Requirements for German Naturalization (§ 10 StAG) 2026

Anyone who meets all nine requirements of § 10 para. 1 StAG (Nationality Act, Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz) may apply for German citizenship: lawful residence for five years, a suitable residence title, an independently secured livelihood (Lebensunterhalt), German language skills at level B1, a passed citizenship test (Einbürgerungstest), a commitment to the free democratic basic order (Bekenntnis zur freiheitlichen demokratischen Grundordnung), the new declaration of loyalty (Loyalitätserklärung), no relevant criminal convictions above the de minimis threshold, and clarification of identity. The shortened three-year track for special integration achievements, which applied between 27 June 2024 and 30 October 2025, was abolished without replacement by the Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions (Gesetz zur Änderung des Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes sowie weiterer Vorschriften; referred to during the legislative process as the "Sixth Act Amending Nationality Law"). The former obligation to give up the previous nationality has no longer applied since the 2024 reform — dual citizenship is now the standard case. This article examines each requirement with its statutory basis, exceptions, practice, and source.

The requirements covered in this article are the final checkpoint of a longer journey through residence law. Anyone seeking naturalization under § 10 StAG has, as a rule, already passed through several stages of residence law: from the temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis, § 7 AufenthG) via the permanent settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis, § 9 AufenthG) or the EU long-term residence permit (Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EU, § 9a AufenthG) to naturalization as the legal destination of this journey. Residence titles secure the right to stay — naturalization is the endpoint, turning a secured residence into full nationality with the right to vote, Union citizenship, and a status that no longer depends on a forecast about the purpose of residence.

For the second requirement (a residence title with a long-term prospect), this journey is directly relevant: § 10 para. 1 No. 2 StAG does not require any particular single stage, but rather a residence title or right of residence with a permanent prospect (details under point 2). The settlement permit is the most common, but not the only, qualifying stage. The consolidation of residence status is therefore not a parallel alternative to naturalization, but its precursor — stations of one and the same journey with naturalization as the anchor. Which station of a residence path opens up naturalization depends on the specific title; the decision is made by the responsible naturalization authority. The difference between a temporary and a permanent title is explained in the article Residence Permit vs. Settlement Permit; a systematic classification of all grounds for acquisition is provided by the Nationality Act (StAG).

Naturalization by legal entitlement (Anspruchseinbürgerung) under § 10 para. 1 StAG requires the cumulative fulfillment of all requirements. If a single one is missing, the entitlement must be denied — a discretionary decision does not come into play under § 10. In overview:

Statutory Requirement

Applicants must have had their lawful habitual residence (rechtmäßiger gewöhnlicher Aufenthalt) in the federal territory for at least five years (§ 10 para. 1 sentence 1 StAG). What matters is the continuous creditability of the residence.

Wording of § 10 para. 1 sentence 1 StAG (source: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__10.html, retrieved and compared against the official version on 3 July 2026; English translation of the official German text): "A foreign national who has lawfully had their habitual residence in Germany for five years and who has legal capacity to act under § 34 sentence 1 or is legally represented shall, upon application, be naturalized, provided that their identity and nationality are established and that they [...]" — this is followed by numbers 1 to 7 with the substantive requirements.

The shortened three-year track that applied between 27 June 2024 and 30 October 2025 (§ 10 para. 3 StAG, former version — for special integration achievements) was abolished without replacement by the Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions (Gesetz zur Änderung des Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes sowie weiterer Vorschriften) of 27 October 2025 (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256), effective 30 October 2025. A corresponding option to shorten the period via § 10 StAG no longer exists.

Exceptions and Creditable Periods

• Periods of residence as a minor child count, provided the person was resident in Germany.
• Periods of residence during asylum proceedings (Aufenthaltsgestattung) do not count; once recognition as a person entitled to asylum or as a Convention refugee has become final, they are credited.
• Stays abroad of up to six months are harmless; stays of more than twelve months generally interrupt habitual residence (§ 12b StAG).
• Prior periods acquired in another Member State with an EU long-term residence permit or a settlement permit are not directly creditable; however, they can be taken into account within the framework of discretionary naturalization under § 8 StAG.
• For ethnic German late resettlers (Spätaussiedler), the period requirement does not apply; they acquire nationality directly under the BVFG (Federal Expellees Act).
• For spouses of German nationals, reduced periods apply under § 9 StAG (three years of residence + two years of marriage).

