Citizenship test Geneva: the cantonal knowledge test, procedure and requirements

In the Canton of Geneva the citizenship test is run by the canton, not the commune: the Service des naturalisations of the Office cantonal de la population et des migrations (OCPM) checks in writing what you know about the geography, history, politics and society of Switzerland and Geneva. Without the certificate of a passed test the office does not register your application. Since 1 September 2024 the new Geneva citizenship act (LDCG) governs all of this.

7 Lessons
38 Questions

This page sums up what the Canton of Geneva officially requires: two years of residence in the canton, French at B1 and A2, the test and its exemptions, the enquiry with interview, the commune's opinion, the decree of the Conseil d'Etat and the oath, plus the fixed fees. Every figure is tied to its source and was checked on 4 September 2026. Further down you will find our Geneva lessons with practice questions on the canton's history, institutions and geography.

The requirements in the Canton of Geneva at a glance

Residence in Switzerland: 10 years in total, 3 of them in the 5 years before the application. The years between the ages of 8 and 18 count double, with at least 6 actual years. B and C count fully, F half, L, N and S not at all.[1][6]
Permit: Settlement permit C, valid throughout the procedure.[1][4]
Residence in the canton: 2 years of actual residence in the Canton of Geneva, including the 12 months immediately before the application. There is no separate communal period.[1][4]
French: B1 spoken, A2 written, shown with an attestation meeting the fide standards. Without a compliant attestation the application is not registered.[1][2][4]
Cantonal knowledge test: Written test by the OCPM on the geography, history, politics and society of Switzerland and Geneva, before the application. Registration for the periodic sessions with the Service des naturalisations, preferably by email. The canton publishes neither the number of questions nor the pass mark.[2][3][4][6]
Exemption from the tests: Possible when nothing suggests insufficient integration and you were either born in Geneva and have lived there without interruption since, or are under 25 and completed 5 years of compulsory school, an upper secondary education or a degree in Geneva. Applicants aged 12 to 25 without an exemption take a simplified oral test at the interview.[4][6]
Finances and record: No social assistance in the last 3 years (attestation of the Hospice général), all taxes paid, no debt enforcement or certificates of loss from the last 5 years above CHF 1,500, no criminal record entry.[2][6]
Cantonal fee: CHF 300 for minors aged 11 to 17, CHF 850 for adults under 25, CHF 1,250 for adults over 25, CHF 1,360 for couples with one member under 25, CHF 2,000 for couples over 25, CHF 300 per included child. Due at filing, not refunded.[2][4][5][6]
Federal fee: CHF 50 for minors, CHF 100 for adults, CHF 150 for couples.[2][6]
Commune's opinion: Under 25 the communal executive decides; over 25 the Conseil municipal in closed session, or the executive by delegation.[4]
Duration: In principle no more than 12 months from filing to the commune's opinion, exceptionally 24. For favourable files the Service des naturalisations currently quotes 20 to 24 months in total.[4][6]
Oath: Adults take the oath publicly before the Conseil d'Etat; citizenship is acquired on that day. A child who comes of age during the procedure takes an individual oath, for CHF 350.[4][6]

Facts checked on 4 September 2026.

How the Geneva knowledge test works

Article 22 of the Geneva citizenship act prescribes a written test by the department on basic knowledge of the geography, history, politics and social particularities of Switzerland and the Canton of Geneva. Those who pass receive an attestation; if you fail, the application is not registered. The test is therefore an entry condition, not a stage within the procedure.

To prepare, the canton makes the online course Connaître la Suisse et Genève available to everyone: five modules on history, Switzerland and its cantons, the political system, rights and duties, and customs and traditions, as text, video and audio, with a self-assessment quiz. The canton itself warns that the quiz is no guarantee and that only the modules teach the material. Communes may add modules of their own.

You register for one of the periodic sessions directly with the Service des naturalisations, preferably by email to naturalisations@etat.ge.ch or by phone on +41 22 546 46 20, Monday to Friday from 9 to 12. The canton does not publish the number of questions, the duration or the pass mark; figures from other sources are not official.

An exemption is possible for people born in Geneva who have lived there without interruption since, and for people under 25 who completed five years of compulsory school, an upper secondary education or a degree in Geneva, provided nothing suggests insufficient integration; it covers both the language and the knowledge test and is communicated in writing. Applicants aged 12 to 25 without an exemption take a simplified oral test at the interview with the investigator. Our Geneva lessons cover the same topics and come with practice questions.

The seven steps of ordinary naturalisation in Geneva

In Geneva the procedure is cantonal: the Service des naturalisations of the OCPM runs it from the filing of the dossier to the decree of the Conseil d'Etat. The commune gives an opinion, the federal government its authorisation, and with the oath before the Conseil d'Etat you become Swiss.

