German citizenship requirements in 2026, after the 2024 reform and the 2025 correction
Vishwen Labs
To be naturalised in Germany by entitlement under § 10 of the Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz you need five years of lawful habitual residence, a permanent right of residence or a qualifying permit, a livelihood secured without social benefits as a rule, no relevant criminal convictions, German at level B1, knowledge of the legal and social order shown by the Einbürgerungstest or an equivalent, and a commitment to the free democratic order and to Germany's special historical responsibility. Dual citizenship has been allowed as the rule since 27 June 2024. The three-year route for special integration, introduced in 2024, was abolished on 30 October 2025.
Five years, and what happened to three
The Staatsangehörigkeitsmodernisierungsgesetz, in force since 27 June 2024, cut the residence requirement from eight years to five and added a three-year route for people with special integration achievements and C1 German. The three-year route lasted sixteen months. The Bundestag repealed it on 8 October 2025, by 450 votes to 134 with 2 abstentions, on the government's argument that lasting integration takes time; the amendment was published as BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256 and entered into force on 30 October 2025. Five years of lawful habitual residence is now the minimum for everyone under § 10, while spouses of Germans keep their own rule in § 9: three years of residence and two of marriage.
Residence status and livelihood
You need a permanent right of residence, a Niederlassungserlaubnis, or one of the residence permits § 10 lists as sufficient, such as the EU Blue Card or a permit for employment or family reasons; permits for study or temporary protection do not count. You must be able to support yourself and your dependants without Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe, with the 2024 exceptions for the Gastarbeiter generation and for people who have worked full time for 20 of the last 24 months and their families. The naturalisation office reads your income, your tenancy and your insurance, so gather the documents before you apply.
Conduct, language and knowledge
No conviction above the thresholds in § 12a StAG, broadly fines above 90 daily rates or suspended sentences above three months, and nothing at all for antisemitic, racist or otherwise inhuman offences, which the 2024 law names as a bar. German at level B1 of the European framework, shown with a certificate such as the Zertifikat Deutsch or the DTZ at B1, or a German school qualification. And knowledge of the legal and social order and of living conditions in Germany, shown by the Einbürgerungstest, a German school certificate or degree, or a Leben in Deutschland result of 17 or more. The who-has-to-take guide covers the exemptions.
The commitment, and what it now includes
Every applicant declares a commitment to the free democratic order of the Grundgesetz and confirms that they do not pursue anything against it. Since 2024 the declaration also covers Germany's special historical responsibility for the National Socialist injustice and its consequences, in particular the protection of Jewish life, and the peaceful coexistence of peoples. The declaration has teeth: a false one can void the naturalisation later, and conduct that contradicts it, antisemitic or racist acts above all, excludes an applicant regardless of the other requirements.
Dual citizenship, fees and the process
Since 27 June 2024 Germany no longer asks applicants to give up their previous citizenship; multiple citizenship is the rule, and the 2025 amendment left that untouched. Whether your country of origin allows you to keep its citizenship is its law. The naturalisation fee is as a rule 255 euros per adult and 51 euros for a minor child naturalised with a parent, separate from the 25 euro test fee. You apply at the Einbürgerungsbehörde of your city or Kreis, not at BAMF, and processing times vary from months to well over a year depending on the office.
Einbürgerungstest bestehen is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) or any other German authority. The test questions are BAMF's published Gesamtfragenkatalog, which anyone may practise free at BAMF's Online-Testcenter; the app's lessons, explanations and translations are its own.
Questions people also ask
Can I keep my old citizenship when I become German?
Yes. Since 27 June 2024 Germany accepts multiple citizenship as the rule, and the 2025 amendment did not change that. Whether your country of origin lets you keep its citizenship when you take another is its own law.
Is naturalisation after three years still possible in Germany?
Not under § 10. The Bundestag repealed the three-year route for special integration on 8 October 2025 and the change took effect on 30 October 2025 (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256). Five years is the minimum for everyone under § 10; spouses of German citizens keep their separate rule under § 9, three years of residence and two of marriage.
