Since 27 June 2024, German citizenship has been granted after five years of lawful residence instead of the previous eight, and you no longer need to give up your previous passport. This is the biggest overhaul of citizenship law in twenty years.
But it was followed by a counter-amendment: from 30 October 2025 the three-year fast-track route has been abolished. Below is what is currently in effect in October 2026, with references to legal norms.
Contents
How to get German citizenship: five steps
Conditions for naturalisation under Section 10 of the StAG
Other ways to become a German citizen
Route 1: Birth in Germany — § 4 Abs. 3 StAG
Route 2: Marriage to a German citizen — § 9 StAG
Route 3. Through your own business in Germany
Route 5: The Blue Card as a short cut to permanent residence
What has changed in the citizenship law in 2024 and 2025
The Citizenship Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, StAG) was rewritten twice in two years, and in opposite directions at that. Anyone who read the 2023 articles read about eight years and renouncing their previous passport; anyone who read the articles from early 2025 read about expedited naturalisation in three years. Neither of those is currently in force.
| What | Before 27 June 2024 | From 27 June 2024 | From 30 October 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length of stay | 8 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| Fast track | 7 years with an integration course | 3 years for C1 and exceptional merit | abolished |
| Previous citizenship | as a rule, renunciation required | renunciation not required | renunciation not required |
| Born in Germany | a parent had lived in Germany for 8 years | a parent had lived in Germany for 5 years | a parent had lived in Germany for 5 years |
Dual citizenship is now the norm, rather than the exception. The wording from the Federal Office of Administration is direct: obtaining German citizenship “no longer requires giving up your previous one”. This applies to all countries, not just the EU and Switzerland as before.
The three-year route is closed for good. The sixth amendment to the StAG was adopted by the Bundestag on 8 October 2025 and entered into force on 30 October. Section 10(3) StAG, which set out this route, is now marked “weggefallen” (repealed). There are no transitional rules: applications submitted before this date and not yet decided are now assessed under the five-year rule.
What has not changed: a B1 language level, a country knowledge test, the requirement to support yourself and your family, and no serious criminal record.
How to get German citizenship: five steps
- To live legally in Germany for five years. What counts is “rechtmäßiger gewöhnlicher Aufenthalt” — lawful habitual residence. Time spent studying on a student visa counts; time on a tourist visa does not. If you are coming to work, the first step is covered in our guide to work visas for Germany.
- Pass the B1 language exam and the “Leben in Deutschland” (Life in Germany) test: There are 33 questions; you must answer at least 17 correctly, and you have 60 minutes to complete the test.
- Gather the documents and submit your application to the local citizenship department (Einbürgerungsbehörde) of your place of residence. This is not the same as the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde): in many cities, these are separate departments.
- Wait for the decision and pay the fee — €255 per adult.
- Get your Einbürgerungsurkunde (naturalisation certificate). You only become a citizen once it has been handed to you; your passport is then issued on the basis of this document.
It is no longer necessary to renounce your previous citizenship at the fourth step — this clause disappeared from the procedure on 27 June 2024. If anyone tells you otherwise, the source is out of date.
Conditions for naturalisation under Section 10 of the StAG
The main route is naturalisation under section 10 of the StAG. The authority checks seven conditions, all of which must be met simultaneously.
- Five years of lawful habitual residence in Germany at the time of application.
- Valid residence permit or right of residence. Not every permit counts: by its purpose, it must be able to lead to permanent residence. Permits for study and under Section 24 (temporary protection) do not qualify, nor does a visa issued for a limited purpose – for example, for the duration of medical treatment.
- German at B1 level orally and in writing. Goethe-Zertifikat, telc, DTZ and other recognised certificates are accepted.
- Civic test – “Leben in Deutschland”, 33 questions, at least 17 correct.
- Self-sufficiency for yourself and your family without Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support, called Bürgergeld until 1 July 2026) or social assistance. This condition became stricter after the reform: previously it could be bypassed in individual cases, but now the exceptions are narrow.
- No serious criminal record. Minor fines don’t get in the way, but convictions above a certain threshold do.
- Written recognition of the free democratic order of the Basic Law. Since 2024, the declaration has included a separate clause: antisemitic, racist and other inhumane acts are incompatible with citizenship.
