How to get German citizenship: naturalization rules and a real case

German citizenship through naturalization is obtained by application to the local Einbürgerungsbehörde. In 2026, the general benchmark for Anspruchseinbürgerung is five years of lawful ordinary residence in Germany, a proven identity, a suitable residence status, financial self-sufficiency, at least B1 German, an Einbürgerungstest or a recognized substitute, no serious criminal convictions, and loyalty to the constitutional order.

This article combines two parts: current rules and a practical case of someone who went through the procedure in 2022-2023. The older experience is useful for understanding bureaucracy, documents, and timelines, but some individual stages are already outdated: after the 2024 reform, Germany generally allows multiple citizenship, so the former mandatory scheme of giving up Russian citizenship is no longer a standard requirement of German naturalization.

What changed compared with older stories

If you have read personal stories about getting a German passport before the reform, check them especially carefully. Many cases were built around the Einbürgerungszusicherung, a guarantee of citizenship after giving up the previous citizenship. For applicants from countries for which Germany previously required renunciation, this could add months of waiting, consular procedures, apostilles, and translations.

Now, for most applicants, the logic is different:

you usually do not need to give up your previous citizenship solely because of German naturalization;
the standard residence period for entitlement to naturalization is five years;
language, self-sufficiency, identity, and loyalty requirements have become central;
the specific list of documents still depends on the city, residence status, family situation, and country of origin;
processing times vary greatly between authorities.

Important: German law may allow multiple citizenship, but the country of your original citizenship may have its own rules about a second citizenship, notifications, military obligations, taxes, or renunciation. That is a separate check, not an automatic part of the German application.

Main requirements in 2026

Below is a practical list that helps you understand whether you are ready to apply. It does not replace advice from the Einbürgerungsbehörde, but it shows the basic framework.

Requirement	What usually has to be proven
Residence period	Usually five years of lawful ordinary residence in Germany
Identity and citizenship	Passport, birth certificate, name change documents, and if necessary translations and additional proof
Residence status	Permanent residence right, Blue Card EU, or another residence permit that by its purpose leads to long-term residence
Income	Ability to support yourself and family members without Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe under SGB II/XII, unless a recognized exception applies
German language	Usually B1 level under CEFR or a recognized equivalent
Knowledge of Germany	Einbürgerungstest, Test Leben in Deutschland, or an exemption on grounds recognized by the authority
Loyalty	Bekenntnis zur freiheitlichen demokratischen Grundordnung and additional declarations, including Germany’s responsibility for National Socialism and the protection of Jewish life
Respect for the law	No criminal convictions that block naturalization

Some groups may have reductions or special rules: spouses of German citizens, minor children, graduates of German schools, people who cannot meet the test or language requirement for health reasons, former Gastarbeiter, and Vertragsarbeitnehmer. Such cases are best discussed directly with the authority.

How much naturalization costs

The basic naturalization fee is 255 euros per person. For minor children who naturalize together with their parents, a reduced fee of 51 euros usually applies. If a child naturalizes separately, the fee may be the same as for an adult.

With a low income or when several children are naturalizing, a reduced payment or installments may be possible, but that is decided by the authority. Separately, count the costs of photos, translations, certifications, apostilles, copies, post, and getting a passport or Personalausweis after citizenship is granted.

Which documents are usually prepared

In practice, there is no single federal list that all cities apply in the same way. But most often an applicant needs:

a completed naturalization application;
a valid passport or another document proving identity;
a birth certificate;
documents about name changes, marriage, divorce, or children, if relevant to the case;
a current Aufenthaltstitel or proof of the right of residence;
proof of address registration;
an employment contract, employer certificate, recent payslips, or income documents for a self-employed person;
a tenancy agreement or proof of housing;
proof of health insurance, if the authority asks for it;
a B1 language certificate or a recognized substitute;
an Einbürgerungstest certificate, Test Leben in Deutschland, or a document proving exemption;
a biometric photo;
translations and certifications of foreign documents, if the authority requires them.

Some documents may be accepted as copies, while others must be shown in the original. It is better to use a translator accepted by German authorities, and to check the transliteration of your name in advance against your passport and future German documents.

How the procedure works

1. Find your Einbürgerungsbehörde

Naturalization is handled by the local Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde or Einbürgerungsbehörde. This may be the city administration, a Kreisverwaltung, or a separate department of the Ausländerbehörde. Search for something like “Einbürgerung + your city”.