1
Request the dossier, pass the test, obtain the language attestation
You request the application dossier from the Service des naturalisations by post or contact form, with a copy of an identity document. If you meet the formal conditions you receive the forms. In parallel you pass the knowledge test and obtain the fide-compliant French attestation; both must exist before you file.
2
File the complete application by post
The form comes with a civil status extract (not older than 6 months), a copy of the C permit, photos, the attestations of the tax administration, the debt enforcement office and the Hospice général (each not older than 3 months), the language attestation and the test attestation. If something is missing, the office sets a deadline and may otherwise decide not to enter into the matter. The fee is due at filing.
3
Enquiry and naturalisation interview
A sworn investigator of the department or of the commune examines the integration and actual residence of you and the family members living with you; there is one report per family. For the interview the OCPM publishes the guide Entretien pour la naturalisation, comment bien se préparer. The result is the cantonal opinion.
4
The commune's opinion
With a favourable cantonal opinion the report goes to your commune. Under 25 its executive decides, over 25 the Conseil municipal in closed session or, by delegation, the executive. A negative opinion must be reasoned and communicated to you in writing. From filing to this point the procedure should in principle take no more than 12 months, and never more than 24.
5
Federal naturalisation permit
With the commune's opinion the file goes to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), which issues the federal naturalisation permit, normally within twelve months of receiving the report.
6
Follow-up checks and decree of the Conseil d'Etat
After the federal permit the department consults the criminal register again and, if the decree cannot be issued within six months, checks participation in economic life again. The Conseil d'Etat then decides by decree, at the latest one year after the federal permit, which otherwise lapses. The decree can be appealed to the Chambre administrative de la Cour de justice.
7
Oath before the Conseil d'Etat
Adults and the children included in their application acquire Geneva and Swiss citizenship on the day of the public oath before the Conseil d'Etat; minors with their own file on the day of the decree. Anyone who does not attend the ceremony without a valid reason loses the decree.

Four sample questions from our Geneva lessons

This is what the practice questions in our lessons look like. The correct answer is marked and the explanation gives the background.

When did Geneva join the Swiss Confederation?

March 20, 1815
May 19, 1815Correct answer
August 1, 1815
January 1, 1800

Geneva formally joined the Swiss Confederation on May 19, 1815, when the act of accession was signed and Geneva became the 22nd canton. Thirteen cantons had already approved its admission on September 12, 1814, the date commemorated by Geneva's Monument National. Geneva was among the last cantons to join the Confederation (alongside Valais and Neuchâtel) after being annexed by France during the Napoleonic period (1798-1813).

How many members does Geneva's Grand Conseil have?

120
60
80
100Correct answer

Geneva's Grand Conseil (Grand Council) has 100 members elected for 5-year terms by proportional representation. This cantonal parliament is the legislative body that passes cantonal laws and approves the budget. The voting age in Geneva is 18; Glarus is the only canton where 16-year-olds may vote.

How many municipalities does Canton Geneva have?

45Correct answer
100
60
28

Canton Geneva has 45 municipalities (communes). The city of Geneva (Ville de Genève) is by far the largest with about 210,000 residents, followed by Vernier, Lancy, Meyrin and Carouge. The number has been stable at 45 since 1931, the only municipal merger in the canton's history.

When is the Fête de l'Escalade celebrated?

August 1
March 1
December 11-12Correct answer
January 1

The Fête de l'Escalade is celebrated on December 11-12 each year, commemorating Geneva's successful defense against the Duke of Savoy's surprise attack in 1602. Traditions include smashing chocolate cauldrons (marmites) and wearing period costumes.

Lessons

Frequently asked questions about the citizenship test in Geneva

Who runs the citizenship test in Geneva and when do I take it?

The canton, namely the Service des naturalisations of the OCPM, not the commune. You take it before the application and register for one of the periodic sessions by email or phone. Without the certificate of a passed test the office does not register your application.

How many questions does the Geneva test have and how many must be correct?

The canton does not publish this. The act only prescribes a written test on the geography, history, politics and society of Switzerland and Geneva, and the canton provides the course Connaître la Suisse et Genève with five modules. Figures from unofficial sources should not be taken as given.

Who does not have to take the test in Geneva?

The department can grant an exemption when nothing suggests insufficient integration and you were either born in Geneva and have lived there without interruption since, or are under 25 and completed five years of compulsory school, an upper secondary education or a degree in Geneva. The exemption also covers the language proof and is communicated in writing. In serious personal circumstances such as illness, disability or illiteracy the criteria are adapted.

What level of French does Geneva require?

B1 spoken and A2 written, shown with an attestation meeting the fide standards; fide keeps the list of recognised certificates. If you hold another diploma you can have it recognised by the fide secretariat for a fee. Without a compliant attestation the application is not registered.

How much does naturalisation cost in Geneva?

The canton charges CHF 300 for minors aged 11 to 17, CHF 850 for adults under 25, CHF 1,250 for adults over 25, CHF 1,360 for couples where one person is under 25, CHF 2,000 for couples over 25 and CHF 300 per included child; if a child comes of age during the procedure, CHF 350 is added for its own oath. The fee is due at filing and stays with the canton whatever the decision. The federal government charges CHF 50 for minors, CHF 100 for adults and CHF 150 for couples.

How long do I have to live in Geneva?

Ten years in Switzerland, three of them in the last five years, and two years of actual residence in the Canton of Geneva including the twelve months immediately before the application. Unlike in German-speaking cantons there is no separate communal period. Throughout the procedure you need a valid C permit and residence in Switzerland.

How long does naturalisation take in Geneva?

The act sets twelve months in principle from filing to the commune's opinion, exceptionally 24. For favourable files the Service des naturalisations currently expects 20 to 24 months in total. The federal government normally needs up to twelve months for its permit, and the Conseil d'Etat must decide within a year after it.

What happens if I fail the test?

You can repeat it and register with the Service des naturalisations for a new session. The canton does not publish a fixed waiting period between attempts. Use the time for the course modules that cost you points and for practice questions on Geneva.

Sources

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