Requirements for naturalisation
If you were not born a German citizen, you have the right to be naturalised if you meet the following requirements, among others:
- You have been living in Germany legally for more than five years.
- You have a permanent right of residence in Germany, e.g. as a Union citizen entitled to freedom of movement or on the basis of a settlement permit or a residence permit that may lead to a permanent right of residence. A residence permit for the purpose of studying, for example, is not sufficient.
- You can financially support yourself and your dependent family members without receiving benefits under the Second or Twelfth Book of the Social Code [SGB].
- You have sufficient knowledge of German: you can prove your oral and written knowledge of German by taking a language test at a minimum level of B1. A German school-leaving certificate, completed vocational education and training in Germany or completed studies in Germany are also generally accepted as proof of your German language skills.
- You have basic knowledge of the legal and social system and way of life in Germany: you can prove this knowledge by passing the naturalisation test. The “Life in Germany” test is also accepted as proof of such knowledge. If you have a German school-leaving certificate or a degree in law, social sciences, public administration or political science from Germany, you will generally not have to take a naturalisation test. Your school-leaving certificate or degree obtained in Germany is sufficient in this case. On the internet, you will find not only a list of questions as a PDF file, but also a practice tool to prepare for the naturalisation test and the “Life in Germany” test.
- You have not been convicted of a criminal offence: If you have been convicted of a criminal offence, or if you are being investigated for suspicion of a criminal offence in Germany or abroad, or if criminal proceedings are pending, you must inform the naturalisation authority. The naturalisation authority cannot decide on your application until the investigation has been completed.
- You declare your commitment to the free and democratic basic order of the Basic Law and to Germany’s special historical responsibility for the tyrannical National Socialist regime and its consequences – in particular for the protection of Jewish life – and to the peaceful coexistence of people and the prohibition on waging a war of aggression. You must make these declarations to the naturalisation authority. The Basic Law is the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. When you apply for German citizenship, you must declare in writing and orally that you will respect the Basic Law and the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany and will refrain from doing anything that could harm them.
The naturalisation process
If you meet the requirements for naturalisation, you must submit an application to the competent authority. There is usually a fee for this. The current fee is €255 per person. A fee of €51 must be paid for each minor included in the application who has no income of their own.
To find out which authority is responsible for your naturalisation, you can enquire with your town/city or district administration (Stadtverwaltung or Kreisverwaltung), with the district office (Bezirksamt) or with your local foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde).
