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Germany

Applying for German Citizenship

I've been living in Germany for seventeen years now. Prompted by the prospect of being left with an uncertain legal status if my compatriots back “home” in the UK elected to leave the European Union, I began the process of applying for German citizenship in February 2016. Now that the UK has voted to leave the UK, it seems that this was a sensible course of action.

This is how I am going about it.

the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration (Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration) has issued a handy leaflet explaining everything about the process of applying for German citizenship. You can find it at:

https://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/Infomaterial/BPA/IB/Die%20deutsche%20Staatsb%C3%BCrgerschaft.pdf;jsessionid=E20C0DB41A53989D156638F92DF90FB6.s4t2?__blob=publicationFile&v=18


The Conditions

The German government has listed the conditions which must be met in order to be awarded German citizenship on the website of the Federal Commissioner for Foreigners (Bundesauslänerbeauftragte):http://www.bundesauslaenderbeauftragte.de/einbuergerung.html

  • You have the right of residence in Germany indefinitely.

    If you are a citizen of another EU member-state, you have this automatically. After the UK has left the EU, British citizens possibly, or probably (nobody really knows yet) will not have a right of residence in Germany. Something to consider if you're of a "wait and see" mindset.

    

  • Germany has been your usual and legal country of residence for at least eight years.

    Merely having had the right to live here is not enough, you have to actually have lived here for at least eight years.

    

  • You are able to secure the living costs of you and your family without relying on social security or unemployment benefit.

    There are exceptions to this. For example, if you have become unemployed due to being made redundant (betriebsbedingte Kündigung). Benefits received during schooling or training are also permissible exceptions to this condition.

    

  • You have an adequate knowledge of the German language.

    In practice, you need to be able to demonstrate a level of competence in German which satisfies the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) . The B1 level isn't that advanced, so if you've been here eight years and have been regularly interacting with German people, you should manage it. I've written more about the language requirements below.

    

  • You have passed the citizenship test (Einbürgerungstest)

    This is a multiple choice test containing questions relating to German culture, society and the constitution. There's more about how to register for the test below.

    

  • You do not have a criminal record.

    Parking and speeding tickets do not count here, only fairly serious stuff.

    

  • You recognise and agree to abide by the German constitution.


  • You have lost or renounced your previous citizenship.

    Citizens of other EU member-states are not required to renounce their previous citizenship. As the UK will be a member of the EU for at least two years after invoking Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, this should include British applicants for German citizenship. When I submitted my application, the lady who dealt with me said that I would be able to retain my British citizenship.

(Die Bundesausländerbeauftragte, 2009)

       

Satisfying the language requirements

If you've been in Germany a while, there are several ways in which you can verify your knowledge of and skills in the German language to the German authorities. This list can also be found on the web pages of the Bundesauslänerbeauftragte:

 http://www.bundesauslaenderbeauftragte.de/einbuergerung.html

  • Successful participation in a language course as part of an integration course (Integrationskurs).

    

  • The German Certificate (Das Zertifikat Deutsch) or another language diploma.

    “Das Zertifikat Deutsch” is an internationally recognised qualification developed by a number of language institutes from German speaking countries. It aims to verify a level of language competence which satisfies the B1 level of the CEFR mentioned above.

    There are other qualifications, such as the "Deutschtest für Zuwanderer", which I took, which satisfy the B1 level. I think that these are meant by "another language diploma"

    

  • The successful attendance at a school at which lessons are given in German. You must have attended such a school for at least four years.

    

  • The successful completion of a school leaving certificate from a Hauptschule, Realschule or Gymnasien. That would be a Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss or Abitur.

    

  • Evidence of having been transferred (versetzt) to the 10th class of a German speaking school.


  • A completed apprenticeship or vocational training carried out in the German language.


  • A completed course of study at a German institute of higher education.

(Die Bundesausländerbeauftragte, 2009)


Probably the most common way to demonstrate your language proficiency is to take an exam which certifies that you have attained the CEFR B1 level. The usual way to do this is to take a “Telc” (telc gGmbH, no date) qualification at your local Volkshochschule (VHS). I did the German Test for Immigrants (Deutschtest für Zuwanderer) which gave me the B1 level that I needed. There were two preparation lessons and an exam which took up most of the day. In the morning there was listening and reading comprehension followed by a test of your competence in writing in German. In the afternoon there was a fifteen minute session with one other exam candidate and two examiners to test your spoken German.

It cost me 120€ to register for the Deutschtest für Zuwanderer, so you probably won't want to take it if you can prove your competence in German in one of the other approved ways.

         

There is a video on YouTube of an oral examination:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lkyjt0j3Bs

         

A sample exam paper can be found here:

http://www.telc.net/fileadmin/user_upload/deutsch-test-fuer-zuwanderer_uebungstest_1_1_.pdf

    

You don't have to do the Deutschtest für Zuwanderer. Any qualification which certifies you to level B1 will do.



The Citizenship Test (Einbürgerungstest)

To become a German citizen, you have to prove a basic knowledge of German culture, society and the constitution. This is done by having candidates for citizenship do the  Einbürgerungstest.

