A German passport is a coveted goal for millions of immigrants who move to Germany in search of good jobs, security and comfortable living conditions. This wonderful country has become a second home for many hard-working and law-abiding foreigners. However, until recently, the process of obtaining German citizenship was very laborious and time-consuming.
The situation has changed radically following reforms that have significantly simplified the conditions for naturalisation in Germany.
Through naturalisation, immigrants become full citizens of Germany and can freely build their future in one of the most prosperous and safest countries in modern Europe.
German citizens are also free to choose their job. If you have the appropriate professional qualifications, as a citizen you can practise medicine or become a civil servant – you can work in the police, educational institutions or administrative structures. Moreover, it will be much easier for a German citizen to register a company and conduct commercial activities in the country.
Along with a German passport, immigrants get the opportunity to give their children a good education at the best educational institutions in Germany. Even those who were already studying in their home country at the time of their parents’ naturalisation can obtain a degree from a prestigious German university, as foreign students can be transferred to a corresponding speciality in Germany.
Germans are proud of their healthcare system, which provides all citizens of the country with prompt, free, and high-tech medical care.
By becoming a naturalised citizen of Germany, you also become a citizen of the EU. This allows you to live, study and work in all EU countries without any additional permits. This significantly expands your opportunities, whether it be education, career, business or simply a desire to get to know other European peoples and cultures.
The ability to freely cross national borders with a German passport is not limited to European Union countries.
German citizenship gives you access to 189 visa-free destinations. In an international ranking that assesses the number of countries that citizens of a particular jurisdiction can visit without a visa or with a simplified entry permit procedure, the German passport ranks an honourable third.
The new citizenship law, which came into force on 27 June 2024, has made life much easier for many immigrants in Germany, as they no longer have to renounce their first citizenship in order to obtain a German passport.
However, remember that you can only have dual citizenship if it is permitted in both Germany and your country of origin.
The advantages of German citizenship also extend to the family of the new citizen. Once you have obtained German citizenship, it will be easier for you to reunite with your loved ones who have been living abroad until now.
Children of foreign citizens are granted German citizenship by birth if two important conditions are met:
If the parents of such a child are not officially married and only the father meets the above condition of residence in the country, it is important that he officially acknowledges his paternity before applying for German citizenship.
Children born in Germany to at least one German parent automatically receive German citizenship by descent or, as it is also called, “by right of blood.” In this case, there are no additional conditions regarding the residence of the other parent in the country.
The standard naturalisation procedure requires that a potential German citizen must:
The German immigration authorities also expect applicants to have sufficient personal savings to ensure a comfortable life in Germany for themselves and their family members.
However, the key factors are still a high degree of integration and the immigrant’s useful contribution to German society. If the immigration authorities assess the combination of these factors as “good integration”, the foreigner applying for citizenship will have the opportunity to naturalise more quickly – after 3 years of residence in the country.
The key condition in this case is that the immigrant must be officially married to a German citizen. Until 1970, this was the only condition for obtaining citizenship, but then additional requirements were introduced:
The immigration programme for late repatriates gives ethnic Germans and their descendants living in the former Soviet Union the opportunity to obtain German citizenship.
Citizens of countries that were once part of the USSR (mainly Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan) who have a German ancestor and were born no later than 1 January 1993 are currently eligible for late immigrant status. Along with the main applicant, his or her spouse, minor children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren can also apply for citizenship.
The process of obtaining citizenship through this immigration route can take 1.5-2 years. It is advisable to consult with an experienced immigration solicitor from the outset.
The main steps for the repatriate and their relatives are:
Let’s take a closer look at the requirements for applicants planning to obtain German citizenship through naturalisation.
The applicant must have official permission to reside and work in Germany. The following legal grounds may apply:
Starting on 27 June 2024, applicants must have lived in Germany for at least 5 years before they are eligible to apply for citizenship. If the applicant is considered to be “well integrated” into German society, the minimum period of residence in the country may be reduced to 3 years in exceptional cases.
In order for an application for German citizenship to be successful, applicants must demonstrate that they are financially stable and can support themselves and their family members without resorting to state assistance.
If a resident receives unemployment benefits in Germany, they will most likely not be eligible for citizenship.
To successfully naturalise in Germany, applicants must have an intermediate level of German, which corresponds to category B1 of the European classification.
How can you prove your language skills? By passing a special test or providing a certificate of completion of a German language course from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
Other forms of proof include: a German secondary school certificate, documents confirming your successful completion of four years of schooling in Germany or your transfer to the 10th grade of a German secondary school, or a diploma from a German-language university or vocational school.
