Thanks for posting your very informative letter on a HOT current topic. Actually, Aargau starets charging a fee only after 1-January, 2000 (a little behind the rest). The fees are expected to be "sfr 20 to 100 for reports of civil data, depending on the time required, the importance of the case, and its complexity." They will accept payment in Swiss francs by a post office order or check, if coming from outside Switzerland. Or you can pay "via a Swiss consulate." Wish everyone who has information such as yours would share it on the list. Pete Mattli Ft. Myers, FL > -------- Subj: Re: [SWITZ] Familenschein fees (was: Some Advice Please) Date: 02/02/2000 1:19:27 PM Eastern Standard Time From: MKunzle311@aol.com To: SWITZERLAND-L@rootsweb.com I come back to your comments you had about familienschein an fees. I have recently asked at about 10 differents places mainly in the canton of AR and SG to send me a familienschein. Up to now I got 7 responses. And nobody had asked me to get a permission from the canton. 1. for 1 familienschein I paid FS 92.- As they told me they have applied the new tarif. I suppose as Wolf told is his mail they included the permission fees. 2. for another familienschein I paid FS 55.-. A bid expensive but after my experience correct. 3. A photocopy of a burgerrodel I got free of charge. 4. 1 reply per e-mail from the Staatsarchiv to whom the letter was forwarded, telling me they find anything, but giving further clues where I should search. 5. From two places I got the reply per e-mail that they do not have any records for the period I asked. 6. one town asked me to explain them my direct relationship to my ancestor. As you can see not every town/commun is dealing with your request the same manner. You can have luck and pay nothing or you can pay a fee fairly expensive. Concerning the permission a have the feeling, that the regulations are not applied everywhere. Or maybe there is another reason for that. Then all my ancestors I was looking for are born 150 to 200 years ago. So I think probably after a certain period (100 or 120 years) your do not need any permission anymore. Max Kunzle