Becoming a German Citizen by Naturalisation

This guide is for internationals who have recently moved to Germany and want to know how they could one day become German citizens. After reading it, you will understand the residence period, the language and knowledge requirements, the rules on dual citizenship and the steps of the application.

Who can apply
Residence period and livelihood
Language and the naturalisation test
Dual citizenship
The application
FAQ

Who can apply

People who were not born German and do not have German parents can become citizens through Einbürgerung (naturalisation). According to Handbook Germany, citizenship lets you vote and stand for political office. It also gives you freedom of movement in the EU, visa-free travel to many countries and no further visits to the immigration office.

The legal entitlement is called Anspruchseinbürgerung (naturalisation by entitlement). It requires all of the following:

📖

Residence period and livelihood

The standard minimum is 5 years of legal residence. Residents considered “particularly well-integrated” could previously apply after 3 years. Handbook Germany reports that the federal government has decided to end this rule, so this group will also need 5 years. As of October 2025, the page said the change had not yet taken effect but was expected soon. The naturalisation authority can confirm which rule applies today.

For people recognised as refugees, people entitled to asylum and people with subsidiary protection, the time spent in the asylum procedure counts towards the 5 years. Time spent in Germany on a student visa is also counted in principle.

Spouses of German citizens can be naturalised earlier, although the page does not give the exact period. A spouse or registered civil partner and children who apply together with the main applicant can also be naturalised after less than 5 years, provided they meet every other requirement.

Applicants normally have to show that they can support themselves without state benefits. The Härtefallregelung (hardship regulation) removes this requirement for two groups: people who have worked full-time for at least 20 months in the last 24 months, and people who live with a child and a spouse or registered partner who works full-time. Former guest workers who came to West Germany before June 1974 and contract workers who came to East Germany before June 1990 may also be exempt under certain conditions. The same applies to their spouses who arrived in the same period. The page states that there are no exceptions for single parents, carers, sick people or people with disabilities.

Language and the naturalisation test

You need German at B1 level or higher. The usual proof is a certificate from a language test, which you can take at any language school. You can also prove your German by showing that you:

attended a German school for at least four years
hold a Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss or Abitur (German school-leaving qualifications) from a German school
attend at least the 10th class of a German-language secondary school
completed vocational training in German
obtained a university degree in German

If chronic illness, disability or old age prevents someone from reaching this level, the naturalisation authority may approve the application without proof of language skills. Medical records are required.

The naturalisation test has 33 questions. Thirty cover history, politics, society and culture in Germany, and 3 cover the federal state where you live. You pass with at least 17 correct answers. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has an online test centre with a sample test. Your local Einbürgerungsbehörde (naturalisation authority) can tell you where and when the test takes place.

You do not need the test if you passed the Leben in Deutschland (Life in Germany) exam at the end of the integration course’s orientation course. The same applies if you hold a German school-leaving qualification or completed a degree in law, social sciences, political sciences or administrative sciences at a German university. Severe illness, disability or old age can also lead to an exemption, with a medical certificate as proof.

Dual citizenship

Since June 2024, dual and multiple citizenship has been possible for everyone in Germany, so people who naturalise can keep their previous nationality. The other country’s law still matters, because not every state allows its citizens to hold more than one nationality.

Some countries remove their citizenship automatically when a person takes another one. Others do not allow their citizens to give it up at all. Handbook Germany lists countries in this group including Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Syria and Thailand.

People who once had to give up a nationality to become German can now get it back, but only with the permission of that state.

The application

Applications go to the naturalisation authority responsible for where you live. Applicants declare their commitment to the Basic Law and acknowledge Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust, in particular for the protection of Jewish life. In Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg, applicants must also submit a written declaration supporting Israel’s right to exist, so some requirements depend on the federal state.

A conviction for a serious crime rules out naturalisation until it has been deleted from the criminal record. Minor offences do not. You can apply straight away after any of these penalties: a fine of up to 90 days’ income, a prison sentence of up to three months that was suspended on probation and then waived, or measures under the Juvenile Court Act.

For applicants who give up their previous nationality, the authority first confirms that they meet the requirements and issues an Einbürgerungszusicherung (naturalisation assurance). With this document, the applicant asks their country of origin to release them from its citizenship. They then submit the confirmation of release to the authority, and the naturalisation follows.

The page does not state fees or processing times, so these are for the naturalisation authority to confirm. Anyone with a specific question about their residence status can contact the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners’ authority) or a migration advice service.

FAQ

Does time on a student visa count towards the 5 years?

According to Handbook Germany, time spent in Germany with a student visa is counted in principle. The naturalisation authority decides how each person’s residence history is assessed.

Do I have to give up my current nationality?

Not under German law. Since June 2024, Germany has allowed dual and multiple citizenship for everyone. Whether the other nationality can be kept also depends on the law of that country, and some countries remove their citizenship automatically.

How many questions must I answer correctly in the naturalisation test?

The test has 33 questions, and at least 17 correct answers are needed to pass. Thirty questions cover Germany in general and 3 cover the federal state where the applicant lives.

How much does naturalisation cost and how long does it take?

The source page does not give fees or processing times. The local naturalisation authority can provide current information on both.

Sources: handbookgermany.de

Last verified: 26 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) of your city, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt).