Swiss Citizenship Act (SCA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Chapter 1 Implementation and Repeal and Amendment
Art. 48 Implementation
The Federal Council is responsible for implementing this Act.
Art. 49 Repeal and amendment of other legislation
The repeal and amendment of other legislation are regulated in the Annex.
Chapter 2 Transitional Provisions
Art. 50 No retrospective effect
1 The acquisition and loss of Swiss citizenship are governed by the law in force at the time that the relevant circumstances occurred. 2 Applications made before this Act comes into force shall be processed in accordance with the previous law applicable up to and including the decision on the application.
Art. 51 Acquisition of Swiss citizenship under the transitional law
1 A foreign child of a marriage between a Swiss mother and a foreign father whose mother held Swiss citizenship prior to or at the time of the child's birth may apply for simplified naturalisation if he or she has close ties with Switzerland. 2 A foreign child born to a Swiss father before 1 January 2006 may apply for simplified naturalisation provided he or she meets the requirements of Article 1 paragraph 2 and has close ties with Switzerland. 3 A foreign child born to a Swiss father before 1 January 2006 whose parents marry acquires Swiss citizenship as if from birth if he or she meets the requirements of Article 1 paragraph 2. 4 The child acquires the cantonal and communal citizenship that the Swiss parent holds or last held, and thus Swiss citizenship. 5 The requirements of Article 20 apply mutatis mutandis.
Art. 51a Transitional provision to the Amendment of 30 September 2016
Third generation immigrants who are over the age of 25 but have not yet reached the age of 35 when the Amendment of 30 September 2016 to this Act comes into force and who meet the requirements of Article 24a paragraph 1 may apply for simplified naturalisation within five years of the said Amendment coming into force.
Art. 51a — Inserted by No I of the FA of 30 Sept. 2016 (Simplified Naturalisation for Third Generation Immigrants), in force since 15 Feb. 2018 (AS 2018 531; BBl 2015 769 1327). The correction of the Federal Assembly Drafting Committee of 21 June 2019 published 9 of July 2019 relates to the French and Italian texts only (AS 2019 2103).
Chapter 3 Referendum and Commencement
Art. 52
1 This Act is subject to an optional referendum. 2 The Federal Council shall determine the commencement date. Commencement date: 1 January 2018
Para. 2 — FCD of 17 June 2016.