German citizenship for spouses and partners
With a German spouse, 3 years of residence are enough once you have been married for 2 years. The calculator takes the later of the two dates.
You can apply from
now
The residence period has been met since January 2026.
| Deadline (s. 9 StAG: 3 years’ residence, 2 years’ marriage) | January 2026 |
| Length of residence | met |
| 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
If you are married to a German or in a registered partnership with one, section 9 of the Nationality Act says you should be naturalised after only 3 years of lawful habitual residence, provided the marriage has lasted at least 2 years. Both periods must be met at the same time, so the later date counts. Once the marriage has lasted 3 years, the residence period can be shortened further in the public interest. All the other section 10 conditions still apply: German at level B1, the citizenship test, a livelihood without basic income support, no significant conviction and the commitment to the basic order. If your partner is not German but is naturalising, section 10(2) lets you be naturalised together, even without your own 5 years. Someone who arrived in September 2021 and married a German in June 2025 reaches the goal sooner under section 10 than under section 9; the calculator picks the faster route by itself.
Two routes for couples
The law distinguishes between a partner who is already German and one who is naturalising. In the first case section 9 StAG applies, with shorter periods. In the second, section 10(2) StAG allows joint naturalisation: the spouse and minor children can be naturalised with the applicant even if they have not yet lived here for 5 years. The minimum the authorities then expect is set by administrative guidelines and local practice; ask before filing the joint application.
| Situation | Residence | Marriage | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Married to a German | 3 years | 2 years | Section 9(1) StAG |
| As above, longer marriage | can be shorter | 3 years | Section 9(1) StAG, public interest |
| Partner naturalising | no minimum of your own in the Act | none | Section 10(2) StAG |
| General route | 5 years | none | Section 10(1) StAG |
Three couples, run through the calculator
All three have B1, the test and their own income. The calculator checks both routes and returns the earlier one.
| Case | In Germany since | Married | Route | Period met from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | April 2023 | January 2023 | § 9 | April 2026 |
| B | April 2023 | February 2025 | § 9 | February 2027 |
| C | August 2021 | June 2025 | § 10 | August 2026 |
Case A married before arriving, so the three years of residence decide. Case B married after arriving, and the two years of marriage run longer than the three years of residence. Case C has lived here a long time: the five years under section 10 are met before the marriage is two years old.
Your month to apply as a spouse
You can apply from
now
| Deadline (s. 9 StAG: 3 years’ residence, 2 years’ marriage) | January 2026 |
| Length of residence | met |
| Residence title | met |
| Livelihood | met |
Your residence permit until then
Until you naturalise, you live here on a family reunification permit. Under section 28 of the Residence Act you normally get a settlement permit after 3 years if the family unit continues and you have German at B1. You do not need it to naturalise, since the family permit is not an excluded title. If you are aiming for citizenship anyway, you can skip the settlement permit; compare on settlement permit.
Registered partnerships and marriages abroad
Section 9 names spouses and registered partners side by side, and the same periods apply to same-sex couples. A marriage concluded abroad must be valid in Germany. Usually the foreign marriage certificate with a translation and, depending on the country, a legalisation or apostille is enough; if in doubt, the registry office checks recognition.
Under section 9 the authority checks that the marriage is genuine; a shared registered address and joint paperwork help. Children of the marriage are often German from birth; see citizenship for children.