The fide test in Switzerland: levels, format, fees and test centres
Who runs the fide test, which level your permit or Swiss passport needs, what the two parts involve, what it costs, and where to sit it in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, Zug and Zurich.
In short
The fide test is the language test SEM, the State Secretariat for Migration, had developed for people living in Switzerland. It tests everyday German, French or Italian from A1 to B1, in a 40-minute spoken and a 60-minute written part. It costs CHF 250, and the result counts for permits and, in most cantons, citizenship.
What is the fide test, and who runs it?
fide is a language test developed for SEM, the State Secretariat for Migration. The fide office in Bern runs the system on SEM’s behalf, keeps the list of accredited test centres and issues the language passport with your result. You take the test in German, French or Italian, the national language where you live.
The tasks come from everyday life in Switzerland, such as work, a doctor’s appointment or a visit to the commune, and anyone over 16 can take it (fide office, checked ). SEM recommends fide for permits and citizenship because it tests these everyday situations (fide office, checked ). The fide office itself offers no courses and does not work with course providers (fide office, checked ).
Your result comes as a language passport (Sprachenpass, passeport des langues, passaporto delle lingue). If you already speak and write at B1 or above, the fide dossier is a second route: you submit evidence, such as a certificate that is not on SEM’s list or a course at B2 or higher, attend a validation meeting and pay CHF 150 (fide office, checked ).
-
Full test
CHF 250
CHF 170 for the spoken part alone, CHF 120 for the written part.
-
Register
15 days ahead
at the latest, directly with the test centre.
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Result
About 4 weeks
language passport by post; up to six weeks over Christmas.
Which fide level do you need for a permit or Swiss citizenship?
It depends on the step. A spouse joining a non-EU/EFTA resident needs A1 spoken, or a place on a course. A regular C permit needs A2 spoken and A1 written, an early C B1 spoken and A1 written, and Swiss citizenship at least B1 spoken and A2 written, more in some cantons. Always in the national language where you live.
The levels are set in federal law: the permit levels in the Admission Ordinance (VZAE), those for citizenship in the Citizenship Ordinance (BüV) (VZAE, checked ) (BüV Art. 6, checked ). They are minimums, and the canton checks them as part of integration (AIG, checked ) (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), checked ).
EU/EFTA citizens and their families need no language proof for a B permit under free movement, but they do for a C permit (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), checked ). A first B or L permit for work has no language level in law. For the permit steps, see B permit requirements and C permit requirements.
Language levels by procedure
| Procedure | Spoken | Written | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse joining a non-EU/EFTA B or C holder | A1, or enrolled in a course | – | AIG Art. 43–44; VZAE Art. 73a |
| Renewing that spouse’s B permit | A1 | – | VZAE Art. 73a |
| C permit after 10 or 5 years | A2 | A1 | VZAE Art. 60 |
| Early C permit after 5 years | B1 | A1 | VZAE Art. 62 |
| Swiss citizenship | B1 | A2 | BüV Art. 6; more in some cantons |
In the national language where you live. The fide test measures up to B1.
Who doesn’t need a fide test?
You need no certificate if the local national language is your mother tongue, or you went to compulsory school in it for at least three years (five for citizenship), or you attended upper-secondary or tertiary education in it. Other certificates on SEM’s list, such as Goethe, telc, ÖSD, DELF or CELI, count as well as fide.
The exemptions are in the same ordinances; for citizenship, the upper-secondary or tertiary education must be completed (VZAE, checked ) (BüV Art. 6, checked ). The canton must also take account of a disability, illness or other important personal circumstances (AIG, checked ) (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), checked ). A course attendance confirmation is not proof of your level (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), checked ).
SEM updates its list of recognised certificates every quarter, and a certificate counts if it was on the list on the day you apply (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), checked ). The language passport and recognised certificates are valid for life, although an authority may ask for new proof if yours is old (fide office, checked ) (State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), checked ). Zurich and Zug waive the certificate for a C permit for German, Austrian and Liechtenstein nationals (Canton of Zurich, Migration Office, checked ). For German courses and exams in Zurich, see German courses in Zurich.
Is the fide test enough for Swiss citizenship?
In most cantons, yes. Federal law asks for B1 spoken and A2 written, and Zurich, Basel-Stadt, Geneva and Vaud accept the fide language passport. But Schwyz, Thurgau, Zug and Nidwalden require B2 spoken and B1 written, which the fide test cannot show because it stops at B1. Check your canton before you book.
