Naturalisation procedure in Basel will cost much less from this summer; Swiss to add 74 new flights in Europe; plus other news in our roundup this Thursday.
Naturalisation procedure in Basel will cost much less from this summer
From July 1st, the price of becoming a Swiss citizen in Basel-City will drop significantly – from 1,750 to 900 francs.
This is what the Basel Department of Justice and Security announced this week.
Furthermore, effective from the same date, applicants under 25 or those receiving social assistance 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 measure in December 2025, but the date for the implementation of this measure had not been decided at that time.
READ MORE: How the cost of becoming Swiss depends on where you live
The reform of housing taxation will come into effect on January 1, 2029
The taxation of imputed rental value for owner-occupied dwellings – a move that was approved in a national referendum in September 2025 – will be abolished. in January 2029, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
The three-year transition period before entry into force of this law aims to give the cantons the necessary time to simultaneously abolish the taxation of rental value and introduce the special tax on second homes into their legislation.
Advertisement
SWISS is expanding its European network
Just days after it confirmed the cancellation of 326 long-haul flights due to the lack of aircraft and staff, the airline announced on Wednesday that it will operate 74 additional flighs between May and September to various European destinations.
This expansion is made possible by freed-up capacity – that is, planes which don’t currently fly to the Middle East will be “deployed in a targeted manner on routes with strong demand,” the airline said.
Among these destinations are Málaga, Alicante, Stockholm, Athens, Malta, Porto, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo , Nice, Thessaloniki., and Venice.
Advertisement
Beware of heavy traffic on Swiss roads this weekend
If you will be driving over the Easter weekend, heed the government advice about which roads will be particulary congested during this time:
READ MORE: What you should know about driving in Switzerland this Easter
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch
