Apply for discretionary naturalisation

Naturalisation (preliminary application/preparation for the personal consultation)
  • Service description

    Naturalisation gives you German citizenship and makes you an equal citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany with all rights and obligations.

    With German citizenship you can, among other things

    • exercise their right to vote in the municipalities, the federal states, the German Bundestag and the European Parliament.
    • freedom of movement within the European Union (EU), i.e.
      • move freely within the EU,
      • are employed or self-employed in the EU and
      • travelling to many countries outside the EU without a visa.

    For discretionary naturalisation, the competent authority must establish a public interest in your naturalisation in each individual case.

    Under certain conditions, the following persons can be naturalised under discretionary naturalisation, even if they have not yet been living legally in Germany for 5 years:

    • Spouses
    • registered life partners
    • underage children

    Naturalisation becomes effective when the naturalisation certificate is issued.

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

  • Prerequisites

    The following minimum requirements apply for discretionary naturalisation:

    • You must have been living legally in Germany for 5 years. The required period of residence can be shortened under certain circumstances, for example if your spouse, registered partner or underage children are also naturalised.
    • Your identity and nationality must be clarified.
    • You have the legal capacity to act or are legally represented. In the naturalisation 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 naturalisation, for example:
      • a settlement permit, or
      • another permanent residence permit.
      • For example, a residence permit for the purpose of studying is not suitable for naturalisation.
    • You can provide for your livelihood and that of your dependent family members without receiving certain public benefits. For reasons of public interest or to avoid particular hardship, the requirement to be able to support yourself may be waived.
    • You have not been convicted of a criminal offence. If you are currently under investigation on suspicion of a criminal offence, the citizenship authority will suspend the naturalisation 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 fulfil this requirement due to a physical, mental or psychological illness or disability or due to age.
      • For underage children who have not yet reached the age of 16, age-appropriate language development is sufficient.
    • You have civic knowledge. You do not need 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 have a German school, college or university degree or
      • you entered Germany as a guest worker before 30 June 1974 or you travelled to Germany as the spouse of this person in a temporal context or
      • you entered Germany as a contract worker before 2 October 1990 or you travelled to Germany as the spouse of this person in the same period.
    • They commit themselves to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law and make a declaration of loyalty. This means,
      • They do not support any anti-constitutional or extremist activities.
      • If you have supported such activities in the past, you must have credibly turned your back on them.
    • They acknowledge Germany's special historical responsibility for the unjust National Socialist regime and its consequences, in particular
      • for the protection of Jewish life and
      • the peaceful coexistence of peoples and
      • the ban on waging a war of aggression.
  • Which documents are required?

    • Application for naturalisation
    • Valid passport or official identity document with photo
    • valid residence permit
    • Civil status documents, for example:
      • Birth certificate
      • Marriage certificate
      • Divorce decree or death certificate, with translation, legalisation or apostille if necessary
        • the previous spouse or the previous spouse or
        • of the previous registered civil partner
    • School, vocational, training or study qualifications obtained in Germany
    • if you go to school: current school certificate
    • if you are a student: current certificate of enrolment
    • if you are employed: Employment contract and proof of income
    • when you receive your pension: Pension certificate and pension insurance history that you receive from the German Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung)
    • if you are self-employed:
      • Business registration,
      • current income tax assessment,
      • Proof of the profit made, for example by means of an informal certificate from the tax office on the net income or a business analysis
    • Rental agreement
    • Proof of health insurance cover
    • Proof of pension provision, for example:
      • Property ownership,
      • private life insurance or
      • Pension insurance
    • Proof of sufficient German language skills, for example with a B1 certificate;
    • Proof of civic knowledge, for example with a certificate of participation in the integration course "Living in Germany" or naturalisation test
    • 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
    • at your personal appointment:
      • Their commitment to the free democratic basic order and
      • Their acknowledgement of Germany's special historical responsibility for the unjust National Socialist regime and its consequences, and
      • Your declaration of loyalty
    • Further documents may be required depending on the individual case. Please contact your local citizenship authority for advice.
  • What fees are incurred?

    Notes:

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

    Administration fee: € 255.00
    Prepayment: No
    https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html
    Applies to naturalisation per person, also applies to minors who are naturalised alone

    Administration fee: 51,00 €
    Prepayment: No
    https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html
    Applies to a minor child who is naturalised with both parents or one parent

    Prepayment: No
    https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html
    Applies to rejection notices for adults

    Prepayment: No
    https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__38.html
    Applies in the event of a rejection notice for a minor child who is also to be naturalised

  • Legal basis

  • Legal remedy

    • Contradiction
    • Action before the competent administrative court
  • Short text

    • if there is no entitlement to naturalisation and in individual cases there is a public interest in naturalisation, discretionary naturalisation can be applied for
    • Naturalisation confers German citizenship with all rights and obligations. It enables, among other things
      • the right to vote and stand for election in the municipalities, in the federal states, to the German Bundestag and to the European Parliament,
      • Freedom of movement within the European Union (EU), i.e.
        • move freely within the EU,
        • are employed or self-employed in the EU and
        • travelling outside the EU without a visa to many countries
    • can be naturalised under certain conditions:
      • Spouse
      • Registered life partner
      • underage children
  • Further information

  • Issuing body

    Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (BMI)

  • Typing

    2
  • Library entry status

    6

Responsible departments

Responsible employees