Before applying, it helps to request a consultation or a checklist. Some cities have an online portal, others use a PDF application, an electronic appointment system, or paper submission.

2. Check your residence status

Not every temporary residence permit is suitable for naturalization. For example, a status only for studies may be a problem, while a Blue Card EU, Niederlassungserlaubnis, and many work-based statuses are more often suitable. It is best to verify the wording with the authority, because not only the card itself matters, but also the legal purpose of residence.

3. Take the Einbürgerungstest

The Einbürgerungstest confirms knowledge of Germany’s legal and social order. The test usually consists of 33 questions and you have 60 minutes. To pass, you need at least 17 correct answers.

The pool contains 310 questions: 300 general ones and 10 questions for the federal state. You can prepare through the BAMF online trainer. Registration goes through recognized Prüfstellen, and in some cities you may have to wait for available dates.

4. Gather proof of income and documents

The authority usually wants to see stable income and no dependence on social benefits that would block naturalization. For employees, that is most often an employment contract and recent payslips. For self-employed people, it means tax documents, Bescheid, Gewinnermittlung, and additional proof.

If the application is processed for a long time, the authority may later request fresh payslips, a new employment contract, an updated Mietbescheinigung, or updated certificates.

5. Submit the application

After submission, the authority begins checking your documents, identity, status, income, and security-related issues. In some cases, it may send requests to other authorities. If something is missing, it is better to respond quickly and keep copies of all correspondence.

6. Receive the decision and pay the fee

When the decision is positive, the authority informs you about the payment procedure and the date of the ceremony. Until the Einbürgerungsurkunde is handed over, the person has not yet become a German citizen.

7. Receive the Einbürgerungsurkunde

Citizenship is acquired when the naturalization certificate is handed over. After that, the previous Aufenthaltstitel is usually no longer needed. The authority may take the card back or explain what to do with it next.

8. Apply for a Personalausweis and Reisepass

After getting citizenship, you need to go to the Bürgeramt or passport office for a German Personalausweis and, if needed, a Reisepass. At this stage, you may again need the birth certificate, a translation, biometric photos, and proof of how your name is spelled.

Real case: the path in 2022-2023

The case below should be read as a historical example. It shows how many small steps can appear in the process, but it should not be treated as ready-made instructions for 2026.

The woman in the case moved to Germany in 2014, completed a master’s degree, worked at the university in Kaiserslautern, and started the naturalization process in 2022. At that time, the procedure for her was divided into three major stages:

Collecting and submitting documents for the guarantee of German citizenship.
Renouncing Russian citizenship.
Receiving the German citizenship certificate and German documents.

Stage 1: the German side

In June 2022, the applicant found the responsible naturalization officer on the Kaiserslautern city website and requested the list of documents. The authority sent a paper list to her home address.

In her case, the following were required:

a biometric photo;
a birth certificate with translation;
an international passport;
a Niederlassungserlaubnis;
proof of German language;
an Einbürgerungstest;
an employment contract;
recent payslips;
a tenancy agreement;
proof of health insurance;
the application.

Some documents were submitted as copies after prior clarification with the official. Because of the restrictions in force at the time, the package was handed in through the authority’s mailbox. In November 2022, the applicant received an Einbürgerungszusicherung, a guarantee of citizenship after proving renunciation of the previous citizenship.

What still applies from this today

The general lessons remain useful: find the responsible authority in advance, get the local list, clarify the format for copies, do not postpone the Einbürgerungstest, and keep all correspondence. But the guarantee itself, as a mandatory bridge to renunciation for most applicants, is no longer a normal central stage.

Einbürgerungstest: what matters

In the original case, the test became one of the first steps. That still makes sense now, because dates at popular Prüfstellen may be booked out for weeks or months.

Things worth keeping in mind:

the test is taken in person at a recognized center;
the format is 33 questions in 60 minutes;
the passing score is at least 17 correct answers;
you can practice the questions through the BAMF Online-Testcenter;
the certificate does not arrive immediately, so do not plan your application too tightly;
participation in the test costs 25 euros.

If you have a German school diploma, a Test Leben in Deutschland after an Integrationskurs, or medical grounds for an exemption, ask the authority whether you still need to take the Einbürgerungstest separately.

Historical stage: renouncing Russian citizenship

In the 2022-2023 case, the longest and most stressful block was connected with renouncing Russian citizenship. The applicant needed deregistration from residence in Russia, a power of attorney, a tax certificate, an apostille on the German guarantee, translations, a consular appointment, and time to wait for the decision.

