The Federal Council has given final approval to a nationwide project that will move every stage of the ordinary naturalisation procedure onto the Central Migration Information System (ZEMIS). From 1 August 2026, cantonal naturalisation services will be able to file, track and receive federal decisions through a secure online interface instead of sending paperwork by post. A pilot phase will run in four cantons for six months before the remaining 22 cantons are connected. Moving the process online is designed to shorten processing times for applicants and reduce the administrative burden on cantonal and federal staff. Under the current paper-based model, files often travel back and forth several times between Bern and cantonal capitals, generating delays of weeks. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), digital end-to-end handling could shave three to five weeks off the average 18-month timeline. The platform sits on ZEMIS, Switzerland’s central database for visas, permits and asylum files. New data fields have been added to capture civil-status documents, language certificates and evidence of integration. Applicants will still have to submit original documents locally, but cantons will be able to scan and upload certified copies so that SEM officers can review them immediately. For businesses that sponsor managers for facilitated naturalisation, the change means greater visibility of where an employee’s file sits in the pipeline and earlier notice of follow-up requests. Immigration lawyers also expect fewer lost or misplaced documents, a common bottleneck in the old system. Once the pilot proves stable, SEM plans to extend similar interfaces to other residence-status procedures, including C-permit upgrades and renunciations of citizenship.