In Practice

To calculate the period of residence, the day of the lawful commencement of habitual residence is decisive. Where there was a prior Aufenthaltsgestattung, the time of the asylum proceedings is only credited upon recognition as a person entitled to asylum or upon the grant of international protection — but then retroactively from the beginning of the Aufenthaltsgestattung (§ 55 para. 3 AsylG). Anyone who has remained in Germany with a settlement permit after successfully completing their studies can have the study periods credited from the day of the first residence permit for study purposes, provided their residence was continuous.

Applications that, under the old legal situation (27 June 2024 – 29 October 2025), were aimed at the three-year track have, since the entry into force of the abolition, been handled under administrative practice via § 8 StAG (discretionary naturalization); no statutory transitional arrangement was created. The Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht, BVerfG) declined to accept the constitutional complaint against the abolition for decision by order of 19 December 2025, 2 BvR 1792/25.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 StAG and § 12b StAG: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__10.html; Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions, BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256, effective 30 October 2025.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 No. 2 StAG requires a residence title that conveys a permanent prospect of residence. Mere transitional certificates, temporary residence permission during asylum proceedings (Aufenthaltsgestattung), or toleration status (Duldung) are not sufficient.

Exceptions and Special Cases

Recognized are in particular:

• the settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis, § 9 AufenthG),
• the EU long-term residence permit (Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EU, § 9a AufenthG),
• the EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU, § 18g AufenthG),
• a residence permit on humanitarian grounds under § 23 para. 2/4, § 25 para. 1 or para. 2 AufenthG (recognized persons entitled to asylum, Convention refugees, resettlement refugees),
• a residence permit as a family member of a German national under § 28 AufenthG,
• a residence permit under § 38a AufenthG (EU long-term residence status of another Member State),
• a settlement permit under § 18c AufenthG (for skilled workers),
• a freedom-of-movement certificate for EU citizens (permanent right of residence under § 4a FreizügG/EU).

Excluded are residence permits that are, by their nature, temporary: study, language course, au pair, seasonal employment, au pair periods without subsequent qualification.

In Practice

For persons with § 25 para. 5 AufenthG (residence on humanitarian grounds where departure is impossible), the prospect of residence is contested. Residence on humanitarian grounds that will foreseeably not lead to permanent residence is generally not sufficient. The case law of the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) provides further depth on these questions.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 2 StAG, AufenthG: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 No. 3 StAG requires that the applicant be able to secure their own livelihood (Lebensunterhalt) and that of their dependent family members without recourse to Bürgergeld (citizen's allowance, SGB II) or social assistance (Sozialhilfe, SGB XII). Since 27 June 2024, a general "responsibility to answer for it" standard no longer applies here: the mere receipt of benefits under Book Two or Book Twelve of the Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch) is, in principle, a bar to naturalization by legal entitlement. This requirement is waived only in the three conclusively regulated cases of § 10 para. 1 No. 3 letters a to c StAG.

Exceptions

Under § 10 para. 1 No. 3 StAG, the requirement of an independently secured livelihood is waived only in three conclusively enumerated cases:

• Letter a — recruitment-agreement and contract-worker generation (Anwerbe- und Vertragsarbeitnehmer-Generation): anyone who, on the basis of an agreement on the recruitment and placement of workers, entered the Federal Republic by 30 June 1974 or entered the territory of the former GDR as a contract worker by 13 June 1990, or who joined as their spouse within a related time frame — and who is not responsible for the receipt of benefits under Book Two or Book Twelve of the Social Code. Only in this category of cases does whether the person is responsible for it still play any role at all.
• Letter b — full-time employment: anyone who is employed full-time and has been so for at least 20 of the last 24 months (even where supplementary Bürgergeld is also received).
• Letter c — spouse or partner of a letter-b employee: anyone who lives in a family community with a person employed in accordance with letter b and with a minor child, as their spouse or registered civil partner.

The former general hardship standard — under which the receipt of benefits was harmless if the person was "not responsible" for it, for example in cases of unemployment through no fault of one's own, serious illness or disability, care of relatives, or during maternity protection and parental leave — was removed with the new version effective 27 June 2024 (Act to Modernize Nationality Law, Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts, BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 104). It is no longer provided for in the current § 10 para. 1 No. 3 StAG; for persons outside letters a to c, there is no longer a general hardship clause.

(The following paragraph on child benefit, parental allowance, housing benefit, and BAföG remains unchanged — these benefits are not benefits under SGB II or SGB XII and are not a bar to naturalization. Housing benefit is based on the Housing Benefit Act (Wohngeldgesetz), BAföG on the Federal Training Assistance Act (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz); neither is part of Book Two or Book Twelve of the Social Code.)