From the age of 16, you can submit the application yourself. Younger children are included in their parents’ application.
It is also worth bearing in mind: a degree obtained abroad is not needed in itself for naturalisation — but it is required to work in your field and thus fulfil the condition regarding your own income. How this works is explained in the article about recognition of a degree in Germany.
Other ways to become a German citizen
Citizenship is almost always the end of a long chain, rather than a separate procedure. First a visa, then a temporary residence permit (often permanent residence as well, although it is not required for citizenship), and only then naturalisation. The routes differ in where you start:
- birth in Germany — Section 4(3) of the Nationality Act (StAG);
- marriage to a German citizen — § 9 StAG, reduced period;
- own business — Section 21 of the Residence Act (AufenthG);
- family reunion — §§ 27–36 Residence Act;
- employment — a standard work visa or Blue Card;
- asylum - under the asylum law;
- German roots — late repatriate status.
It is also worth mentioning the Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card): it doesn’t lead directly to citizenship, but it allows you to come over and look for work locally, and employment itself starts the clock. For those over 45, it is important to check the 45+ salary threshold rule in advance — it can derail the switch from the Opportunity Card to a work residence permit.
Route 1: Birth in Germany — § 4 Abs. 3 StAG
A child acquires German citizenship by birth if:
- at least one parent is a German citizen; the place of birth is irrelevant in this case;
- child adopted by German citizens;
- child found on the territory of Germany and his parents are unknown;
- child born in Germany to foreign parents, and at least one of the parents at the time of birth had been living lawfully in Germany for five years and had a permanent right of residence — section 4(3) of the Nationality Act (StAG).
🔴 The final point is the most common place where articles lie. Until 27 June 2024, a parent needed eight years of residence. Now it is five. The wording of the law: “seit fünf Jahren rechtmäßig seinen gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt im Inland” (has been lawfully and habitually resident in Germany for five years).
From birth, such a child holds both citizenships — German and that of their parents. The previous “option model”, under which one of the two had to be chosen at the age of 21, was abolished with the reform.
Route 2: Marriage to a German citizen — § 9 StAG
For the spouse or registered partner of a German citizen, Section 9 of the Nationality Act (StAG) applies, and the timeframes there are shorter than the general ones:
- three years of lawful habitual residence in Germany;
- two years married or in a registered partnership at the time of application.
Both conditions apply simultaneously rather than consecutively: that is, if you arrived and got married a year later, the right to submit an application will arise three years after your arrival, when the marriage is already two years old.
All other requirements of § 10 para. 1 remain: language B1, test, own income, no serious criminal convictions, recognition of the Basic Law.
🔴 Renunciation of previous citizenship is also no longer required here — older articles still mention it out of habit, but the rule was abolished on 27 June 2024.
The spouse’s minor children can be included in the same application, even if they have not yet lived in the country for three years.
About a marriage of convenience. Authorities check such unions thoroughly — cohabitation, shared household duties, and the partners’ knowledge of each other’s circumstances. Proven sham status means the revocation of the residence permit and deportation, and for both parties, criminal liability.
Route 3. Through your own business in Germany
Residence permits for the self-employed and entrepreneurs are issued under § 21 of the Residence Act (AufenthG). The authorities do not look at the amount in your account, but at the business plan: whether there is an economic interest or regional need, whether financing is secured, and whether you have the experience and qualifications for the business.
Permanent residence after three years, if the business is operational and supports you: § 21 para. 4 AufenthG. This is faster than the general five years under § 9 AufenthG, but skilled workers in employment get permanent residence after the same period (§ 18c para. 1 AufenthG).
🔴 Citizenship after three years of permanent residency does not happen automatically. The period for naturalisation is calculated in accordance with Section 10 of the Nationality Act (StAG) and is five years of lawful residence — regardless of how quickly you obtained permanent residency. Fast-track permanent residency provides status stability, not a shortened path to a passport.
If you are over 45 years old, § 21(3) adds a separate condition: you need to prove sufficient pension provision. The law does not specify an amount; the authority decides — see our article on the rule 45+.
Family members of the entrepreneur obtain a residence permit via family reunification and follow the general rules towards citizenship.
