Several couples have welcomed a change to the Swiss law to allow same-sex marriages by tying the knot on the first day that the legislation comes into force on Friday.
But the Zurich authorities have warned of “legal ambiguities” in regulations concerning fast-track citizenship through marriage.
When couples convert their existing civil partnerships into marital status, the years they have spent together as a registered pair are counted as married. But opting for a newly minted marriage might mean the couple starts at year zero, reports Swiss public broadcaster SRFExternal link.
The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Status recommends that all couples who are trying to obtain fast-track naturalisation would do better to convert their civil partnership status rather than decide on a marriage from scratch, says SRF.
This made Switzerland the 30th country worldwide – and one of the last in Western Europe – to extend civil marital status to male-male and female-female couples.
The law came into force on July 1, updating previous legislation that had only allowed for same-sex civil partnerships since 2007. There are currently around 10,000 same-sex couples living in a civil partnership in Switzerland.
Registry offices were booked out in several Swiss cities on July 1, said officials. The city of Zurich, for example, had 250 appointments to conduct marriages.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
‘Marriage for all’ wins thumping approval of Swiss voters
This content was published on
A law giving full marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples has been accepted by almost two-thirds of Swiss citizens.
Fight for marriage equality in Switzerland continues
This content was published on
After years of criticism for its lack of progress on LGBTIQ issues, the Alpine country is paving the way for the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.