Requirements for German citizenship

Answer:

Great that you have decided to obtain the German citizenship. You should first seek advice at the naturalization authority that is responsible for you. There you will also receive an application form and a list of the documents you need to submit. The naturalization process can take several months and costs EUR 255.

These are the requirements according to § 10 of the German Nationality Act (StAG), which you generally have to meet:

• One must confirm his or her commitment to the free democratic constitutional system enshrined in the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Basic Law is in essence the German Constitution, providing special protection for human rights, the rule of law, the sovereignty of the people, and the separation of powers.
• One must be able to ensure his or her own subsistence and the subsistence of his or her dependents without recourse to unemployment benefits in accordance with Book Two or Book Twelve of the Social Code. Exceptions may be granted if you are unable to work due to an illness or because you are a single parent.
• One must not have any significant criminal record; minor convictions are not preclusive.
• One must prove sufficient knowledge of the German language at B1 level.
• In the absence of a school leaving certificate in Germany, one must successfully take a naturalization test, demonstrating knowledge of the legal and social order and of the living conditions in Germany. The naturalization test contains a total of 310 questions. Of these, 300 questions relate to the entire Federal Republic and ten questions to the respective federal state. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees combines 33 test questions into one questionnaire. 30 questions relate to the topics of democracy, history and responsibility, and people and society. All questionnaires are equally difficult. The questionnaire must be completed within one hour. Four possible answers are given, one of which is correct. You pass the test if you answer 17 questions correctly. The naturalization test can be repeated as often as you like. You can find out more about the test here: einbuergerungstest-online.eu

Even for German citizens, some questions are quite difficult……

• One must demonstrably give up the previous nationality. There are exceptions to this, depending on which country you come from. The naturalization authority can provide information on this right at the beginning. If the foreigner cannot give up his or her previous nationality or can do so only under particularly difficult conditions, an exception can be made (Section 12 (1) StAG). If the law of the country of origin of the person concerned does not provide for a renunciation of citizenship or if the country of origin regularly refuses the renunciation, such an exception must be granted. This applies in particular to the following countries: Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Eritrea, Cuba, Morocco and Tunisia.
• Generally, habitual and legal residence in Germany for at least 8 years are required. If you have successfully completed an integration course, the period can be shortened to 7 years. If you can show special integration achievements (especially language skills), the period can even be shortened to 6 years.