German Citizenship 2026: Requirements and Deadlines
As a rule, you need 5 years of lawful habitual residence in Germany. If you are married to a German citizen, 3 years can be enough under certain conditions. Since 30 October 2025, the shortcut for special integration achievements no longer exists.
Key Takeaways
- Standard rule: 5 years of lawful habitual residence (§ 10 StAG). The former shortcut to 3 years for special integration achievements no longer exists.
- Spouses and registered civil partners of German citizens: 3 years of residence if the marriage or civil partnership has existed for 2 years (§ 9 StAG).
- Dual citizenship remains available. Since 27 June 2024, you no longer have to give up your previous nationality.
- The fee is 255 euros per person, and 51 euros for a minor child naturalised at the same time without their own income (§ 38 StAG).
German citizenship: which residence period applies to whom?
As a rule, the Nationality Act requires 5 years of lawful habitual residence. Spouses and registered civil partners of German citizens are, as a rule, to be naturalised after 3 years if the marriage or civil partnership has existed for 2 years. The shortcut for special integration achievements was abolished on 30 October 2025.
| Path | Residence in Germany | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Standard case (entitlement to naturalisation) | Residence in Germany: 5 years of lawful habitual residence | Legal basis: § 10 Abs. 1 StAG |
| Spouses or registered civil partners of German citizens | Residence in Germany: 3 years, marriage or civil partnership for 2 years | Legal basis: § 9 Abs. 1 StAG |
| Spouses and minor children naturalised at the same time | Residence in Germany: also possible before 5 years have passed | Legal basis: § 10 Abs. 2 StAG |
| Special integration achievements (previously 3 years) | Residence in Germany: abolished on 30 October 2025 | Legal basis: § 10 Abs. 3 StAG (repealed) |
As of September 2026. Source: §§ 9 and 10 StAG.
German citizenship: what changed on 30 October 2025
The Bundestag passed the Sixth Act Amending the Nationality Act on 8 October 2025 in a roll-call vote by 450 to 134 votes. It has applied since 30 October 2025.
- § 10 Abs. 3 StAG was repealed, meaning naturalisation after 3 years for special integration achievements such as German at C1 level or voluntary work.
- The standard 5 years from the 2024 reform and the permitted dual citizenship remain unchanged.
- § 9 StAG for spouses and registered civil partners of German citizens also remains unchanged.
Requirements for German citizenship
For naturalisation under § 10 StAG you generally need, among other things, 5 years of lawful residence, a suitable residence permit, a secured livelihood, German at B1 level, a passed naturalisation test, a clean criminal record and a commitment to the free democratic basic order. The law makes exceptions for some of these, and your naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde) checks the details.
- Residence
- 5 years of lawful habitual residence. Spouses of German citizens fall under the separate 3-year rule in § 9 StAG
- Residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel)
- an indefinite right of residence, an EU Blue Card or another residence title that does not belong to the residence purposes excluded under § 10 Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 StAG
- Livelihood
- for yourself and dependent family members without benefits under SGB II or SGB XII. Exceptions apply, among other cases, if you work full-time and have done so for at least 20 months within the last 24 months
- German language skills
- level B1 (§ 10 Abs. 4 StAG)
- Naturalisation test
- 33 questions, at least 17 correct (Einbürgerungstestverordnung)
- Clean criminal record
- no conviction for a criminal offence. Fines of up to 90 daily rates and prison sentences of up to 3 months that were suspended on probation and remitted are disregarded, and several convictions are added together. This does not apply to antisemitic, racist or other inhumane acts (§ 12a StAG)
- Commitment
- to the free democratic basic order and to the special historical responsibility of Germany (§ 10 Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 1 and 1a StAG)
If the naturalisation authority finds that someone used deceit or knowingly gave incorrect or incomplete information on essential requirements during the procedure, naturalisation is excluded for ten years (§ 35a StAG).
A special rule applies to the so-called guest worker generation: anyone who entered the Federal Republic on the basis of a recruitment agreement by 30 June 1974 or the GDR as a contract worker by 13 June 1990 only needs oral German skills and no naturalisation test. This also applies to spouses who joined them around the same time (§ 10 Abs. 4 and 6 StAG).
German citizenship after 3 years: spouses and children
§ 9 StAG sets a 3-year period for spouses and registered civil partners of German citizens. As a rule, they are to be naturalised if they have had their lawful habitual residence in Germany for 3 years and the marriage or civil partnership has existed for 2 years. The other requirements under § 10 Abs. 1 StAG also apply here, such as German at B1 level and the naturalisation test.
Minor children of these spouses can be naturalised at the same time, even if they have not yet lived here for 3 years. If you submit an application under § 10 StAG yourself, your spouse and minor children can also be naturalised at the same time before they have been in Germany for 5 years (§ 10 Abs. 2 StAG).
How the naturalisation process works
Naturalisation takes four steps: you gather the documents, submit the application to the responsible naturalisation authority, wait for it to be processed and then receive the decision.