It consists of 33 multiple choice questions of which you only have to get 17 right. You will not fail.

The questions are taken from a catalogue of 310 questions, 10 of which relate to your particular Bundesland and 300 are for all candidates. You can click your way through all 310 questions at the web pages of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt for Migration und Flüchtlinge):

http://oet.bamf.de/pls/oetut/f?p=514:1:9398655087516:::::

         

You can take a sample test at:

http://oet.bamf.de/pls/oetut/f?p=512:1:11868613062579:::::

    

You take the test at your local VHS. To register, you need to obtain a registration form and go to the VHS personally to register for the test. You get the registration form when you go to the Foreigners Office (Ausländeramt) to declare your intention to apply for German citizenship.

Registration for the test costs 25€. I registered for the Citizenship Test in July 2016. The next free place to take the test was ten weeks later.

   --------------

Update:

I took the test at the end of August 2016. It wasn't as easy a I had expected, but I'm pretty sure I passed comfortably.

If you feel your general knowledge is a bit shaky, you could click your way through all the questions in the question catalogue (http://oet.bamf.de/pls/oetut/f?p=514:1:9398655087516:::::) - make sure to pick the Bundesland that you live in first - and make sure you know the answers to most of them before you take the test. If you click on an answer, it shows you which of the choices is the correct answer.

During the test, if you don't know the answer to a question, the correct one is usually the one which shows Germany in the best light. In many questions, all the answers except one or, sometimes, two are ridiculous, so it's easy to pick the correct one even if you don't know it. You're allowed to get sixteen wrong and still pass, so don't get into too much of a panic about it.

You should have your result within three weeks, but as they're so busy at the moment, our invigilator said it could take up to five weeks, but no longer.



Declaring your intent to apply for German citizenship

The first thing you need to do is go to your local Ausländeramt and declare your intention to apply for German citizenship. There are no qualifications for taking this first step and you don't need to present any documents - apart from your current passport or ID document, so the best thing to do is to go down to your local Ausländeramt as soon as you decide you want to apply for citizenship. You could even go before you've definitely decided as it doesn't cost anything and you're not committing yourself to anything. You will not be obliged to actually submit an application. There could be long waiting times for the language test and the Citizenship Test and getting all the other documents together will also take its time, so it will save time if you know exactly what you need to arrange and collect together.

With the large numbers of refugees coming to Germany at the moment, the Ausländeramts are very busy. You don't need an appointment for this first contact, so if someone tries to turn you away telling you that you need an appointment to get into the building (as happened to me), make sure you tell them exactly why you're there and you should be allowed in. You then take a number and wait. Just make sure that your waiting in the citizenship department (Einbürgerungsabteilung) waiting area.

On your first visit, you get what they call an "advisory consultation"(Beratungsgespräch). The lady checked if I was eligible, gave me a list of all the documents I would need and explained which people to call when I was ready to submit my application.

     

 

The documents you will need

There are a whole bunch of documents needed for your application. Anything which is not written in the German language needs to be translated. For some documents, the original and a copy need to be submitted. The original will be returned to you during your appointment as soon as they've checked it.

  • The application form completed, but not signed. You sign it in the presence of the person you submit your application to.

    

  • The list of required documents given to you at the Beratungsgespräch.

    

  • A current passport sized photo of yourself.


  • Your current curriculum vitae (Lebenslauf) written in German which you need to sign.

    

  • Your passport or identity document, if you come from a country which issues identity cards. You will also require a copy of the page with your photo and personal details on it.

    

  • Your birth certificate. You will need the original, a copy of the original, a translation done by an authorised translator begläubigte Übersetzung) and a copy of the translation.

    

  • Your marriage certificate, if you're married. The same rules apply as for the birth certificate.

    

  • Your school leaving certificate and/or apprenticeship or vocational training certificate, if you are relying on these for your application. You will also need a copy of these.

    

  • Your CEFR B1 or Zertifikat Deutsch certificate. You will also need a copy of it.

    

  • Your Einbürgerungstest certificate and a copy thereof.

    

  • Your contract of employment and a copy, if you are employed. If you are self employed, you will need your business registration (Gewerbeanbeldung) and a copy thereof.

    

  • Your most recent pay slip or a certificate of your income (Einkommensbescheinigung) issued by an accountant (Steuerberater), and a copy.

       

  • A complete and current “Bescheid” form the Job Center. I'm afraid I don't know exactly what that is, but it's probably only relevant if you're registered at the Job Center, which probably means that you're receiving Arbeitslosengeld II (Harz IV).

    

  • Your spouses' ID card and a copy, if you have a spouse.

    

  • A current “Rentenversicherungsverlauf”. I don't need to bring this, so perhaps it's only required if you're a pensioner. If you think this might apply to you, you'll need to look into it further, but find out if you need it first at your Beratungsgespräch.

    

  • The legal judgement of your divorce (Sheidungsurteil) and a copy. Only if you're divorced, of course. If you weren't divorced in a German speaking country, this will need to be translated.

