Upon naturalization, you will acquire German citizenship. This makes you a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany with equal rights and obligations.

With German citizenship, you can, among other things,

• exercise your right to vote in local elections, state elections, the German Bundestag, and the European Parliament.
• enjoy freedom of movement within the European Union (EU), meaning
  • move freely within the EU,
  • work as an employee or self-employed person within the EU, and
  • travel to many countries outside the EU without a visa.

Provided you meet the requirements, you and your minor child may be naturalized together, even if you have not yet resided legally in Germany for five years. Naturalization becomes effective upon receipt of the naturalization certificate.

The competent authority is the citizenship office in your place of residence.

• They must have been living legally in Germany for 5 years. If you have been married for at least 2 years or are in a registered civil partnership, the required period of residence may be reduced to 4 years.
• Your minor child can be naturalized along with you if you have custody of the child and live with them in a family household. The child to be naturalized must have been residing in Germany for three years.
• Your identity and nationality have been verified.
• You have legal capacity or are legally represented. In the naturalization process, you generally have legal capacity if you have reached the age of 16.
• At the time of naturalization, you must hold a permanent right of residence, for example:
  • a settlement permit or
  • another long-term 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 dependents without receiving benefits under Book II or Book XII of the Social Code.
• You have not been convicted of a criminal offense by a final judgment. If you are currently under investigation on suspicion of a criminal offense, the citizenship authority will suspend the naturalization process until the conclusion of the proceedings.
• You have sufficient knowledge of the German language, at least at the B1 level. 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 by June 30, 1974, or as a contract worker by October 2, 1990, or if you followed as the spouse of such a person within a reasonable timeframe, it is sufficient if you can communicate orally in German without significant problems in everyday life.
  • For minor children who have not yet reached the age of 16, age-appropriate language development is sufficient.
• You have knowledge of civics. You do not need to provide proof of civics knowledge if
  • this is not possible due to a physical, mental, or psychological illness or disability, or due to age, or
  • you entered the country as a guest worker by June 30, 1974, or you followed as the spouse of that person within a reasonable timeframe, or
  • you entered the country as a contract worker by October 2, 1990, or you followed as the spouse of that person within a reasonable time frame.
• You are not married to more than one person at the same time and do not engage in behavior that disregards the equality of men and women as established in the Basic Law.
• You are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law and submit 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 Nazi regime of injustice and its consequences, particularly
  • the protection of Jewish life as well as
  • the peaceful coexistence of peoples and
  • the prohibition of waging a war of aggression.

• Application for Naturalization
• Valid passport or official photo ID
• Valid residence permit
• Civil status documents, for example:
  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • If applicable, divorce decree or death certificate, if necessary with translation, legalization, or apostille
    • of the previous spouse or
    • the previous registered partner
• if you are in school: current school certificate
• if you are a college student: current proof of enrollment
• if you are employed: employment contract and proof of income
• if you receive a pension: pension notice and pension insurance history, which you can obtain from the German Pension Insurance
• If you are self-employed:
  • business registration,
  • current income tax assessment,
  • Proof of profits earned, for example through an informal certificate from the tax office regarding net income or a business analysis
• Rental agreement, if applicable
• Proof of health insurance coverage
• Proof of retirement savings, for example:
  • Real estate ownership
  • Private life insurance
  • Pension insurance
• Proof of sufficient German language proficiency at least at the B1 level, for example with a B1 certificate
• Proof of knowledge of German society, for example, with a certificate of participation in the integration course "Life in Germany" or a naturalization test
• When you come in person, please submit:
  • your commitment to the free democratic basic order and
  • your commitment to Germany’s special historical responsibility for the Nazi regime of injustice and its consequences, as well as
  • your declaration of loyalty
• For minors: Proof of custody, for example, in the case of divorced or unmarried parents, through a custody order
• In cases of joint parental custody: a declaration of consent from the other parent with custody
• Additional documents may be required depending on the individual case

Notes:

• The competent authority may grant a reduction or waiver of fees on grounds of equity or public interest.
• Additional costs may apply for the procurement of documents, translations, and certifications.
• Additional transfer fees may apply for transfers from a foreign account. 

• Administrative fee: 25.00 EUR – 255.00 EUR
  Applies in the event of a rejection notice for adults
• Administrative fee: 255.00 EUR
  Applies to naturalization per person; also applies to minors who are naturalized on their own
• Administrative fee: 51.00 EUR
  Applies to a minor child being naturalized with both parents or one parent
• Administrative fee: 25.00 EUR – 51.00 EUR
  Applies in the event of a rejection notice for a minor child to be naturalized