German citizenship: check the requirements
Enter your residence title and the month you arrived: the calculator shows when the 5 years are met and which proofs are still missing.
Earliest application
January 2027
3 months to go, counted from October 2026.
| Deadline (s. 10 StAG: 5 years’ residence) | January 2027 |
| Length of residence | from January 2027 |
| Residence title | met |
| Livelihood | met |
| German B1 | met |
| Citizenship test | still to prove |
| Criminal record | met |
| Fee per person | €255 |
The authority also checks your declaration of commitment to the Basic Law and that your identity and nationality are clear. Naturalisation after three years no longer exists. An estimate from the law, not legal advice.
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · BAMF question catalogue of 7 May 2025 · laws checked on 22 October 2026
You are entitled to naturalise under section 10 of the Nationality Act (StAG) after 5 years of lawful habitual residence in Germany, provided you meet seven further conditions: a commitment to the free democratic basic order and to Germany’s historical responsibility, a qualifying residence title, a livelihood without basic income support or social assistance, no conviction beyond the limits of section 12a, German at level B1, a passed citizenship test and a clarified identity. Spouses of Germans can naturalise under section 9 after 3 years of residence and 2 years of marriage. The three-year route for exceptional integration was abolished on 30 October 2025. You no longer have to give up your previous nationality. Someone who arrived in September 2021 on a work permit, has B1 and the test and lives on their own income has been able to apply since September 2026.
The requirements at a glance
Section 10 StAG lists the conditions that must all be met for an entitlement. If one is missing, discretionary naturalisation under section 8 remains possible, with stricter standards. The table shows each condition and the proof authorities usually ask for.
| Requirement | What the law asks | Usual proof |
|---|---|---|
| Residence | 5 years, lawful and habitual | Registration certificate, permits of recent years |
| Residence title | permanent, or a temporary title not on the excluded list | Current residence permit |
| Livelihood | without SGB II or XII benefits, exceptions in no. 3 | Contract, payslips, tenancy agreement |
| Criminal record | no conviction beyond section 12a | The authority checks the register |
| German | level B1 | Language exam certificate |
| Citizenship test | knowledge of the legal and social order | BAMF certificate |
| Commitment | basic order and historical responsibility | Signed declaration at the authority |
| Identity | identity and nationality clarified | Passport, birth certificate |
Four cases, run through the calculator
The rows below come from the same calculator, as of October 2026. Each assumes B1, the test and an own income, so only the waiting period and the title matter.
| Case | In Germany since | Situation | Route | Apply from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | September 2021 | Work permit, not married to a German | § 10 | October 2026 |
| B | February 2023 | Work permit, not married to a German | § 10 | February 2028 |
| C | May 2023 | Married to a German since March 2024 | § 9 | October 2026 |
| D | April 2022 | Ban on deportation (s. 25(3) AufenthG) | § 10 | Title excludes |
Case B has only been in Germany since February 2023 and has 16 months to go. Everything else can be prepared meanwhile: the language certificate, the test and the documents. Case C is married to a German, so section 9 StAG applies: three years of residence and two years of marriage, both required, and the later of the two dates counts. Case D holds a permit based on a ban on deportation. That title is on the excluded list until it turns into a settlement permit; see settlement permit.
Your earliest month to apply
Earliest application
February 2028
| Deadline (s. 10 StAG: 5 years’ residence) | February 2028 |
| Length of residence | from February 2028 |
| Residence title | met |
| Livelihood | met |
Which residence titles are excluded
The law names the temporary titles that do not qualify. They include titles for study, vocational training, language courses and school, for seeking a study place or a job including the Opportunity Card, the ICT card for intra-company transfers, admission from abroad, hardship cases, temporary protection, the opportunity residence right and the permits under section 25(3) to (5) of the Residence Act, such as for a ban on deportation. People with asylum, refugee status or subsidiary protection under section 25(1) or (2) can naturalise. A Duldung or an asylum-seeker permit is not a residence title, so it does not meet the condition.
What changed with the reform
The 2024 reform cut the waiting period from eight to five years and dropped the requirement to give up your old nationality; see dual citizenship. It also introduced a three-year route for exceptional integration. That shortcut has since been scrapped; the Freising district office’s fact sheet gives 30 October 2025 as the cut-off. The reform also added an explicit commitment to Germany’s responsibility for the consequences of Nazi rule and to protecting Jewish life.
The fee is €255 per person and €51 for a child without income naturalised with a parent; naturalisation fees adds up the total for your family.