After a few years of building a life in Germany, many of us start to think about the next step: becoming a German citizen. It means a German passport, the right to vote, and the security of knowing you can never be asked to leave.
The rules changed in 2024, and changed again in 2025, so a lot of the advice online is out of date. Here is where things stand.
What Has Changed
- Dual citizenship is allowed. Since June 2024, you generally do not have to give up your Ghanaian, Nigerian or other citizenship to become German. Check with your home country’s own rules too, as some countries have their own conditions.
- Five years is the standard. The usual residence requirement is five years, down from eight before 2024.
- The three-year “fast track” is gone. A rule that allowed naturalisation after three years for exceptional integration was abolished in October 2025. Do not rely on older articles that mention it.
The Main Requirements
- Residence: usually five years of habitual, lawful residence in Germany.
- German language: level B1.
- Naturalisation test: proof of knowledge of the legal and social order (see below).
- Supporting yourself: you and your dependent family members must be able to live without citizen’s allowance (Bürgergeld) or other social benefits.
- Commitment to the constitution: you declare loyalty to Germany’s free democratic basic order.
- A clean record: no serious criminal convictions.
- A secure residence status: usually a permanent or long-term residence permit. See our guide to permanent residence in Germany.
The Naturalisation Test (Einbürgerungstest)
The test has 33 multiple-choice questions: 30 general questions on democracy, history and responsibility, and society, plus 3 questions about the federal state where you live. You need at least 17 correct answers to pass. The test itself costs about 25 euros.
The full list of possible questions is public, so you can practise with the official catalogue before the exam. Many adult education centres (Volkshochschulen) offer test preparation, and some people also take it as part of an integration course.
What Does It Cost?
The naturalisation fee is 255 euros per adult. Children naturalised together with their parents pay 51 euros. In some cases the fee can be reduced or paid in instalments. On top of that, budget for the test fee, language certificates and document translations.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Count your years and check you meet the requirements.
- Prove your German at B1 with a recognised certificate, if you do not already have one.
- Pass the naturalisation test and keep the certificate.
- Gather your documents: passport, birth certificate, residence permit, proof of income and health insurance, rental contract and registration. Foreign documents may need translations.
- Get advice, then apply at your local naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde), often part of the city’s immigration or citizenship office. Many cities have online application portals.
- Wait for the decision. Processing times vary widely, from a few months to well over a year in busy cities.
- Receive your naturalisation certificate at a short ceremony, then apply for your German passport and ID card.
What About My Children?
Children can often be naturalised along with their parents. Children born in Germany may become German at birth if a parent has lived here lawfully for long enough. The rules depend on the parents’ status, so ask your office. Once your family is settled, remember Kindergeld and other benefits continue to apply as they do now.
Common Mistakes
- Trusting old articles. Rules changed in 2024 and 2025. Always check an official source.
- Relying on benefits. Receiving Bürgergeld can block your application.
- Not planning for your home country’s rules. Check whether your original citizenship is affected.
- Applying with incomplete documents. This is the most common cause of delay.
- Skipping test practice. The questions are fair but specific, so practise with the official catalogue.
Your Next Steps
Work out your five-year date, book your language exam if you need it and start practising the test questions. Our checklist helps you keep your documents in order from the start.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Citizenship law changes, and your situation may differ, so always confirm with your local naturalisation authority or a qualified immigration lawyer.