Applying for naturalization for foreign nationals who are entitled to naturalization

Your competent citizenship authority/naturalization authorities.

• You must have been living legally in Germany for 5 years.
• Your identity and nationality must be established.
• You must have legal capacity or be legally represented. In the naturalization procedure, you are generally capable of acting if you have reached the age of 16.
• You have a permanent right of residence at the time of naturalization, for example
  • a settlement permit or
  • another permanent residence permit.
  • A residence permit for the purpose of studying, for example, is not suitable for naturalization.
• You are generally able to support yourself and your dependent family members without receiving benefits under the Second or Twelfth Book of the German Social Code.
• You have not been convicted of a criminal offense. If you are currently under investigation on suspicion of a criminal offence, the citizenship authority will suspend the naturalization procedure until the proceedings have been concluded.
• You have sufficient knowledge of the German language, at least at level B1.
  • This does not apply, for example, if you are unable to meet this requirement due to a physical, mental or psychological illness or disability or due to age.
  • If you entered Germany as a guest worker before June 30, 1974 or as a contract worker before October 2, 1990, or if you followed this person as a spouse in the same period, it is also sufficient if you can communicate orally in German in everyday life without any significant problems.
  • For underage children who have not yet reached the age of 16, age-appropriate language development is sufficient.
• They have civic knowledge. You do not have to provide proof of civic knowledge if
  • you are unable to do so due to a physical, mental or psychological illness or disability or due to age, or
  • you entered the country as a guest worker before 30.6.1974 or you followed this person as a spouse in a temporal context or
  • you entered the country as a contract worker before 2.10.1990 or you followed this person as a spouse in a temporal context.
• You are not married to more than one person at the same time and do not show any behavior that disregards the equal rights of men and women laid down in the German Basic Law.
• They are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law and make a declaration of loyalty. This means that
  • You do not support any anti-constitutional or extremist activities.
  • If you have supported such activities in the past, you must have credibly renounced them.
• You acknowledge Germany's special historical responsibility for the National Socialist reign of injustice and its consequences, in particular
  • for the protection of Jewish life and
  • to the peaceful coexistence of peoples and
  • the prohibition of waging a war of aggression.

• Application for naturalization
• Valid passport or official identity document with photo
• valid residence permit
• Civil status documents, for example
  • birth certificate
  • marriage certificate
  • if applicable, divorce decree or death certificate, with translation, legalization or apostille if necessary
    • of the previous spouse or of the previous registered partner
    • of the previous registered civil partner
• if you go to school: current school certificate
• if you are studying: current certificate of enrollment
• if you are employed: Employment contract and proof of income
• if you receive a pension: Pension certificate and pension insurance history, which you will receive from Deutsche Rentenversicherung
• if you are self-employed, for example
  • current income tax assessment notice
  • Proof of profit made, for example by means of an informal certificate from the tax office on net income or a business analysis
  • Proof of health insurance cover
  • Proof of pension provision, in particular:
    • Real estate ownership
    • private life insurance
    • pension insurance
  • business registration
• Tenancy agreement, if applicable
• Proof of sufficient German language skills at least at level B1, for example with a B1 certificate or a school, vocational, training or university degree obtained in Germany
• Proof of civic knowledge, for example with a successfully passed naturalization test or a "Living in Germany" test passed with at least 17 points or a school, vocational, training or university degree obtained in Germany
• at your personal interview:
  • Your commitment to the free democratic basic order and
  • your commitment to Germany's special historical responsibility for the unjust National Socialist regime and its consequences and
  • your declaration of loyalty
• for minors: Proof of custody, for example in the case of divorced or unmarried parents by means of a custody order
• in the case of joint parental custody: declaration of consent from the other parent with custody rights
• Further documents may be required depending on the individual case

Notes:

• The competent authority may grant a fee reduction or exemption for reasons of fairness or public interest.
• Additional costs may be incurred for the procurement of documents, translations and certifications.
• Additional transfer fees may be incurred for transfers from a foreign account.

Administration Fee: 255,00 EUR
Payment in advance: no
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html

Administration Fee: 51,00 EUR
Payment in advance: no
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html

Administration Fee: 25,00 - 255,00 EUR
Payment in advance: no
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html

Administration Fee: 25,00 - 51,00 EUR
Payment in advance: no
https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html

• § 10 Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG)

14.04.2025

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.