Naturalisation fees and timeline (2026)

The fees are set by federal law (§ 38 StAG) and are the same in every state:

• Naturalisation: €255 per adult
• Minor child naturalised together with a parent: €51, if the child has no income of its own (a minor naturalised alone pays €255)
• Application withdrawn or refused after processing has started: €25, up to the full fee
• Einbürgerungstest: €25 per attempt, paid to the test centre

The authority can reduce or waive the fee for reasons of fairness (Billigkeit) or public interest, for example on a low income or with several children. Ask before you apply; a reduction is not automatic. Some groups, such as descendants of people persecuted by the Nazi regime who apply under Article 116(2) of the Grundgesetz or § 15 StAG, pay no fee.

• B1 language certificate: if you are not in an integration course, a standalone B1 exam (for example telc, Goethe or ÖSD) is paid privately; prices are set by each exam centre
• Integration course participants: the DTZ and the Leben in Deutschland test are part of the course
• Certified translations of foreign documents (birth and marriage certificates, divorce decrees), and apostilles or legalisation where required
• New documents from your home country, if yours are expired or missing
• After naturalisation: a German ID card (Personalausweis) and/or passport from your Bürgeramt, with their own fees

Budget roughly the official fees plus a few hundred euros for language, translation and document costs, depending on your situation.

• Pass a B1 German exam, unless you already have accepted proof
• Pass the Einbürgerungstest (or Leben in Deutschland with 17+ points). Test dates in big cities can be booked out for weeks, and the BAMF certificate can take several weeks to arrive
• Collect documents: passport, residence permit, registration certificate, civil status documents, proof of income and pension contributions

Many people lose the most time waiting for test results and translations, so start these early.

You apply to your local Einbürgerungsbehörde, increasingly online. Processing times are not set by law and vary a lot between authorities. Since the 2024 reform, applications rose sharply, and in many large cities waiting times of a year or more have been reported. Smaller authorities can be much faster.

If an authority has not decided after three months without a sufficient reason, administrative law allows an action for failure to act (Untätigkeitsklage, § 75 VwGO). Courts take heavy workloads into account, so get advice before going down this route.

When everything is approved, you are invited to receive your naturalisation certificate (Einbürgerungsurkunde). You make a solemn declaration to respect the Grundgesetz and the laws of Germany, and you become German the moment the certificate is handed to you. Many cities hold ceremonies.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Your Einbürgerungsbehörde can give you the current fees, document list and waiting times for your area.