Some 41,000 foreigners became Swiss in 2025, but where are they all from and which parts of Switzerland hand out most new passports?
Some 41,269 foreign nationals were granted Swiss citizenship in 2025, according to new figures from Switzerland’s immigration office (SEM).
That reflects roughly the same number as naturalisations in 2024 although well below the 46,711 foreigners who became Swiss in 2006.
Since then the number has hovered around 40,000 mark, which is well above the 11,208 foreigners who were naturalised back in 1992.
So where are all the new citizens from?
Well Europe is the basic answer.
More specifically almost half of those who were naturalised in 2025 were from Germany, Italy, France, Portugal or Kosovo. Germany was well out in front with 22 percent of the total number of new Swiss citizens coming from the country.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of where Switzerland’s new citizens are from.
- Germany (8,980)
- Italy (4,220)
- France (3,914)
- Kosovo (2,106)
- Portugal (1,840)
- Turkey (1,404)
- North Macedonia (1,307)
- Spain (1,280)
- Serbia (1,096)
- The United Kingdom (927)
Some 19 percent of the total number of naturalisations were for citizens of countries outside Europe.
Around 18.5 percent of new citizens used the so-called “simplified naturalisation procedure” rather than the general route via residency.
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Where in Switzerland are these citizens naturalised?
The canton of Zurich recorded by far the most naturalisations in 2025 with over a quarter of the total (11,100) taking place in Switzerland’s biggest city and its surrounding area. Some 3,756 foreign citizens (mostly Germans as well as 85 Britons) were naturalised in the city of Zurich.
The canton of Vaud followed with 5,459 naturalisations and then came the capital Bern with 3,578.
Unsurprisingly Switzerland’s least populated canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden recorded the fewest naturalisations, with only 14 taking place there.