The applicant must demonstrate that they have a clear understanding of the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the society and culture of this remarkable country. Usually, it is sufficient to provide a certificate of passing the German citizenship test. However, even applicants with a certificate may be asked a few short questions about the basics of the legal system, culture and history of Germany.
If you do not have the necessary knowledge, you can take one of the naturalisation test preparation courses, which usually include all the necessary materials and primary sources.
To be eligible for German citizenship through naturalisation, applicants must not have any criminal convictions for serious offences.
Applicants may also not be under investigation for suspected serious offences. In this case, a decision on your naturalisation will not be made until the investigation is complete.
The naturalisation process in Germany requires that the potential citizen shares the principles set out in the Basic Law.
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany protects important values of the state, such as human rights, fair elections and a balanced government. Applicants for citizenship must promise not to support actions that are contrary to the principles of the Basic Law.
In addition, starting on 27 June 2024, applicants will be required to acknowledge Germany’s responsibility for the crimes of the National Socialist regime and to swear to protect the lives of Jews.
The standard naturalisation process consists of five steps:
1.
Contact your local citizenship office (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde), where you will be told which forms you need to fill out, which documents you need to provide, and how much you need to pay.
2.
Take the citizenship test. Anyone between the ages of 16 and 67 who is applying for German citizenship must register for this test at one of the centres of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ( , BAMF). Successful applicants will receive a certificate from the BAMF showing their test results, which must be submitted along with the other supporting documents.
3.
Confirm your level of German language proficiency. If you do not have documents confirming your level of German language proficiency, you may have to take a language test (or enrol in German language courses, the certificate of successful completion of which will confirm your knowledge).
4.
Once you have all the documents, you need to submit them together with the completed application form to your nearest citizenship office. Depending on the office, you can submit your application in person or online.
€Pay the registration fee. The application fee is £255 for adults and £€ 55 for children under 18.
5.
Wait for your application to be processed. The standard processing time for a naturalisation application in Germany is at least 18 months.
If your application is approved, you will need to attend the German citizenship ceremony in person. Once you have successfully completed the ceremony, you will be issued with a naturalisation certificate.
Holders of a naturalisation certificate are considered to be full citizens of Germany, just like other Germans. Usually, immigrants apply for a German passport after naturalisation.
The naturalisation process in Germany will be easier for you if you are advised by an experienced immigration law specialist at every stage.
Since 27 June 2024, a new citizenship law has been in force in Germany, according to which immigrants no longer need to renounce their first citizenship in order to obtain a German passport.
It should be noted that the old law, under which German citizens were not allowed to have dual citizenship without special permission, worked both ways. Germans automatically lost their native citizenship when they naturalised in another country. At present, obtaining a second citizenship does not have any legal consequences for German citizens in their home country. Furthermore, German citizens are not required to inform the authorities that they hold a passport from another jurisdiction.
Moreover, Germans who lost their first citizenship as a result of naturalisation in another country after 1 January 2000 can apply to have their German citizenship restored.
Germany’s new citizenship law has significantly simplified the naturalisation process for immigrants living in the country, as the minimum residence period has been reduced and new citizens are now allowed to retain their first citizenship.
The naturalisation process in Germany takes more than 5 years on average. To ensure that your application is not rejected due to an accidental error in your documents, be sure to enlist the support of an experienced solicitor specialising in German immigration law.
An application for German citizenship before the standard period of residence can only be submitted if the immigrant makes a special effort to integrate quickly and contributes significantly to the development of society through their actions.
They do not take into account that the process of obtaining citizenship can take more than 1.5 years and submit an application while residing in the country on the basis of a residence permit with a shorter period of validity.
One of the key requirements for obtaining German citizenship is that the applicant has a valid long-term or permanent residence permit in Germany.
To prove that you are familiar with the legal system, society and way of life in modern Germany, you can prepare for the test yourself or attend one of the popular preparation courses.
There are also special integration courses that end with the “Life in Germany” test, with successful graduates receiving a corresponding certificate.
Foreign graduates of German schools and universities are exempt from the citizenship test (in the latter case, you must not only hold a diploma from a German educational institution, but also have completed a course of study there).
No, as a rule, warnings and fines issued to foreign drivers for traffic violations are not usually sufficient grounds for refusing to grant German citizenship.
Consult your immigration lawyer on this matter before applying for naturalisation to ensure that your application is not rejected.
We will work with you to find a customised solution for your immigration, second citizenship, business, tax and other needs.
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