Naturalization in St. Gallen After SEM Authorization – Every Step

Canton St. Gallen has a distinctive naturalisation process with a strong democratic element. The communal decision comes first, followed by the cantonal and federal steps, and the voters of your commune have a say.

The full order is: Einbürgerungsrat (communal) → 30-day public display → canton forwards to the SEM → SEM authorisation → cantonal government grants Kantonsbürgerrecht → Swiss citizenship.

At communal level the Einbürgerungsrat decides. By law it has at least four members and the commune sets its size; in the City of St. Gallen two councils exist, one per Ortsgemeinde, each with three members of the city council and three of the citizens' council, chaired by the mayor. After approval the decision is published and the file displayed for 30 days, during which voters can inspect it and lodge written, reasoned objections. If a valid objection is lodged, the citizens' assembly or the communal parliament decides on the council's motion.

Only after this democratic process does the file move to the cantonal Amt für Gemeinden und Bürgerrecht, which forwards it to the SEM for the federal authorisation.

Once the SEM grants your federal naturalization authorization (Einbürgerungsbewilligung), the file returns to Canton St. Gallen. The final step is straightforward: the cantonal government (Regierung) grants the Kantonsbürgerrecht (cantonal citizenship).

With this decision, you officially hold Swiss citizenship – with citizenship of your municipality, the Ortsbürgergemeinde, Canton St. Gallen, and the Swiss Confederation. You can now apply for your Swiss passport and ID card, and you'll receive voting materials.

The heavy lifting in St. Gallen happens before the SEM step – the Einbürgerungsrat interview, the public display period, and any potential objection proceedings. By the time SEM authorization arrives, the municipal and democratic processes are already complete, making this final cantonal step a relatively quick formality.

The City of St. Gallen puts the whole procedure at about 1.5 to 2 years from application to citizenship; the canton itself gives no figure and refers you to your commune. Neither the cantonal act nor the ordinance sets deadlines for the communal phase, so any breakdown by phase would be a guess. What the law does fix:

• Public display: exactly 30 days, starting the day after the official publication
• Appeal against a refusal: 14 days from notification, to the cantonal department
• Cantonal decision: the canton must decide within one year of the SEM's federal authorisation; after that the authorisation lapses (Art. 14 BüG)
• Communal decision: it becomes void if cantonal citizenship is not granted within five years for reasons attributable to you (Art. 44 BRG)

Important details:

• Your Staatskundetest certificate must not be older than 2 years when you file (City of St. Gallen)
• Documents such as civil-status extracts must be no older than 3 months (City of St. Gallen)
• If you move to another commune or canton before the Einbürgerungsrat has published its decision, your application becomes void and you start again in the new commune (Art. 18 BRG)

Here's the complete naturalization process in Canton St. Gallen, step by step:

1. Check eligibility – residency, C permit, language, integration
2. Pass the Staatskundetest – civics exam (certificate valid for max. 2 years)
3. Obtain German language certificate – B1 level, spoken and written
4. Gather documents – civil status extracts (max. 3 months old), residence certificates for past 10 years, CV, motivation letter
5. Submit application to the Einbürgerungsrat with all documents
6. Pay municipal fees in advance
7. Naturalization interview – Einbürgerungsrat assesses integration and suitability
8. Einbürgerungsrat decision – grants Gemeinde- und Ortsbürgerrecht
9. 30-day public display – voters can inspect and file objections
10. File forwarded to canton – Amt für Gemeinden und Bürgerrecht reviews and submits to SEM
11. SEM federal authorization – security checks and federal approval
12. Cantonal government decision – grants Kantonsbürgerrecht
13. You are Swiss – apply for passport and ID, receive voting materials

Note: The Staatskundetest and language certificate must be obtained before applying. Municipal fees must be paid in advance – failure to pay leads to rejection.

Residency:

• 10 years in Switzerland (years between age 8 and 18 count double at federal level, minimum 6 actual years)
• At least 3 of those years within the last 5 years before the application
• 5 years continuously in Canton St. Gallen AND in the political commune (no double counting under cantonal law); spouses and registered partners of Swiss citizens after 3 years together: 3 years in the canton and 2 in the commune

Permit: valid C permit (Niederlassungsbewilligung). Years with B and C permits count in full, F counts half, N, L and S not at all.

Language: German at B1 spoken and written, above the federal A2 minimum in writing. Proof is by test unless your German is obvious; the City of St. Gallen waives it for native speakers and after five years of compulsory school in German and names the fide test (about CHF 250) as an example.

Civics test (Staatskundetest): not a cantonal rule but the practice of most communes. In the City of St. Gallen everyone aged 15 or over must have passed the Arge Integration Ostschweiz test before filing; the certificate may be at most 2 years old, other providers are not accepted, and since 4 September 2026 minors who attended all three years of Oberstufe in Switzerland are exempt. Adults take it in every case. Arge lists the requirements of 26 communes.

Integration: respect for the rule of law and constitutional values, confirmed in a signed declaration; orderly finances with no open debt enforcement; participation in economic life or education; support for the family's integration; social contacts with Swiss people. A letter of application stating your motives is part of every application; the city asks for it from everyone over 16.

Moving during the process: if you move to another commune or canton before the Einbürgerungsrat publishes its decision, the application becomes void.

Naturalization costs in St. Gallen vary by municipality. Here are the fees for the City of St. Gallen as an example:

• Single adult under 25: CHF 1,000 (CHF 200 municipal + CHF 700 cantonal + CHF 100 federal)
• Single adult over 25: CHF 2,200 (CHF 1,400 municipal + CHF 700 cantonal + CHF 100 federal)
• Couple (both over 25): CHF 3,050 (CHF 1,900 municipal + CHF 1,000 cantonal + CHF 150 federal)
• Family (2 adults + children): CHF 3,150 (CHF 1,900 municipal + CHF 1,100 cantonal + CHF 150 federal)

Cantonal fees can reach up to CHF 2,000 for Kantonsbürgerrecht. Municipal fees vary significantly across the canton's municipalities.

Additional costs:

• Staatskundetest: approximately CHF 120
• Language test (fide): approximately CHF 250
• Residence certificates (10 years): over CHF 100
• German courses (if needed): variable

Municipal fees must be paid in advance. A partial refund may be possible if the application is rejected during proceedings.

Cantonal Naturalization Authority: Amt für Gemeinden und Bürgerrecht Departement des Innern, Kanton St. Gallen Davidstrasse 27, 9001 St. Gallen Phone: +41 58 229 62 31 Email: buergerrecht@sg.ch Office hours: Mon–Fri 08:00–11:30 and 14:00–17:00 In-person meetings by telephone appointment only.

City of St. Gallen – Einbürgerungsverwaltung: Bevölkerungsdienste, Rathaus Poststrasse 28, 9001 St. Gallen Phone: +41 71 224 63 96 Email: einbuergerungen@stadt.sg.ch Hours: Wed 8:30–12:00, Thu 12:30–18:00, Fri 12:30–16:30

Your first step is contacting the Einbürgerungsrat of your municipality. They handle the initial application, interview, and municipal decision.