The price of becoming a Swiss citizen in Basel-City will drop significantly – from 1,750 to 900 francs – on July 1st.
This is what the Basel Department of Justice and Security announced this week.
Furthermore, effective from the same date, applicants under 25 or those on low incomes will no longer pay cantonal and municipal fees, but only a federal charge of 50 to 150 francs for the naturalisation process.
The Basel parliament had approved this move in December 2025, but the date for the implementation of this measure had not been decided at that time.
The motion to this effect – which Basel MPs accepted – was submitted by deputy Mahir Kabakci from the Social Democratic Party.
The goal of the measure was to encourage more eligible foreign nationals living in Basel to apply for citizenship, so that they would be able to participate in elections and referendums.
“A foreign population of 38.7 percent in the canton should have the political rights,” Kabakci pointed out at the time.
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Different cantons, different costs
In Switzerland, each individual canton sets its own naturalisation fees, and they differ significantly from one to another.
And, to further complicate matters, there are three different fee levels:
- Federal: 100 francs for an adult, 150 francs for couples with or without minor children
- Cantonal: up to 2,000 francs per person
- Municipal: 500 to 1,000 francs per person
These are the averages, but some cantons exceed them, while others do not.
Also, costs depend on whether the naturalisation is ordinary or simplified, with the former being more expensive than the latter.
You can see how much some cantons charge for Swiss citienship here:
READ MORE: How the cost of becoming Swiss depends on where you live
