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So I live in Switzerland, but have British and Italian dual citizenship. I want to change my name and gender legally everywhere or at the very least on official documents here in Switzerland. I may be wrong but I think I would need to change both my UK and Italian IDs to be allowed to change the info on my C permit.

UK dual citizenships require the other citizenship to have the name and gender changed before changing it on the UK passport, so I need to change my Italian ID card first. Doing it abroad seems easy so that won't be an issue.

I'm not even 100% sure how to proceed to change an Italian ID card as I can barely find any info online on the steps required. But from the little I found, it seems like I need to go to court in Italy, and then pay a lawyer and a fee to change my name and gender. It doesn't seem like there are any dual citizenship limitations like the UK has. I should mention that I can't speak Italian very well too.

Is there an easier way? Do I really need to do all this?

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  • "UK dual citizenships require the other citizenship to have the name and gender changed before changing it on the UK passport" That's a bit of a problem if the other country has the same requirement. (Note: I am not saying you are wrong about this.)
    – Martin Bonner supports Monica
    Commented Jan 20, 2023 at 12:06
  • Do you speak German well? Parts of Italy are German speaking (although it's Bavarian rather than the Alemannisch most Swiss speak). Alternatively, start by finding an Italian lawyer (and preferably an English speaking one).
    – Martin Bonner supports Monica
    Commented Jan 20, 2023 at 12:10
  • Honestly, you've achieved the dream of escaping the UK. Do you really need or want that citizenship?
    – Comic Sans Seraphim
    Commented Jan 20, 2023 at 14:58
  • @MartinBonnersupportsMonica As far as I know, Italy doesn't also have that requirement, gonna add that to the original post
    – Lucy
    Commented Jan 20, 2023 at 17:03
  • @MartinBonnersupportsMonica Sadly my German is probably worse than my Italian tbh lol
    – Lucy
    Commented Jan 20, 2023 at 17:05

1 Answer 1

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You may change your civil status information as recorded by Switzerland as long as you are domiciled in Switzerland and your information is recorded in the Swiss civil status database.

Your information is automatically registered in the Swiss civil database if you had a civil status event in Switzerland (birth, marriage, divorce, adoption). Otherwise, you have to apply to have your information registered first. The registration may need your civil status documents, i.e. birth certificates and documents related to marriages, divorces, changes in names, (translated, notarized and legalized if needed) and proof of your residency in Switzerland.

Your name and gender, for civil purposes in Switzerland, then become what is recorded in the database. A certificate of your registered information can be issued.

Despite the change in your official name and sex marker in Switzerland, your residence permit will have the same information as recorded in your passport (probably the Italian one, if you are exercising your rights as an EU citizen) on the front side, so the machine readable zones are consistent and facilitate border examinations. However, your official name in the Swiss registeration database may be reflected on the back in the observation field (see e.g. Geneva).

Having mismatching names and gender markers on different offical documents of course may come with problems; but as far as Swiss authorities are concerned, you have the right to make changes to your civil information according to Swiss law as a Swiss resident.

Additionally, difficulties can still arise since the changes are new and it is not unheard of that an employee may ignore (deliberately or ignorantly) federal guidelines, especially if you present a more "complicated" case. You may find helpful to contact your local trans* or LGBTQ+ organizations who often have social and legal contacts that may help you navigate through the bureaucracy.

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  • Thank you so much for your answer! I'd want to change everything though, for consistency's sake and to make life easier in... many different aspects. How would I proceed to change details on my Italian ID card though? (If this is too irrelevant to the original question I'll ask a new one, I'm kinda new here)
    – Lucy
    Commented Jan 20, 2023 at 17:13

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