The Citizenship Act lets cantons add integration criteria, and some have raised the language levels (BüG Art. 12, checked ) (BüV Art. 6, checked ). For ordinary naturalisation your canton checks the certificate; for facilitated naturalisation, such as for spouses of Swiss citizens, SEM does (fide office, checked ). The full naturalisation process is in Swiss citizenship for expats.
- Zurich: without a recognised B1 certificate you take the cantonal German test, the KDE (Canton of Zurich, checked ).
- Basel-Stadt: fide, telc, Goethe or ÖSD (Canton of Basel-Stadt, checked ).
- Geneva: an attestation that meets the fide standards, from the federal list (Canton of Geneva, checked ).
- Vaud: the fide language passport is the default proof (Canton of Vaud, checked ).
- St. Gallen: B1 spoken and written (Canton of St. Gallen, checked ).
- Schwyz, Thurgau, Zug and Nidwalden: B2 spoken and B1 written; Zug since 2025 (Canton of Schwyz, checked ) (Canton of Thurgau, checked ) (Canton of Zug, checked ) (Canton of Nidwalden, checked ). Exams that go beyond B1, such as Goethe, telc or ÖSD, can show B2.
Language levels for citizenship in ten cantons
| Canton | Spoken | Written | fide test enough? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basel-Stadt | B1 | A2 | Yes |
| Geneva | B1 | A2 | Yes |
| Nidwalden | B2 | B1 | No |
| St. Gallen | B1 | B1 | Yes, with B1 written |
| Schwyz | B2 | B1 | No |
| Thurgau | B2 | B1 | No |
| Vaud | B1 | A2 | Yes, the default proof |
| Zug | B2 | B1 | No, for applications since 2025 |
| Zurich | B1 | A2 | Yes, or the cantonal KDE test |
| Federal minimum | B1 | A2 | Yes |
Cantonal naturalisation pages, checked 21 October 2026. For other cantons, ask the cantonal naturalisation office.
What happens in the fide test?
There are two parts, which you can take together or separately. The spoken part is a 40-minute individual exam with two examiners: a conversation, then listening tasks you answer aloud. The written part takes 60 minutes on paper. There is no pass or fail: you get a level from A1 to B1 for each part.
- Speaking and listening: about 15 minutes of conversation and 15 minutes of listening. You start with A2 tasks; the examiners then suggest continuing at A1 or B1, and you decide (fide test handbook, checked ) (fide Reglement, checked ).
- Reading and writing: a paper test; there is no online version of the fide test (fide Reglement, checked ).
- Swiss German: in the German test you may answer the speaking tasks in dialect; the written part must be in standard German (fide test handbook, checked ).
- Scoring: speaking counts two thirds of the spoken result and listening one third. You get a language passport if you reach at least A1, or A2 if you continued towards B1 (fide test handbook, checked ) (fide Reglement, checked ).
- Test day: bring a valid photo ID. Arriving late or without ID means exclusion without a refund (fide Reglement, checked ).
You cannot book “the B1 test”: you register for the whole test or one part, and the level is decided during the test (fide Reglement, checked ). A free model test for German, French and Italian is on the fide office’s website (fide office, checked ). You can retake the test as often as you like, paying each time; an objection to a result is free (fide Reglement, checked ).
How do you book the fide test, and what does it cost?
You book directly with an accredited centre from the fide office’s list, at least 15 days before the date. The full test costs CHF 250, the spoken part CHF 170 and the written part CHF 120. Of 42 centres we checked, 41 charge exactly that; each centre sets its own cancellation fee.
- Price: the fide office publishes one price for the whole country, and its information sheet calls it a maximum (fide office, checked ) (fide info sheet, checked ). The one centre we found above it, Fachstelle Migration Zug, charges CHF 265 including a CHF 15 administration fee (Fachstelle Migration Zug, checked ).
- Cancellation: the centre’s own terms apply, and the fide office refunds nothing (fide Reglement, checked ). Published cancellation fees range from CHF 20 to CHF 120, for example CHF 50 at ECAP Zürich and CHF 120 at Flying Teachers (ECAP, checked ) (Flying Teachers, checked ).
- Extras: a duplicate language passport costs CHF 35 (fide office, checked ).
- Special arrangements: for a disability, dyslexia or an anxiety disorder, ask when you register, with a medical certificate, which may be in English; later requests are not considered (fide office, checked ).
Booking and taking the fide test
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First
Check the level you need
From the table above, for your permit or citizenship application, in the language where you live.
