Apply for German citizenship in Germany

Since the June 2024 reform you can apply for German citizenship (Einbürgerung) in Germany after five years of legal residence, and Germany now allows dual citizenship — though your home country may not (China and India, for example, don't). You apply at your city's Einbürgerungsbehörde, usually with a B1 certificate and the naturalisation test. The three-year fast track for exceptional integration was abolished on 30 October 2025.

⏱️Fee ~€255. Processing commonly takes several months to over a year, depending on the city's backlog.

Good to know — wherever you live

• ✓The 2024 reform cut the standard residence requirement to five years and allows multiple citizenship. The three-year fast track for exceptional integration was scrapped on 30 October 2025; other routes, such as for spouses of German citizens, have their own conditions.
• ✓You'll normally need B1 German (sometimes higher) and to pass the Einbürgerungstest — 33 multiple-choice questions on German society and law; official practice questions are free online.
• ✓You must show you can support yourself without regular state benefits, and have no serious criminal record.
• ✓Demand since the reform has created long queues in big cities like your city — submit a complete file, keep copies of everything, and expect to wait.
• ✓Children and spouses can often be naturalised alongside the main applicant — ask the Einbürgerungsbehörde about joint applications.