General
If you have lived in Germany habitually and for several years, you can be naturalised. A written application is necessary for naturalisation. Persons over the age of 16 can submit this application themselves. Under the age of 16, your legal representatives have to submit the application for naturalisation. That is usually your parents.
The legal principles for the naturalisation are laid down in the Citizenship Statute (StAG).
The particular conditions for the various naturalisation options are as follows:
- Naturalisation based on a legal entitlement – naturalisation entitlement
- Under certain circumstances, spouses or under-age children can be naturalised at the same time – derivative naturalisation
- Naturalisation of the spouse or registered life partner of a German – legal entitlement
Important: the naturalisation laws are so complex that only the basic principles are presented here. You can find more details in the German text. Furthermore, it is essential to seek advice from the naturalisation authority responsible for your place of residence.
Naturalisation Entitlement
You are entitled to naturalisation if you fulfil the following conditions:
- You have habitually and legally resided in Germany for at least eight years.
- You have a permanent right of residence.
- You are committed to the free democratic principle of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany. …
- You have sufficient German language skills.
- You have sufficient knowledge of the legal and social order and everyday life in Germany.
- You have independent means of securing a living for yourself and your family members entitled to maintenance, without resorting to public benefits.
- You have not been convicted for any criminal offence. Under certain circumstances, foreign convictions are also taken into consideration.
- You relinquish your previous citizenship. Under which circumstances that is possible depends on the laws of your country of origin.
Naturalisation may also be possible without relinquishing the previous citizenship if the release from the previous citizenship was refused due to the failure to fulfil military service and the applicant for naturalisation was primarily educated in German schools and has grown to draft age according to the German principles of life in Germany.
Important: It is essential that you speak to your naturalisation authority if you have difficulties being released from your previous citizenship.
Naturalisation is impossible if there are factual indications that you pursue or support anti-constitutional or extremist principles, or have done so in the past and cannot plausibly establish that you have turned away from the former pursuit or support of such principles, or of a reason exists for deportation under 54 number 5 or 5a of the German Residence Act. Decisive is alone whether the conduct abstractly represents a reason for deportation.
Derivative Naturalisation
Spouses and children under the age of 16 can be naturalised together with the naturalisation applicant. In this way, a family is to have the possibility of acquiring German citizenship together.
Spouses and children also have to fulfil the conditions for naturalisation. The conditions are explained under Naturalisation Entitlement.
Detailed information on derivative naturalisation can also be found in the German text version.
Legal Entitlement
Under certain conditions, spouses and registered life partners of Germans have a legal entitlement to early naturalisation. The under-age children of the spouse or life partner can be naturalised with the applicant as family members.
Detailed information on the legal entitlement can also be found in the German text version.
Costs
Which costs arise?
Fees are imposed for naturalisation. If the application is withdrawn or rejected, the fee is reduced. Additional costs can arise for the presentation of certificates of civil status, proof of civic knowledge, language skills and for relinquishing the previous citizenship.
The fee for the derivative naturalisation of under-age children without their own income
Administration fee: EUR 51.00
Fee for a naturalisation
Administration fee: EUR 255.00