Gather documents
Passport, residence permit, B1 language certificate, naturalisation test certificate, proof of income, tenancy agreement and registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung). Your naturalisation authority can request further documents depending on the individual case.
Submit application
You submit the application to the naturalisation authority responsible for your place of residence.
Processing
The law does not prescribe a fixed processing time; it varies from authority to authority. Ask about the current status when submitting your application.
Decision
If your application is approved, you receive the naturalisation certificate and can then apply for a German passport. In the event of a refusal, the notice will state which legal remedy applies.
Citizenship application refused: objection or lawsuit?
A refusal notice contains a notice of appeal rights (Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung). It states whether you lodge an objection (Widerspruch) or file a lawsuit directly with the administrative court (Verwaltungsgericht), with which body and within what deadline. The one-month deadline only starts if you were informed in writing or electronically. If the instruction is missing or wrong, a one-year deadline generally applies under § 58 Abs. 2 VwGO.
Whether there is an objection procedure prior to a lawsuit is governed by the respective federal state. In Bavaria, for example, the objection procedure is generally omitted in such cases (Art. 12 Abs. 2 AGVwGO); there, the matter goes directly to the administrative court. An objection must be lodged within one month of the notice being issued to you (§ 70 VwGO). Where a lawsuit is the direct remedy, it must be filed within one month of the notice; after an objection procedure, within one month of service of the objection decision (§ 74 VwGO).
This page does not replace legal advice. If you are unsure, have the notice reviewed by an advice centre or a lawyer before the deadline expires.
EU Blue Card and citizenship
The EU Blue Card is a residence permit for highly qualified workers from countries outside the EU. It also counts as an eligible residence permit for citizenship (§ 10 Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 StAG).
- Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 27 months with basic German language skills (level A1) or after 21 months with sufficient German language skills (level B1), if the further requirements of § 18c Abs. 2 AufenthG are met
The minimum salary thresholds for the EU Blue Card are set anew each year (§ 18g AufenthG).
Important: check your current nationality
Germany allows dual citizenship. Whether your country of origin accepts it too, and what happens to your current nationality, depends on that country's own law. Ask the diplomatic mission of your country of origin before you apply.
Frequently asked questions about German citizenship
How long do I have to live in Germany to become a citizen in 2026?
As a rule, 5 years of lawful habitual residence (§ 10 Abs. 1 StAG). Spouses and registered civil partners of German citizens are, as a rule, to be naturalised after 3 years of lawful habitual residence if the marriage or civil partnership has existed for 2 years (§ 9 StAG). Spouses and minor children can be naturalised at the same time, even if they have not yet lived here for 5 years (§ 10 Abs. 2 StAG).
Does citizenship after 3 years still exist?
The shortcut to 3 years for special integration achievements such as German at C1 level was abolished on 30 October 2025. § 9 StAG still sets a 3-year period for spouses and registered civil partners of German citizens. Spouses and minor children naturalised together with an applicant can also join before 5 years have passed (§ 10 Abs. 2 StAG).
Is dual citizenship allowed in 2026?
Yes. Since 27 June 2024, you no longer have to give up your previous nationality upon naturalisation, and the 2025 amendment did not change this. Whether your country of origin accepts multiple citizenship is a separate question that you should clarify with them.
What requirements do I have to meet for citizenship?
Under § 10 StAG you generally need 5 years of lawful habitual residence, an eligible residence permit, a secured livelihood for yourself and dependent family members without benefits under SGB II or SGB XII, German at B1 level, a passed naturalisation test, a clean record within the meaning of § 12a StAG, and a commitment to the free democratic basic order and to Germany's special historical responsibility. The law makes exceptions for some of these points.
Which criminal convictions prevent citizenship?
In principle, any conviction for a criminal offence. However, fines of up to 90 daily rates and prison sentences of up to 3 months that were suspended on probation and remitted are disregarded, with multiple penalties being counted together. This exception does not apply to antisemitic, racist or other inhumane acts (§ 12a StAG).
How much does citizenship cost in 2026?
The fee is 255 euros per person. For a minor child naturalised at the same time without their own income, it is 51 euros (§ 38 StAG). Participation in the naturalisation test costs 25 euros. The costs for the language certificate and certified translations depend on the provider.
What can I do if my citizenship application is refused?
Read the notice of appeal rights in the decision. Depending on the federal state, you lodge an objection within one month of the notice or file a lawsuit directly with the administrative court. If there was an objection procedure, the one-month deadline for a lawsuit runs from service of the objection decision (§ 70 and § 74 VwGO). In Bavaria, the objection procedure is generally not available.
Sources on citizenship
- § 9 StAG (spouses of German citizens)
- § 10 StAG (entitlement to naturalisation)
- § 12a StAG (criminal convictions)
- § 38 StAG (fees)
- § 18c AufenthG (settlement permit for skilled workers)
- § 74 VwGO (deadline for filing a lawsuit)
- Bundestag: roll-call vote 962 (8 October 2025)
- BAMF: naturalisation and naturalisation test
This page is an editorial overview and does not replace legal advice. The authoritative sources are the Nationality Act and information from your naturalisation authority.