Child benefit (Kindergeld), parental allowance (Elterngeld), housing benefit (Wohngeld), BAföG, and other purpose-bound social benefits are not social benefits within the meaning of § 10 StAG and are not a bar to naturalization.

In Practice — Bürgergeld Comparison and Forecast

What matters is a forecast decision: is the income likely to be sufficient to cover the needs of the applicant and their dependent family without public assistance? The comparison benchmark is the monthly Bürgergeld standard requirement (Regelbedarf) under SGB II for the respective benefit unit (Bedarfsgemeinschaft), plus the reasonable costs of accommodation. The precise standard requirements are updated annually by the Federal Government and published in an ordinance.

For self-employed persons, the authority regularly requires tax assessments for the last two to three years, business-management analyses, and, where applicable, confirmation from a tax advisor. In the case of fixed-term employment relationships, the authority examines whether an extension or a permanent follow-on position is foreseeable. In the case of low hourly wages, the average weekly working time over the last twelve months is used.

The costs of naturalization themselves — in particular the processing fee of €255 — are not considered an obstacle for the livelihood forecast, since they are incurred only once. Exactly how the required income is calculated — standard requirement, family factor, and the Bürgergeld exceptions — is examined in depth in the article Securing the Livelihood for Naturalization.

Case Law

On the interpretation of the livelihood requirement, the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) has shaped two landmark decisions:

• BVerwG, judgment of 19 February 2009 — 5 C 22.08: the purpose of the norm is economic integration; where a lifestyle is only partly dependent on social benefits, the degree of fault must be weighted quantitatively.
• BVerwG, judgment of 28 May 2015 — 1 C 23.14: the forecast is based on the individual life situation; future dependent family members are only included insofar as they already live in Germany or there are concrete indications of a move.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 3, para. 1 sentence 2 StAG; SGB II: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_2/; BVerwG 5 C 22.08 of 19.02.2009 — https://www.bverwg.de/190209U5C22.08.0; BVerwG 1 C 23.14 of 28.05.2015 — https://www.bverwg.de/280515U1C23.14.0.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 No. 6 in conjunction with para. 4 StAG requires sufficient knowledge of the German language. Sufficient means knowledge at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference — in both oral and written form.

Recognized Proof

• Certificate Goethe B1, telc Deutsch B1, ÖSD-Zertifikat B1, DTZ B1 (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer at B1 level).
• A German school-leaving qualification (at least a Hauptschule certificate).
• Progression to grade 10 of a German-language school after at least four years of successful school attendance.
• Completion of German-language vocational training.
• Completion of a German-language university degree (Diplom, Bachelor, Master, Staatsexamen).

Unofficial language-course certificates (e.g. internal certificates from language schools) are generally not sufficient — even if they certify B1 — insofar as they were not administered by an examination body recognized by the BAMF.

Exceptions

The language requirement is fully waived under § 10 para. 6 StAG where the foreign national cannot meet it due to a physical, mental, or psychological illness or disability, or on account of age (a specialist medical certificate is regularly required). The statute names no fixed age limit here; in particular, there is no statutory rule that A2 is sufficient from the age of 65 and after twelve years of residence. What matters solely is that the requirements cannot be met in the specific individual case due to age or illness.

The standard is relaxed — not fully waived — in two further cases; there it is sufficient that the foreign national "can communicate orally in German in everyday life without significant problems":

• Recruitment-agreement and contract-worker generation (§ 10 para. 4 sentence 3 StAG): anyone who, on the basis of a recruitment agreement, entered the Federal Republic by 30 June 1974 or entered the territory of the former GDR as a contract worker by 13 June 1990, or who joined as their spouse within a related time frame.
• Hardship case (§ 10 para. 4a StAG): where the foreign national proves that acquiring sufficient knowledge of the German language is not possible for them, or is permanently and substantially hindered, despite serious and sustained efforts.

Anyone who provides proof of a German school-leaving qualification (at least a Hauptschule certificate), German-language vocational training, or a German-language university degree already meets the language requirement through this proof (see above).

In Practice

The experience of examination bodies shows: anyone who speaks German in everyday life and at work can reach B1 with targeted preparation of 4–8 weeks. The weakest component is regularly the written part — especially letter writing. Practice tests and courses at adult education centers (Volkshochschulen), the Goethe-Institut, telc partners, or providers close to the integration courses are widespread. Detailed guidance on selecting the exam and on typical stumbling blocks can be found in the article on the B1 Language Proof.

