.

Foreign nationals provide proof of identity, recent proof of residence, and documents on birth, sex, name, parentage, marital status and nationality. Documents should in principle be no older than six months; those not in German, French or Italian need a certified translation. The Swiss representation will tell you whether your Namibian documents need an apostille or other verification. A non-Swiss partner must also prove that their stay in Switzerland is lawful up to the expected date of the wedding.

Once the preparatory procedure is approved, the wedding must take place within three months. Two adult witnesses are required. ch.ch states that a civil ceremony costs about CHF 300 to 400.

If the Namibian partner needs a visa to travel to the wedding and intends to live in Switzerland afterwards, the visa and residence permit application can be made as part of the marriage preparation; the cantonal migration authority decides. If you plan to marry and leave again, ask the German Embassy in Windhoek (short stays) or the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria which visa applies.

Checks against marriages of convenience

The civil registrar refuses to perform a marriage where it is not the free will of both partners, or where one partner clearly does not intend to form a shared life and seeks to circumvent the rules on admission and residence. Forced marriages and marriages of convenience are criminal offences in Switzerland.

Steps

  1. Contact the authoritiesIf marrying in Switzerland, contact the civil registry office or the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria. If already married, contact the cantonal migration office where you will live.
  2. Prepare civil-status documentsObtain recent unabridged certificates and any translations and verifications required.
  3. Book an appointment in PretoriaRequest an appointment by e-mail and bring a complete file with all copies; the Embassy does not make copies.
  4. Wait for the cantonal decisionThe cantonal migration authority examines the application.
  5. Collect the visaResubmit your passport when asked and collect the national visa.
  6. Register after arrivalDeclare your arrival at the residents' registration office within 14 days. The residence permit is issued after registration.

Checklist (Swiss Embassy in Pretoria, visa for residence)

Good to know

  • Spouses of Swiss citizens and of C permit holders may work without a separate work permit.
  • If the marriage ends, the residence permit may continue after at least three years of marriage and living together with good integration, or where important personal reasons require it.
  • After five years of marriage and living together in Switzerland, the spouse of a Swiss citizen can apply for a settlement permit (C).
  • Marriage to a Swiss citizen does not confer Swiss citizenship automatically; it opens the way to simplified naturalisation.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

VII · Citizenship

Naturalisation

Swiss citizenship can be acquired by ordinary naturalisation after ten years of residence with a settlement permit (C), or by simplified naturalisation for spouses of Swiss citizens. Switzerland allows dual citizenship. Namibians should confirm Namibia's position on their own citizenship before applying.

Ordinary naturalisation

You need a settlement permit (C) and at least ten years of residence in Switzerland, including three of the five years before the application. Years spent in Switzerland between the ages of 8 and 18 count double, but at least six years of actual residence are required. Time on B, C and certain other permits counts; time on a provisional admission (F) counts half; time on an L permit or during an asylum procedure does not count.

Cantonal law adds a minimum period of two to five years in the canton and commune. You must be successfully integrated, familiar with Swiss living conditions and not a threat to Switzerland's security. Cantons may add their own requirements and tests of basic knowledge.

Language: the Canton of Zurich, for example, requires spoken B1 and written A2, and the Canton of Bern applies the same levels for naturalisation. Ask your canton which certificates it accepts.

The procedure has three levels. You apply to your commune or canton; the canton examines your file and, if satisfied, sends it to SEM for the federal naturalisation licence; the canton must then decide within one year of the licence.

Simplified naturalisation for spouses of Swiss citizens

Living in Switzerland: you must have lived in Switzerland for a total of five years, including the year immediately before the application, and have been married to and living with your Swiss spouse for three years.

Living abroad: six years of marriage to and living with your Swiss spouse, and close ties to Switzerland. SEM defines close ties as, among other things, at least three stays in Switzerland of at least five days each in the six years before the application, everyday communication in a national language, basic knowledge of Swiss geography, history, politics and society, and contact with Swiss citizens who can confirm it.

Integration criteria apply in both cases: respect for public security and order (including paying taxes and having no debt enforcement or criminal record), respect for the values of the Federal Constitution, participation in working life or education with no social assistance in the three years before the application unless repaid, and support for the integration of family members. For applicants in Switzerland, SEM requires written A2 and spoken B1 at the time of application.

SEM decides. In Switzerland, the form is ordered by e-mail from ch@sem.admin.ch and the completed application is sent by post to SEM. Abroad, the form is obtained from and submitted to the Swiss representation.

Fees

Ordinary naturalisation: SEM charges CHF 100 for a person over 18, CHF 150 for a joint application by spouses and CHF 50 for a person under 18. Communal and cantonal fees are added; ch.ch gives as averages CHF 500 to 1,000 per person for the commune and up to CHF 2,000 for the canton.

Simplified naturalisation: CHF 900 for adults, CHF 650 for minors aged 12 and over, CHF 250 for minors under 12, and CHF 600 for spouses of Swiss citizens living abroad. The full amount is paid in advance and is not refunded if the application is refused.

Steps

  1. Check eligibilityCount your years of residence and confirm you hold a C permit (ordinary) or meet the marriage and residence periods (simplified).
  2. Confirm your Namibian positionBefore applying, confirm with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security whether you will keep Namibian citizenship.
  3. Prepare language and knowledgeObtain a recognised language certificate and prepare for any cantonal test of basic knowledge.
  4. Obtain the formsOrdinary: from your commune or canton. Simplified: from SEM by e-mail, or from the Swiss representation if you live abroad.
  5. Submit the applicationWith all annexes and confirmations requested (social assistance, tax, employer).
  6. Attend interviewsThe commune or canton may invite you to an interview or test. Keep your permit valid throughout.

Checklist

Good to know

  • Switzerland recognises dual nationality, so you are generally not required to give up your existing citizenship. Whether you keep it depends on the law of your country of origin.
  • Namibia: the Namibian Constitution provides that a citizen by birth or descent may not be deprived of Namibian citizenship by legislation on the acquisition of a foreign citizenship, and the High Court of Namibia has held (2008 and 2011) that the bar on dual citizenship in the Namibian Citizenship Act does not apply to citizens by birth. Namibian citizens by marriage, registration or naturalisation do not have this protection. Confirm your own position in writing with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security before you apply.
  • Marriage to a Swiss citizen does not confer citizenship automatically.
  • Simplified naturalisation is not possible if the Swiss spouse dies before the application is submitted, or if both spouses were foreign when they married and the Swiss spouse later acquired citizenship by ordinary naturalisation.
  • A refused application for simplified naturalisation is not refunded. Check every requirement before you apply.
Official sources

Example letters and printable checklists for this chapter are in the Visa Pack. →

Reminders
  • A Schengen visitor or tourist visa does not allow work in Switzerland.
  • Never stay beyond the dates and number of days on your visa; the 90/180-day rule applies across the whole Schengen area.
  • Short-stay visas are decided by the German Embassy in Windhoek and lodged at TLScontact; long-stay (national) visas are issued by the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria.
  • Residence and work permits are decided by the canton, often with federal approval. Contact the cantonal migration office early.
  • Register with your commune within 14 days of arriving to live in Switzerland.
  • Keep copies of every document you submit and every receipt you receive.
  • Fees, quotas and requirements change. Check the official page before you apply.
Please note

Requirements change; the authorities decide. This guide helps you prepare; it is not legal advice.

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Where next
Visas for Namibia →The visas and permits for Swiss passport holders, from a holiday visit to citizenship.Living in Switzerland →Going to Switzerland to study, train, work or return home.Swiss Desk →Plain guides, and a person who answers your question.