You have a foreign nationality, but have been living in Germany for some time and intend to stay here permanently. For this reason, you wish to naturalize as a German citizen. Through naturalization, you become an equal citizen of our country with all the rights and obligations of a citizen.

From the age of 16, foreign nationals can submit this application themselves. For younger persons, an application must be submitted by their legal representatives.

Note on processing times
Due to the large number of applications already received, the processing time is currently approx. 15 months from receipt of the application. For reasons of equal treatment, processing is generally carried out after receipt of the application. The current legal regulations will continue to lead to a further increase in the number of applications.

The expiry of a passport or residence permit, as well as the commencement of special employment, is not a reason for preferential processing. The desire to travel to other countries is also not a reason for urgent processing. The authority asks for your understanding in this regard.

Once the online application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation of dispatch from the system, which also serves as confirmation of receipt. If there are any outstanding or supplementary documents during processing, you will be notified accordingly. It is understandable that you would like to be kept informed about the status of your application. However, the large number of inquiries slows down the process and hinders the continuation of work. It is therefore not possible to respond to status requests. We are trying to cope with the high number of incoming applications. Organizational and personnel measures have already been taken to significantly reduce the duration of the process in future.

Our employees are making every effort to process applications as quickly as possible and thank you for your patience and understanding.

Please check whether you meet the requirements for applying for naturalization. Make sure that you have all the necessary documents so that they can be attached to the online application. Incompletely submitted documents will lead to delays and, if a requirement is not met, the application for naturalization may be rejected.

If you meet the requirements and all documents are available, please use the link in the online services section. Here you can first do a quick check and then submit your application online.

• Clarified identity and nationality
• 5 years of legal habitual residence
• Indefinite or permanent right of residence at the time of naturalization
• Commitment to the free democratic basic order and declaration of loyalty
• No evidence of anti-constitutional or extremist tendencies
• Commitment to Germany's special historical responsibility for the National Socialist reign of injustice, for the protection of Jewish life and for the peaceful coexistence of peoples (information / declaration)
• You do not receive unemployment benefit II or social assistance
• Ensuring the means of subsistence for themselves and their dependents without receiving citizen's allowance (SGB II), social assistance or basic security (SGB XII)
• No conviction for a criminal offense
• Sufficient knowledge of the German language, both written and spoken (language certificate B1)
• Successfully completed naturalization test
• No multiple marriages

Proof of identity, nationality and residence status

• Valid home passport or expired home passport and/or identity card
• ID card (e.g. also travel document for refugees) or replacement ID card
• Electronic residence permit (eAT)

Proof of identity and marital status

Foreign-language documents always require a translation by a translator authorized by the German courts. In addition, legalization or apostille may be necessary. Please inform yourself in advance at:  German Notary Institute (opens in a new tab)

• Birth certificate of each person for whom naturalization is requested and, depending on the country, individual (single) register extracts with legalization or apostille
• If married: Foreign marriage certificate with legalization or apostille or German marriage certificate
• If divorced or widowed: divorce decree or death certificate of the former spouse

Proof of sufficient knowledge of German

• You can prove your German language skills by: a degree from a general German school (Hauptschule, Realschule, Gesamtschule or Gymnasium),

• A degree from a German-speaking university or university of applied sciences, where the course was also completed in German

• Successfully completed German vocational training

• A German certificate with at least level B1 (Telc, Goethe, TestDaF, DSH, g.a.s.t., ösd).

Proof of knowledge of the legal and social order

• Completion of a general German school (Hauptschule, Realschule, Gesamtschule or Gymnasium)

• Completion of a degree in German studies, political/social sciences/law

• Successfully completed naturalization test / Test Leben in Deutschland with at least 17 points.

Proof for pupils up to the age of 16

• Report cards from the last four years of the respective 2nd semester (report card from June/July)

• Current school certificate

• Consent to naturalization by the parents or the custodial parent with a copy of the passport and, if applicable, the custody ruling

Proof for pupils aged 16 and over

• Leaving certificate (at least secondary school leaving certificate or at least equivalent German school leaving certificate)

• Current school certificate

Proof for students

• Study certificate for the current semester

• Current certificate of study progress

Proof for trainees

• Apprenticeship contract

• Salary slips for the last three months

• Current employer's certificate

• Last vocational school certificate

Proof for employees

• Complete employment contract, also from spouse if applicable

• Salary slips for the last three months, also from the spouse if applicable

• Current employer's certificate, also from the spouse if applicable

• Current pension insurance history from the German Pension Insurance

• Certificate from the health insurance company about the insurance periods with details of the employer

• Account statement of the last rent paid

Proof of self-employment

• Business registration

• Current certificate from the tax consultant for the last 12 months

• The last two tax assessments

• Proof of sufficient pension provision (if applicable, private pension contract and current confirmation of insurance

• insurance confirmation of the amounts paid in the previous year)

• Current health insurance certificate confirming the existence of sufficient health insurance cover

• health insurance cover with details of the current contribution rate for health and long-term care insurance and the

• Monthly assessment basis.

• Account statement of the last rent paid

• If a commercial property has been rented: Rental/lease agreement for the commercial property with a bank statement showing the rent paid and ancillary costs

Proof for pensioners

• Complete current pension statement and a possible supplementary pension

• Account statement of the last rent paid

If you are the owner of an apartment or house

• Extract from the land register

• Account statement of current loans (interest and repayment)

• In the case of a house, also: notice of land charges, statement of monthly water and heating costs (for oil heating, the last bill if applicable)

• In the case of a condominium, additionally: bank statement showing the monthly house rent

Proof for families

• Child benefit certificate

• Proof of child benefit supplement, if applicable

• Parental allowance notice, if applicable

• Notice of housing benefit, if applicable

• For separated spouses with children: Proof of custody / legal representation, e.g. negative certificate from the youth welfare office, custody order

• Proof of maintenance payments to children, e.g. from a previous marriage or non-marital children

• Proof of advance maintenance payments

• If you have your own maintenance obligation: account statement from the local maintenance advance fund with the date and amount of the payments made and an indication of whether there are any arrears (comparison of debit/credit)

In individual cases, further documents may be necessary, e.g:

• Guardian's certificate
• Proof of rental/lease income
• Proof of the existence or non-existence of other nationalities Irrespective of whether a valid or expired passport/identity card exists, the existence of another nationality must always be reported.

The naturalization authority may request further documents at a later date.

• The naturalization fee is generally 255 euros for each person to be naturalized, including minor children who are naturalized without their parents.
• For underage children without their own income who are naturalized with their parents, the naturalization fee is 51 euros.
• The naturalization fee must be paid in full when submitting the application.