Anyone who takes the DTZ as part of an integration course and thereby reaches level B1 receives proof that meets the language requirement of § 10 para. 4 StAG. § 10 para. 4 sentence 1 StAG refers to the requirements of a B1-level language exam under the Common European Framework of Reference — knowledge in both oral and written form is required. A viable B1 proof therefore presupposes that level B1 has actually been reached in the relevant skills; an exam component that remained below B1 is not automatically harmless. With Goethe, telc, and ÖSD, passing each module (listening, reading, writing, speaking) is a prerequisite for recognition as a complete B1 certificate; individual module certificates are not sufficient if not all four modules have been passed. Language certificates have no statutory expiry date for naturalization purposes; however, some authorities require an update for very old certificates (ten years and older) within the framework of the application review.

Case Law

The Federal Administrative Court has clarified the standard for § 10 para. 1 No. 6 and para. 6 StAG in two leading decisions:

• BVerwG, judgment of 27 May 2010 — 5 C 8.09: language proof is furnished where the applicant meets the requirements of the B1 exam orally and in writing. Illiteracy as such is not an illness or disability within the meaning of § 10 para. 6 StAG; an exemption comes into consideration only where the insufficient language skills have their essential cause in a medically certified illness or disability.
• BVerwG, judgment of 5 June 2014 — 10 C 2.14: for the application of the exemption provision § 10 para. 6 StAG, only the present circumstances are decisive; a reproach of having contributed too little to language acquisition in the past is irrelevant.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 6, para. 4, para. 6 StAG; BVerwG 5 C 8.09 of 27.05.2010 — https://www.bverwg.de/270510U5C8.09.0; BVerwG 10 C 2.14 of 05.06.2014 — https://www.bverwg.de/050614U10C2.14.0.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 No. 7 StAG requires knowledge of the legal and social order as well as the living conditions in Germany. The standard route is successful participation in the nationally uniform test "Leben in Deutschland". The test comprises 33 multiple-choice questions, of which 30 questions come from a general federal pool and 3 questions have a state-specific focus. A person passes who correctly answers at least 17 questions.

Exceptions

Exempt are, in particular, persons with:

• a German school-leaving qualification (at least Hauptschule),
• a German university degree in political science, social science, or law,
• a physical, mental, or psychological illness or disability that makes participation appear unreasonable (specialist medical certificate),
• being a minor (the test is only required from the completion of the 16th year of age).

In Practice

The entire question catalog of 310 questions is publicly available through the Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung). A preparation period of two to four weeks with online practice tests is considered sufficient. The test fee is €25. Providers are the municipal adult education centers (Volkshochschulen) and test centers approved by the BAMF. Participation in the test can be repeated any number of times; there is no waiting period for repetition. Further guidance on questions, repetition strategy, and choosing a test center is provided by the Citizenship Test article.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 7, para. 5 StAG; BpB: https://www.bpb.de/themen/migration-integration/laenderprofile/deutschland-einbuergerungstest/.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 No. 1 StAG requires the commitment to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law (Bekenntnis zur freiheitlichen demokratischen Grundordnung des Grundgesetzes). The commitment is a statutory element — it must be actively made, in writing and on a form provided by the authority. A mere signature without substantive understanding is not sufficient.

Grounds for Exclusion (§ 11 StAG)

Naturalization is excluded where factual indications justify the assumption that the applicant pursues or supports anti-constitutional or extremist endeavors — namely:

• endeavors directed against the free democratic basic order, the existence of the Federation or a State,
• endeavors that, through the use of force or preparatory acts aimed at it, endanger the external interests of Germany,
• antisemitic, racist, or other actions contrary to human dignity that are incompatible with the free democratic basic order.

In Practice

Within the framework of the security inquiry, the authority asks the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz) and the BKA whether corresponding findings exist. Mere memberships in religious or cultural organizations do not establish anti-constitutional conduct without further indications. In the case of substantiated doubts, the authority may conduct a hearing interview.

Case Law

The Federal Administrative Court classified the concept of "commitment" in BVerwG, judgment of 29 May 2018 — 1 C 15.17 as follows: the concept of the free democratic basic order relates to the structure of the state order and its actions and is thus narrower than the more broadly defined standard of § 9 para. 1 No. 2 StAG (integration into German living conditions). What is required is a commitment to a community founded on law and statute, as well as to respect for and protection of the human rights specified in the Basic Law. Note: the question dealt with in this decision, that of a plural marriage concluded abroad, has, since the 2024 reform, been expressly regulated as a ground for exclusion in § 11 sentence 1 No. 3 StAG; to that extent, the decision is superseded on that specific point.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 1, § 11 StAG; BVerwG 1 C 15.17 of 29.05.2018 — https://www.bverwg.de/290518U1C15.17.0.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 No. 5 in conjunction with § 12a StAG excludes naturalization where the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offense. De minimis cases, however, are disregarded.