For today’s reader, this matters for two reasons:

old articles and forums may describe this path as mandatory, even though after the reform German law no longer bases naturalization for most applicants on renouncing the previous citizenship;
if a person still wants or has to renounce citizenship because of their own country’s rules, that is a separate procedure with its own risks, timelines, and consular requirements.

Do not use old lists of consular documents without checking the website of the relevant authority. Even in the original case, requirements depended on the specific consulate, appointment availability, translations, and document validity.

Final stage in the case

After confirming renunciation of Russian citizenship, the applicant informed the German authority, submitted the translation of the certificate and fresh payslips, then received a letter with the positive decision, paid the 255 euro fee, and agreed on a date for receiving the Einbürgerungsurkunde.

In August 2023, she received the naturalization certificate. After that, she still had to apply separately for a German Personalausweis and Reisepass. At the last step, an unexpected problem arose with the translation of the birth certificate and the transliteration of her name under ISO-Norm 9. A new translation was submitted later, and after that the German documents were ordered.

The full path in this personal case took about 16 months: from June 2022 to receiving the German documents in October 2023.

Practical takeaways from the case

Start with the local authority: the requirements are federal, but the document list and submission method are often city-specific.
Take the Einbürgerungstest early, because the appointment and the certificate issue take time.
Make copies of all documents before handing over originals.
Keep letters, proof of payment, case numbers, and staff names.
Check translations of the birth certificate and name-change documents especially carefully.
If your documents contain different transliterations of the name, discuss this before ordering a German passport.
Do not plan urgent travel for a period when you may be in a transitional status or without a ready German document.
Use old instructions about renouncing previous citizenship only as historical experience, not as a current checklist.

Common mistakes

Relying on old residence periods

Older texts often mention 8 years or a reduction to 6 years for integration achievements. In 2026, the benchmark for standard entitlement to naturalization is five years, but specific exceptions and special cases must be checked separately.

Assuming that Niederlassungserlaubnis is always mandatory

Permanent residence often makes things easier, but it is not always the only suitable status. BAMF also refers to the Blue Card EU and some temporary Aufenthaltserlaubnisse if their purpose leads to long-term residence.

Submitting incomplete translations

If a German authority needs a foreign document, a full translation is often required, including stamps, apostille, and official notes. It is better to clarify in advance whether the authority accepts a specific translator and certification format.

Forgetting about the future passport

Naturalization and getting a passport are separate steps. After the Einbürgerungsurkunde, you need to order a Personalausweis and Reisepass separately. The Bürgeramt may have its own requirements for the birth certificate, name, and transliteration.

Assuming that dual citizenship solves everything

Germany may allow multiple citizenship, but the country of origin may require notification, limit public service, interpret military obligations differently, or have other consequences. You need to check that separately.

FAQ

Can you get German citizenship in 2026 without giving up Russian citizenship?

From the point of view of German naturalization, the former mandatory renunciation of previous citizenship is generally no longer a standard requirement. But the consequences under Russian law and your personal obligations need to be checked separately through official sources and, if necessary, with a lawyer.

After how many years can you apply?

The general benchmark is five years of lawful ordinary residence in Germany. Separate rules may apply to spouses of German citizens, children, and some special cases.

How much does the application cost?

The basic naturalization fee is 255 euros. For minor children who naturalize together with their parents, it is usually 51 euros.

Do you need to take the Einbürgerungstest?

Usually yes. Exceptions are possible, for example with a German school diploma or if a person cannot meet the requirement because of health, disability, or age. The decision depends on the documents and the authority.

Can you apply with a temporary residence permit?

Sometimes yes, if that Aufenthaltstitel by its purpose leads to long-term residence. Student and some temporary statuses may be unsuitable. Before collecting the full package, it is better to get written clarification from the authority.

Mini checklist before applying

Find your Einbürgerungsbehörde and the current list of documents.
Check whether you meet the residence period and whether your Aufenthaltstitel is suitable.
Prepare your passport, birth certificate, and family-status documents.
Check translations, apostilles, and the transliteration of your name.
Obtain or plan for B1 and the Einbürgerungstest.
Gather proof of income, housing, and insurance.
Clarify how the authority accepts the application: online, by post, in person, or by appointment.
Keep a copy of the full package and all correspondence.