Route 4. Family Reunification
Family reunification (§§ 27–36 AufenthG) does not grant citizenship, but a residence permit — and it is this that starts the five-year countdown to naturalisation.
Key point: these are not just any relatives. The right to reunification applies to a spouse, minor children, and the parents of a minor child. Adult siblings, aunts, uncles, and adult children only move in exceptional cases — under § 36 Abs. 2, in cases of “außergewöhnliche Härte”, meaning a situation of exceptional hardship.
What the department is checking:
- adequate living space for all family members;
- livelihood security without social assistance;
- basic German (A1) for the relocating spouse — with a number of exceptions, including for spouses of Blue Card holders;
- valid residence status of sufficient duration held by the family member you are joining.
Next, the relocated person proceeds towards citizenship under the general rules of § 10 StAG — five years, B1 language level, the test and an independent income. There is only one exception: the spouse of a German citizen, for whom § 9 StAG applies with a period of three years.
Route 5: The Blue Card as a short cut to permanent residence
The EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU, Section 18g of the Residence Act) is not citizenship, but a work residence permit. However, for those planning to stay permanently, it is the shortest route: it leads to permanent residency faster than any other. For naturalisation, though, permanent residency is not required: under Section 10(1) of the Nationality Act (StAG), the Blue Card itself is sufficient.
Conditions in 2026:
- University degree recognised in Germany; for IT specialists, instead of a degree — three years of relevant experience in the last seven;
- employment contract with a German employer in your specialism, for a minimum of six months;
- salary from €50,700 a year (€4.225 per month), and for shortage occupations and graduates of the last three years – from €45,934.20 (€3,827.85 per month).
Permanent residency via EU Blue Card – after 21 months with a German level of B1, or after 27 months with A1. For comparison: under a standard skilled worker visa, this takes three years (Section 18c(1) AufenthG), and under the general rule in Section 9 AufenthG, five years. After that, the five years of residence required for citizenship start ticking—and the time spent on the Blue Card counts towards them.
The thresholds are tied to the pension insurance contribution limit and are reviewed every January, so the figures in articles become outdated within a year. A detailed analysis can be found in the article EU Blue Card in Germany, and the list of required documents is in the article about work visas.
Route 6. Asylum and refugee status
Recognised refugee or asylum status gives a foreigner the right to a residence permit, freedom of movement, social assistance and other guarantees. The procedure for granting asylum or refugee status is set out in the German Asylum Act. Later, the holder of the residence permit can receive it on a permanent basis, and citizenship is obtained under the general rules for naturalisation (Section 10 StAG). Importantly, any breaches of the law reduce your chances of obtaining a German passport.
Route 7. Late repatriates
To obtain German citizenship through ethnic roots, a foreigner receives the status of “late repatriate”.
The applicant must:
— provide documentary proof of German ethnic origin;
— have a sufficient command of German;
— have no convictions for serious criminal offences;
— not have held a post in the USSR that was important for maintaining the communist regime (full-time CPSU party official, KGB officer, career army or police officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel or above, judge, prosecutor, diplomat and the like), and not have lived in the same household (häusliche Gemeinschaft) with such a person for three years or more while they held that post.
Family members included in the admission notice (Aufnahmebescheid) also receive a German passport: the spouse of the late repatriate, if the marriage has lasted at least 3 years, and his or her descendants. Spouses of descendants travel with the family but do not receive German status: they need an ordinary residence permit.
How much does it cost and how long will it take?
| Expense item | How much |
|---|---|
| Naturalisation fee, adult | 255 € |
| A child included in the parents’ application | 51 € |
| Minors applying independently from the age of 16 | as an adult, €255 |
| “Leben in Deutschland” test | around €25 |
| B1 Language Exam | it depends on the organiser; in Berlin via the Volkshochschule (adult education centre) it’s €75 |
In total, the cost per adult works out at approximately €350–400, if the language certificate has not yet been received. The department can offer payment by instalments to large families.
How long to wait. The law sets no single timeframe, and waiting times vary widely across the country: in some places a decision arrives within a few months, while in major cities the wait often exceeds a year. Asking your local authority about processing times in advance is wiser than relying on other people’s experiences online.
The fee is paid for processing, and not for the result: it is not refunded in the event of a refusal.
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