Switzerland recognises dual citizenship. This means that Swiss nationals may become citizens of another country without this affecting their Swiss citizenship. You should notify the Regional Consular Centre or the Consulate General if you become a citizen of another country.

By virtue of your descent, if at least one of your parents is or was a Swiss national. It does not matter if your parents were married or not (for children born after 1 January 2006). However, the birth of a child to a Swiss parent outside Switzerland must be reported to the Swiss authorities no later than the child's 22nd birthday, otherwise they will forfeit Swiss citizenship if they are already a citizen of another country.

A simplified naturalisation process applies in the following cases:

• Foreign spouses of Swiss citizens (see information sheet)
• Children born before 1985 to a Swiss mother and a foreign father
• Children born before 1 January 2006 to a Swiss father and a foreign mother, where the parents were not married
• Children born abroad if the birth was not registered with the Swiss authorities by the set deadline.

Please request the necessary forms from the representation if you would like to apply for citizenship.

 How do my children become or remain Swiss? (pdf, 32 Kb)

 Simplified naturalisation for spouses (pdf, 35 Kb)

 Women and Swiss citizenship (pdf, 27 Kb)

Swiss citizens who live abroad and who hold another nationality in addition to their Swiss citizenship (or who have been assured of that other nationality) may submit an application to the Regional Consular Centre Southern Africa or to the Consulate General in Cape Town to relinquish their Swiss citizenship under Article 42 of the Swiss Citizenship Act (Bürgerrechtsgesetz).

 Information from the Federal Office for Migration

 Federal Act on the Acquisition and Loss of Swiss Citizenship