Apply for naturalization
Source: BUS Rheinland-PfalzForeign nationals can acquire German citizenship on application under certain conditions. As a rule, the following requirements must be met
- five years of legal residence in Germany
- unlimited right of residence or a permanent residence permit
- clarified identity and nationality
- commitment to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany and to Germany's special historical responsibility for the National Socialist reign of injustice and its consequences, in particular for the protection of Jewish life as well as for the peaceful coexistence of peoples and the prohibition of waging a war of aggression
- no conviction for a criminal offense
- independent means of subsistence (also for dependent family members) without social assistance and unemployment benefit II. Exceptions apply to persons who have been in full-time employment for at least 20 months in the past 2 years.
- Sufficient knowledge of German
- Knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany (civic knowledge)
- No polygamous marriages and no evidence of disregard for equal rights for men and women
You also no longer have to give up your previous nationality. Multiple citizenship is now permitted with the entry into force of the new Citizenship Act on June 27, 2024.
You can find detailed information on the requirements at
Say "yes" to naturalization
Dear citizens of the district of Bad Dürkheim,
More than 140,000 people live in our district. Of these, around 12,000 do not have German citizenship. Many of you have been living in Germany for several years and have long been Rhineland-Palatinate citizens. You have helped to shape and form our country. I hope you have found your second home in our district, where you feel at home and see your future.
I would like to expressly encourage you to apply for German citizenship
.I would also be very pleased if you would decide to naturalize and I could welcome you at one of the next naturalization ceremonies.
Take the opportunity and say yes to naturalization!
"Yours, Hans-Ulrich Ihlenfeld
District Administrator of the Bad Dürkheim district
What advantages does German citizenship give me?
Naturalization brings you many advantages:
- The right to vote and be elected (active and passive voting rights) in local, state,
federal and European elections - The unrestricted choice of profession, a free right of establishment (e.g. doctors) and the right to freedom of tradeVisa-free entry to many countries and protection abroad by German missions abroad
- Mostly facilitated reunification options for family members
- Free choice of residence and domicile in Germany (freedom of movement) and in all countries of the European Union
What requirements must I meet? As a
rule, you are entitled to naturalization if you meet the following requirements. If you do not meet all the requirements, you may be eligible for an exemption or naturalization under other regulations. Please do not let this deter you, but take advantage of our free, non-binding consultation service.- You have been legally resident in Germany for 8 years. Shortened periods are possible, for example, if you have successfully completed an integration course or have made special integration efforts
- You are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law and the Federal Republic of Germany
- At the time of naturalization, you have a
- unlimited right of residence
- a permanent residence permit
- or are a Union citizen or Swiss national or family member entitled to freedom of movement - You are able to support yourself and your dependent family members without claiming unemployment benefit II or social assistance
- You are prepared to give up your previous nationality. Exception: See "Options for dual nationality"
- You have not yet been convicted of a criminal offense or are not under investigation for a criminal offense
- You have sufficient knowledge of the German language
- You have knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany
Possibilities for dual citizenship
In some cases, the Citizenship Act allows naturalization under multiple citizenshipHere
are the most important groups of people:
- Persons entitled to asylum and refugees with a Geneva Convention travel document
- Citizens of an EU country (if your country of origin also permits multiple citizenship) and Switzerland
- It is not possible to leave the nationality of your country of origin (e.g. Thailand, Tunisia, Iraq, Cuba, Nigeria)
- The nationality regulations of your country of origin do not provide for renunciation of nationality (e.g. Brazil, Mexico, Dom. Rep.)
- For persons aged 60 and over, if various conditions are met. Requirements: e.g. dismissal procedure is unreasonable, existence of particular hardship, etc. (new regulation since July 2017)
How can I apply for naturalization?
If we have aroused your interest in naturalization, we will be happy to advise you personally and individually, and
you can obtain the application form and further information from the contact persons listed below.
What are the fees for naturalization?
The fee for naturalization is
€ 255.00
per
adult
for underage children without their own income,
if they are naturalized with their parents or
parent. parents or one parent
€ 51,-In
addition, you should bear in mind that further fees may be incurred for the release from your previous citizenship. Your diplomatic mission abroad will inform you about the amount of the release fee.
Contact details of the Advisory Board for Migration and Integration of the District of Bad Dürkheim
- Chairwoman of the advisory board: Andrea Scheuermann, Erpolzheim
- Member of the advisory board: Anna Breier, Bad Dürkheim, Tel.: 06322-63868, Email: familiebreier@gmail.com
Here you can download the
information flyer of the district of Bad Dürkheim (pdf file)
- - - - - -Further
information and answers on naturalization can be found at
MINISTRY FOR FAMILY, WOMEN, CULTURE AND INTEGRATION RHINELAND-PALATINATE
Information on the naturalization procedure can be found at
Administrative click-through of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region