Tips for attaining your German citizenship faster

April 27 at 7:00 AM  · 

Before becoming naturalized Germans, people must typically reside in Germany for at least eight years; but, in exceptional circumstances, this requirement may be reduced to seven, six, or even three years. What you need to know about expediting your citizenship application is provided here.

Applying after three years

Simply put, marrying a German citizen is one of the simplest methods to obtain fast-track citizenship. In this situation, you only need three years of authorized residency to submit an application for citizenship.

The other general requirements of citizenship, such as language proficiency and the capacity to pass a citizenship test, also apply. You and your spouse must have been married or in a registered partnership for at least two years at the time of your application.

Applying after five years

This one only applies to a small group of people but is nonetheless worth mentioning: stateless children who are born in Germany can get citizenship after just five years.

This might include the children of refugees or people in exile who have been stripped of their previous citizenship. As a rule, the application has to be submitted before the child’s 21st birthday and they shouldn’t have been involved in any criminal activities that could result in more than five years imprisonment.

Applying after six years

Two groups of people can apply for German citizenship after six years: refugees and the “specially integrated”.

The first group includes asylum seekers, refugees and stateless adults who have lived in Germany legally for at least six years – including the period of time spent waiting for a decision on their asylum application. The other benefit that this group of people have is that Germany generally permits dual nationality for refugees. Though the Interior Ministry is currently working on changing this rule for everyone, currently dual nationality is only allowed in Germany in exceptional circumstances or for EU citizens.

For the second group, the criteria can be slightly confusing: what exactly counts as proof of being exceptionally integrated?

Well, the most simple answer is language skills. While most applicants for citizenship are expected to have at least B1 German, if you can pass a B2 language test you will generally be eligible to apply for fast-tracked citizenship after six years.

If your language skills aren’t quite up to scratch, all is not lost. There are other options for proving exceptional integration, which can include holding a masters degree or doctorate from a German university, having completed vocational training in the country (Ausbildung) or showcasing high professional and/or academic achievements.

Officials can also take into account “a special commitment to Germany” in an application for citizenship after six years. While this might sound a bit vague, it generally means a prolonged period of voluntary work in a charity or other non-profit organisation.

Different federal states can also have their own specific criteria, so if you think you might be eligible for citizenship and have been here for six years (or nearly six), the best thing to do is to seek out the advice of your local Einbürgerungsbehörde (Citizenship Office).

Applying after seven years

People who want to shave a year off the required residency for citizenship can reduce it from eight to seven by completing an integration course.

These special courses for foreigners are designed not only to take your language skills up to the B1 level required for citizenship, but also to give you a full grounding in German everyday life, laws and culture.

In some cases, you may be eligible to take an integration course for free or have it funded by an employer.