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At least 15 days before
Book a centre and date
Choose an accredited centre from the fide office’s list and register with it; choose the whole test or one part.
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Before the test
Pay and prepare
Pay the centre’s fee. Try the free model test, or a course if you want one.
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Test day
Take the two parts
40 minutes spoken and 60 minutes written, at the centre.
-
About 4 weeks later
Receive your language passport
By post, with your level for each part; allow six weeks for tests between mid-December and mid-January.
Where can you take the fide test in Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Lugano?
The fide office lists 141 test locations in Switzerland, run by about 120 institutions. Geneva has fifteen, Lausanne thirteen, Bern ten, Basel nine, Zurich eight and Lugano three. Most are language schools and non-profit course centres, and the fide office’s list shows each one’s test dates.
You can choose any centre in Switzerland (fide office, checked ). The official list is on the fide test page, filtered by canton, with each centre’s dates; some entries currently show none (fide office, checked ). Centres we list in our directory include Academia Languages (Basel, Bern), Berlitz (Geneva, Lausanne), Flying Teachers (Bern, Zurich), ILS (Basel, Bern, Zurich), Scuola ILI (Lugano), Swiss French School (Geneva, Lausanne) and VOXEA (Lausanne) (fide office, checked ).
Language schools by city: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Lugano, Zug and Zurich.
fide test centres by city
| City | Centres | Examples, in alphabetical order | Full test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basel | 9, plus Pratteln | Bürgergemeinde Basel, ILS-Basel, inlingua Basel, K5, Swiss Language Academy | CHF 250 |
| Bern | 10 | ECAP Bern, ILS-Bern, Inlingua Aare, isa Fachstelle Migration, Jobcom | CHF 250 |
| Geneva | 15 | Bell, Berlitz, École PEG, ifage, OSEO Genève | CHF 250 |
| Lausanne | 13 | Berlitz, ECAP Vaud, Inlingua Léman, MetaFor, VOXEA | CHF 250 |
| Lucerne | 3 | Alemania, ECAP Zentralschweiz | CHF 250 |
| Lugano | 3, plus Lamone | Croce Rossa Sottoceneri, Scuola ILI; ECAP Ticino in Lamone | CHF 250 |
| Zug | 1, plus Baar | Fachstelle Migration Zug; Soft Landing in Baar | CHF 265 / CHF 250 |
| Zurich | 8 | AOZ, ECAP Zürich, Flying Teachers, ILS-Zürich, Italk | CHF 250 |
Not a ranking. The list and dates change; check the fide office’s list before you book.
How can you prepare for the fide test?
No course is required, and the free model test shows the format. Courses with the fide label are quality-checked by the fide office, and cities subsidise others: Zurich has a CHF 40 fide preparation module for city residents, and Basel gives new B-permit holders a voucher for a free 80-lesson German course.
- fide label: awarded to a course offer, not a whole school, for three years with yearly visits. In October 2026 the fide office listed 31 labelled courses from 24 institutions, mostly non-profits such as ECAP, HEKS, Hospice général and K5 (fide office, checked ) (fide office, checked ).
- Zurich: the city’s subsidised courses include an ECAP fide module of eight lessons for CHF 40; the prices apply to city residents only (City of Zurich, checked ) (City of Zurich, checked ).
- Basel-Stadt: a voucher for a free 80-lesson German course for new residents entitled to a B permit, valid one year (Canton of Basel-Stadt, checked ).
- Bern and Lucerne: Bern’s DeutschBon is worth CHF 400 and reopens in autumn 2027; Lucerne’s DeutschFit voucher for new residents is worth CHF 350 (City of Bern, checked ) (City of Lucerne, Welcome Desk, checked ).
- Geneva and Vaud: both cantons fund low-cost French courses run by associations (Canton of Geneva, checked ) (Canton of Vaud, Bureau cantonal pour l’intégration, checked ).
Private schools charge more. Of the schools in our directory, Flying Teachers publishes CHF 600 for ten 90-minute lessons, ILS CHF 149 for a one-day crash course, Scuola ILI CHF 160 for a group simulation and Swissing private lessons from CHF 128 an hour; Berlitz, Plunge and Swiss French School publish no price (Flying Teachers, checked ) (ILS International Language School, checked ) (Scuola ILI, checked ) (Swissing, checked ). Compare German courses in Zurich or all language schools.
