Apply for naturalization for foreigners with naturalization entitlement

• You have been legally resident in Germany for at least five years without interruption. Your stay must be permanent. In the case of special integration achievements, the period is only three years if you also present a C1 German certificate.
  
• You have an unlimited right of residence. A residence permit is sufficient for Swiss nationals and their family members. Under certain conditions, a residence permit is also sufficient for other third-country nationals.
• If you are 16 years or older at the time of naturalization: You are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law and to the special responsibility for the National Socialist reign of injustice and its consequences. This also includes a declaration against anti-constitutional or extremist endeavors.
• You finance the cost of living for yourself and your dependants without drawing on public funds (e.g. social welfare, basic income support for jobseekers). An exception applies, among other things, if you receive public funds despite being in full-time employment and have been in full-time employment for at least 20 months in the last 24 months.
  
• You have not been convicted of a criminal offense. Foreign convictions are taken into account under certain conditions.
• You have sufficient knowledge of the German language.
  You meet the requirements of the language test for the German B1 certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in oral and written form. Applicants for naturalization who came to Germany as guest workers (entered the country before 30.06.1974) and their spouses are exempt from the examination requirements. In this case, oral knowledge of German is sufficient.
  
• You have sufficient knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany. You can provethis either through a successful naturalization test or a certificate from a German general school (at least secondary school). The Bamf (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) provides further information on the naturalization test.
• Naturalization is not possible if you are married to several spouses at the same time or if your behaviour shows that you disregard the equal rights of men and women laid down in the Basic Law or if it is obvious that your commitment to the free democratic basic order is only lip service.

You must submit a written  application for naturalization PDF-File 254,27 kB. You are obliged to cooperate in the further procedure.

The naturalization authority will carry out the necessary investigations. It involves

• the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution,
• the police,
• the Office for Social Affairs and Participation,
• the Federal Employment Agency and
• other agencies.

If all naturalization requirements are met, the naturalization authority will issue you with the naturalization certificate.

Personal details of the naturalization applicant

• Passport or passport with valid residence permit
•  1 biometric passport photo PDF-File 1,38 MB
• Birth certificate. In the case of foreign documents, a translation by a document translator authorized in Germany is required.
• Marriage certificate or extract from the family register. In the case of foreign documents, a translation by a document translator licensed in Germany is required.
• Current birth certificates of the children. In the case of foreign documents, a translation by a document translator licensed in Germany is required.
• Custody decisions on minor children from divorced marriages and, if applicable, children born out of wedlock

• School leaving certificates
• School certificates if you are currently still attending school.

Employment and income situation

• The last 3 certificates of earnings
• Proof of employment with your current employer
• Certificate of earnings from your spouse/partner
• If you receive public benefits (unemployment benefit II or social assistance): Submission of corresponding notifications

Proof of sufficient knowledge of German

• e.g. through a German school-leaving certificate
• e.g. via the last four promotion certificates for pupils
• e.g. through a language certificate B 1

Proof of basic knowledge of the legal and social order (for over 16-year-olds)

• e.g. by a German school-leaving certificate
• e.g. by passing a naturalization test at the adult education center

Please note:

• If required, you must submit further documents.
• Please refrain from sending the documents in loose-leaf binders and/or slides.

Due to the modernization of the Citizenship Act in June 2024, the number of naturalization applications received has risen sharply. Compared to the previous year, the number of applications has doubled. Due to this sharp increase, there are currently considerable delays in processing naturalization applications. The processing time is currently at least 18 months.
We ask for your understanding and assure you that all applications will be processed as quickly as possible.

If you need to make an appointment, you will be sent an appointment directly by the naturalization authority.

Otherwise the following applies:
Please submit your naturalization application to us exclusively by post. Please refrain from sending the documents in loose-leaf binders and/or transparencies. Do you need further advice? You can reach us by telephone during consultation hours or by e-mail using the following contact details:  Department 5 - Naturalization, Citizenship and Naming Law

Apply for naturalization for foreigners with naturalization entitlement

Costs: 255 Euro

Special regulation: For each minor child without own income, who is naturalized together with his parents or one parent, the fee is additionally 51.00 EUR

Legal basis: § 38 StAG