    

  • Your spouses death certificate. The same rules will apply as for birth and marriage certificates regarding translation and copies. If your spouse is still with us or if you've never been married, this is, obviously not required.

    

  • Half of the fee for making an application for German citizenship. The fee is currently 255€, so half of that is 127.50€. I heard of someone in Berlin who had to pay 70% of the fee when they submitted their application, so it seems to be different places. You'll be told what you need to pay th your Beratungsgespräch.

The originals of all your documents will be returned to you after they have been shown when you submit your application.

          

So, that should keep you busy for a while. It would have been good if I could have made my application before the referendum, but it all took far longer than I had anticipated and it' didn't happen. I don't expect that that will be a huge disadvantage, though.


Translations

I got my birth certificate translated by a translation firm I found on the internet. I scanned it and sent a copy to them electronically. It cost 87,73 €, to give you an idea of the costs involved. I heard of someone who paid 20 € for a short form birth certificate, so perhaps it would pay to shop around. Remember, though, that it needs to be a certified (begläubigte) translation, so getting a German friend to do it for you won't do, unless they happen to be a certified translator.


Submitting your application

When you've got all your documents and certificates together (and not before, they'll send you packing), you can go ahead and submit your application.

At my Beratungsgespräch, I received a list of the members of staff of the Citizenship department (Einbürgerungsabteilung) of the Ausländeramt who I would need to contact to make an appointment to submit my application. I tried phoning them, but nobody answered the phone. There was an email address on the same sheet of paper, so I sent an email requesting an appointment. I didn't expect to get an answer any time soon, but within a couple of days, I had my appointment.

At the appointment, The lady who dealt with me went through the application form, which I'd filled out, but not signed. Somehow, a page from it had gone missing, but it wasn't a problem. She printed the page out again and filled it in according to my directions. I then signed the application form in her presence. She checked whether all the required documents were there and returned the originals of all my documents to me as soon as she had seen them and recorded the fact. I was then sent to the cashier to pay half of the fee. When I had shown my receipt to the lady dealing with me, my application was well and truly submitted.

I was told that the processing time was around six months, so I should hear whether they'll have me or not some time in April 2017.


Acceptance

At the end of March, I received a letter from my local Ausländeramt congratulating me on having had my application for German citizenship approved. The letter named an appointment a couple of weeks later when I was to go to the Ausländeramt to receive my citizenship documents. I was to bring the following items with me:

  • The identity document issued to me by the state of which I currently held citizenship. In my case, my British passport.
  • Two passport size photographs which were suitable  for biometrics.
  • The original and a copy of a proof of my income for the past month. In my case, my wage slip for March.

I waited for quite a while in an airless waiting area with no windows with a lot of other people who seemed to be there for the same purpose as me. Eventually I was called into an office and sat down opposite an Ausländeramt worker who examined my passport and my wage slip, took my photos and got me to check the details which would be printed on my certificate of citizenship. I was then asked to go to a room downstairs where a Herr Schmidt (not his real name) was waiting for me.

The room was decorated in a far more salubrious manner that the other offices at the Ausländeramt and there were three flags in the corner. One was the German flag, the other two I didn't recognise. I sat down opposite Herr Schmidt at his large and rather smart desk and he asked me to repeat the oath of allegiance to the German constitution after him. After doing this and signing a written copy of it, he invited me to stand up and go over to the flags. In front of these, he shook my hand, handed me my certificate of citizenship and declared me a German citizen. That was it, I was in.


References

Die Bundesausländerbeauftragte (2009) Einbürgerung in Deutschland, Retrieved from: http://www.bundesauslaenderbeauftragte.de/einbuergerung.html (Accessed 29 May 2016)


Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration (2015), Die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft, Alles was Sie darüber wissen sollten, Retrieved from: https://www.bundesregierung.de/Content/Infomaterial/BPA/IB/Die%20deutsche%20Staatsb%C3%BCrgerschaft.pdf;jsessionid=E20C0DB41A53989D156638F92DF90FB6.s4t2?__blob=publicationFile&v=18 (Accessed 29 May 2016)


Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (2008) Einbürgerungstest, Fragenkatalog zur Testvorbereitung, Retrieved from: http://oet.bamf.de/pls/oetut/f?p=514:1:9398655087516::::: (Accessed 12 June 2016).


Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (2008) Einbürgerungstest, Musterfragebogen zur Testvorbereitung, Retrieved from: http://oet.bamf.de/pls/oetut/f?p=512:1:11868613062579::::: (Accessed 12 June 2016).


telc gGmbH (no date) telc language tests, Retrieved from: https://www.telc.net/en/#section-0 (Accessed 12 June 2016).


telc gGmbH (2014) Mündliche Prüfung telc Deutsch B1, Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lkyjt0j3Bs (Accessed 12 June 2016).


telc gGmbH (2015) Übungstest 1, Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer, Prüfungsvorbereitung, A2.B1, Frankfurt am Main, Retrieved from: http://www.telc.net/fileadmin/user_upload/deutsch-test-fuer-zuwanderer_uebungstest_1_1_.pdf (Accessed 12 June 2016).



Last updated: 01.05.2017