fide test for Swiss citizenship: level, exemptions and steps

Which level do I need?

This is set out in the Swiss Citizenship Ordinance (BüV, art. 6). Cantons may add requirements, and some ask for more. Check with your municipality or canton which level applies to you.

Who doesn’t need a language certificate?

Under the BüV the requirement is met if you:

• speak and write a national language as your mother tongue,
• attended compulsory school in a national language for at least five years,
• completed upper-secondary or tertiary education in a national language, or
• already hold a recognised language certificate at this level.

If you have a disability, an illness or other serious personal circumstances, the authority must take your situation into account (Swiss Citizenship Act, art. 12).

How to get your language proof

1. 1Choose a test centre and register directly with it – at least 15 days before the test date.
2. 2Take the oral part (40 minutes). After the A2 tasks the examiners recommend continuing at A1 or B1; you decide. For citizenship you need B1.
3. 3Take the written part (60 minutes), possibly on another day.
4. 4Your result and language passport arrive by post after about 4 weeks; between mid-December and mid-January it can take 6 weeks.
5. 5Submit the language passport with your citizenship application.

Cost and retakes

• Full test: at most CHF 250. Oral only: at most CHF 170; written only: at most CHF 120.
• You can retake the test as often as you like, including just one part. Each attempt is paid.
• If you don’t reach B1 in the oral part, the lower level A2 is certified if you reach it. That isn’t enough for citizenship, but it is for the oral part of the C permit.

What B1 spoken means in practice

At B1 you talk about your experiences in a conversation, name pros and cons and give reasons for your opinion – also about a hypothetical situation. Mistakes are allowed; what counts is a coherent, fairly spontaneous conversation.

For A2 written you do tasks such as copying information from ads into a list and replying to an email about an appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Is B1 spoken and A2 written enough in every canton?

That is the federal minimum. Cantons can ask for more. The answer from your municipality or canton is what counts.

Do I need a course to reach B1?

No. According to the fide secretariat no preparation course is required. It helps, though, to know the task types and to practise speaking.

In which language do I take the test?

The fide test is offered in German, French and Italian. For citizenship you need a national language; ask your authority whether it requires a specific one.