Naturalisation Check

For many people, naturalisation is the last big step after years of visas, residence permits and appointments at the immigration office. The rules changed twice in a short time: in June 2024 Germany cut the waiting time from 8 to 5 years and allowed dual citizenship. Since 30 October 2025 the fast route after 3 years has been removed again. No wonder a lot of outdated information is still around. The Naturalisation Check uses the law in force today and tells you openly where it relies on administrative rules instead of the law.

First comes time. You need 5 years of lawful residence in Germany. If you are married to a German citizen, 3 years of residence are often enough once the marriage has lasted 2 years (§ 9 StAG). The check calculates both routes and takes the earlier one. It also points out the pitfalls: time in the asylum procedure only counts after recognition, times with a Duldung do not count, and more than 6 months abroad in one go can interrupt the time (§ 12b StAG).

Then the residence title. Not every title opens the door: by law it does not work with a permit for study, training, a language course, job search, the opportunity card, temporary protection under § 24 (for example for people from Ukraine) and some humanitarian titles. It does work with a settlement permit, a Blue Card, a permit for work or family, as a recognised refugee and as an EU citizen. The check explains where to look on your card.

On money, what counts is that you live without Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support, formerly citizen's income) from the Jobcenter and without social assistance. Housing benefit, child benefit, parental allowance, unemployment benefit I or student aid are no problem. There are exceptions, for example if you have worked full time for at least 20 of the last 24 months and still need a top-up, and for the guest worker generation. For language you need German at level B1, for knowledge about Germany the naturalisation test with 33 questions, 17 of which must be correct. A German school certificate usually replaces both. People who cannot learn any more because of illness, disability or age get an exception.

On convictions the law is more precise than many think: fines of up to 90 daily rates and suspended sentences of up to 3 months are disregarded. That limit does not apply if a court found an antisemitic, racist or inhuman motive. Then there is the commitment to the Basic Law, which since 2024 explicitly names Germany's responsibility for the Nazi era, the protection of Jewish life and the ban on wars of aggression. Anyone who deceives during naturalisation has been barred for 10 years since December 2025.

The result is not a verdict but an honest estimate: every requirement with a traffic light, one sentence and the section of the law. If your date lies in the future, you add it to the deadline tracker with one click. You also get the fees (255 euros for adults, 51 euros per child naturalised with you), a list of the usual documents and a pointer to discretionary naturalisation under § 8 if the legal claim does not work out. Everything runs in your browser, nothing is stored. In the end only your naturalisation office can decide.