Language schools
Academia Languages
German · BaselLanguage school network; its Basel school at Heuwaage runs German level and exam courses (telc, fide), accepts Basel-City course vouchers and offers childcare during lessons.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Alemania Deutschschule
German · ZürichGerman school in Zürich, Bern and Lucerne: group courses once, twice or five times a week from A1 to C2, private lessons on site or online, telc and SDS exams.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Bellingua
German · ZürichGerman school in Zürich city centre for adult learners, founded 2002: hybrid group courses (on site or by video), private lessons and a Swiss German course. English website.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Berlitz Switzerland
Several languages · ZürichLanguage school with centres across Switzerland offering German, Swiss German, French, Italian and English lessons for expats, private or in groups, on site or online.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?ECAP Zürich
German · ZürichNon-profit education provider in Zürich: German group courses incl. evening courses and childcare, City of Zurich co-financed courses, fide test centre, fide and telc preparation.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Ecole Lémania
French · LausannePrivate school in Lausanne running intensive and super-intensive daytime French courses (A1-C1) with weekly start dates and DELF/DALF prep, for learners aged 15 to 40.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?fide test questions
How much does the fide test cost?
CHF 250 for the whole test, CHF 170 for the spoken part alone and CHF 120 for the written part. Almost every centre charges this; Fachstelle Migration Zug charges CHF 265 including an administration fee.
Can I take the fide test in English?
No. The fide test is in German, French or Italian. For permits and citizenship you prove the national language spoken where you live; English does not count.
Can I take the fide test online?
No. The fide test is taken on paper and in person at an accredited centre. The free model test and the mock speaking exam on the fide office’s website give no official result.
Can I speak Swiss German in the fide test?
In the German test you may answer the speaking tasks in dialect. The written part must be in standard German.
How long does it take to get the fide results?
About four weeks: the language passport comes by post. For tests between mid-December and mid-January, allow six weeks.
How long is a fide certificate valid?
For life. An authority can still ask for new proof if your certificate is old.
Can I take only the oral part of the fide test?
Yes, for CHF 170. A spouse joining a non-EU/EFTA resident needs only a spoken level, but a C permit and Swiss citizenship also need a written level.
What if I don’t reach the level I need?
You can take the test again as often as you like, paying the fee each time, or take only the part you need to improve.
What is the difference between fide, Goethe and telc?
All three are on SEM’s list for permits and citizenship. fide is built on Swiss everyday situations, gives separate spoken and written levels without pass or fail, and stops at B1. Goethe and telc are international exams that go up to C1 or C2, which matters in cantons that ask for B2.
Sources
Last checked by the expat-services.ch editorial team
- fide office for the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) The fide test: levels, parts, fees, registration, results and the list of examination institutions (opens in a new tab)
- fide office Reglement fide-Test, in force 1 October 2026: registration, cancellation, retakes, objections (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- fide office Infoblatt fide-Test: prices as maximums, over 100 accredited centres (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- fide office fide FAQ: why SEM recommends the fide test; certificates valid for life (opens in a new tab)
- fide office The fide dossier: language passport for B1 and above (opens in a new tab)
- fide office Language courses with the fide label, by canton (opens in a new tab)
- fide office Label fide: procedure, three-year validity and yearly visits (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) Language: proof of a national language for permits and naturalisation (opens in a new tab)
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) List of recognised language certificates, edition of 1 October 2026 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 142.20 Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (AIG/FNIA), Art. 34, 43, 44 and 58a (opens in a new tab)
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- ECAP fide-Test Zürich: fees and cancellation (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Flying Teachers fide-Test: fees and cancellation (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zurich ECAP fide-Test preparation module, CHF 40 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zurich City-subsidised German courses: prices for city residents only (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Basel-Stadt Deutsch lernen: voucher for a free 80-lesson German course (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Bern DeutschBon: CHF 400 vouchers, registration from autumn 2027 (opens in a new tab)
- City of Lucerne, Welcome Desk Learning German with DeutschFit: CHF 350 voucher (opens in a new tab)
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- Canton of Vaud, Bureau cantonal pour l’intégration Cours de français: courses subsidised by the canton (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Flying Teachers fide preparation course A1–B1: 10 × 90 minutes, CHF 600 (opens in a new tab)
- ILS International Language School Crashkurse fide-Vorbereitung: CHF 149 per day (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Scuola ILI Test fide: test centre since 2021, group simulation CHF 160 (in Italian) (opens in a new tab)
- Swissing German certificates preparation: Goethe, telc, fide and SDS; private lessons (opens in a new tab)
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) FAQ on proving language skills for B and C permits (in German) (opens in a new tab)
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