You can apply for naturalization if you are married to a German citizen or are in a registered civil partnership with one. Upon naturalization, you will obtain German citizenship and become a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany with equal rights, enjoying all the rights and obligations of a German citizen.

Among other things, you can exercise your right to vote, enjoy freedom of movement within Europe, and travel to many countries outside of Europe.

Foreign nationals may be naturalized under simplified conditions if you are married to a German citizen or live in a (registered) civil partnership with one.

Provided you meet the requirements, you are generally entitled to acquire German citizenship.

This means you must have been legally residing in Germany for three years, and the marriage to the German citizen must have been validly contracted under German law and must have existed for two years at the time of naturalization. During this period, the German spouse must have been a German citizen or a person with “Statusdeutscher” status.

Your identity and citizenship have been verified, and you have legal capacity or are legally represented.

As a general rule, you have legal capacity if you have reached the age of 16.

You hold a residence status that qualifies you for naturalization. You are able to provide for your own livelihood and that of your dependents without relying on public benefits. This also includes adequate coverage for illness, long-term care, occupational disability, and old age. You own a home or have housing in Germany. You do not have a (significant) criminal record. You have sufficient knowledge of the German language and civic education. Your integration into German society is assured; that is, you are not married to more than one spouse at the same time.

You are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law; that is, you do not support—nor have you ever supported—any anti-constitutional activities, unless you have credibly renounced any previous persecution or support.

Furthermore, you are committed to Germany’s special historical responsibility for the Nazi regime of injustice and its consequences—in particular, the protection of Jewish life—as well as to the peaceful coexistence of peoples and the prohibition of waging wars of aggression.

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

• Application for Naturalization
• Passport
• Residence Permit
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• If applicable, divorce decree from a previous marriage
• Proof of the spouse’s German citizenship (passport, ID card, extended registration information, naturalization certificate, and others)
• Proof of language proficiency (e.g., B1 certificate)
• “Life in Germany” certificate/naturalization test
• Pension insurance history
• Employment contract
• Last three pay stubs
• For self-employed individuals:

• Current income tax assessment
• Informal statement from a tax advisor regarding net income for the last three months or a business analysis
• Proof of health insurance coverage
• Proof of retirement savings

Additional documents may be required depending on the individual case.

When submitting foreign documents, please refer to the information on the Federal Foreign Office’s website (www.auswaertiges-amt.de) under the heading “International Document Exchange.”

You must submit foreign certificates or documents along with a translation by a certified translator.

You can find a list of certified translators on the following website:

www.justiz-dolmetscher.de/suche.jsp

The translation must be permanently attached to a copy of the document and sealed.

• Fee: 255.00 EUR

The processing time depends on the specific case.