De Minimis Thresholds

Disregarded — i.e. harmless — are:

• fines of up to 90 daily units (Tagessätze),
• prison sentences and youth sentences of up to three months whose execution was suspended on probation and which were remitted after the probation period expired,
• educational measures and disciplinary measures (Erziehungsmaßregeln und Zuchtmittel) under the Youth Courts Act (Jugendgerichtsgesetz) (warnings, conditions),
• convictions to measures of rehabilitation and prevention (Maßregeln der Besserung und Sicherung), insofar as the sentence as a whole remains below the de minimis threshold.

Several smaller convictions are added together: three fines of 30 daily units each add up to 90 daily units and are thus just within the de minimis range; 91 daily units are no longer.

In Practice

The authority obtains an unrestricted extract from the Federal Central Criminal Register (Bundeszentralregister). Convictions that no longer appear in the police certificate of good conduct (Führungszeugnis) but have not yet been expunged from the BZR are reported. If the de minimis threshold is exceeded, the application must be rejected — unless the authority applies § 12a para. 1 sentence 2 StAG, according to which the sentence "can be disregarded" where the sentence is only insignificantly above the de minimis threshold and good conduct is otherwise expected. In practice, many authorities wait until the entry is expunged from the BZR; expungement periods result from the Federal Central Criminal Register Act (Bundeszentralregistergesetz) (generally three to fifteen years depending on the level of the sentence).

Ongoing criminal proceedings — charges brought, but no final conviction yet — regularly lead to the suspension of the naturalization procedure until the proceedings are concluded.

When assessing fines, the level of the daily unit is irrelevant; what is decisive is the number of daily units imposed. A fine of 90 daily units of €50 each amounts to a fine sum of €4,500 — and yet remains within the de minimis range of § 12a StAG. Where several sentences from different proceedings are combined in an aggregate-sentence order (Gesamtstrafenbeschluss), the aggregate sentence set in the order applies as the decisive value.

Case Law

On the interpretation of the statutory element "minor" above the de minimis threshold in § 12a para. 1 sentence 4 StAG, BVerwG, judgment of 20 March 2012 — 5 C 5.11 provides a standard: exceeding the de minimis threshold by no more than 30 daily units (for fines) or one month (for prison sentences) is generally regarded as minor within the meaning of the norm; in this range, the sentence can be disregarded in the individual case where good conduct is otherwise expected. The specific exercise of discretion lies with the authority.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 5, § 12a StAG: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__12a.html; BVerwG 5 C 5.11 of 20.03.2012 — https://www.bverwg.de/200312U5C5.11.0.

Statutory Requirement Before and After the Reform

Before 27 June 2024, § 10 para. 1 No. 4 StAG required the giving up or loss of the previous nationality. Only in special cases (EU/Swiss citizens, the Iran clause, hardship cases) was retention possible.

With the 2024 reform, this requirement has been removed. Multiple nationality has, in principle, been permissible since 27 June 2024. Applicants no longer have to be released from their previous nationality.

Remaining Special Cases

The reform concerns only German law. The law of the country of origin remains unaffected. Some states automatically deprive their nationals upon the acquisition of a foreign nationality — examples from practice: Singapore, China, individual Gulf states, and, under transitional arrangements, also India (the PIO/OCI construction). Other states require an express renunciation, which must be declared at one's own foreign mission.

Anyone who wishes to retain their former nationality should clarify the law of the country of origin before applying — the German authority has, since 2024, no longer carried out its own review of this.

In Practice

Former retention permits (Beibehaltungsgenehmigungen) have become moot as a result of the reform, insofar as naturalization takes place after 27 June 2024. Anyone who applied for a permit under the old law before the reform benefits from the principle of the more favorable rule: their application is reviewed under the new law, and retention is no longer necessary.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 No. 4 StAG (in the version applicable until 26.06.2024); Article 1 of the Act to Modernize Nationality Law, BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 104.

Statutory Requirement

§ 10 para. 1 sentence 1 No. 1 and No. 1a in conjunction with para. 1 sentence 3 StAG has, since the 2024 reform, required a written declaration of loyalty (Loyalitätserklärung) with three core elements:

1. a commitment to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law;
2. recognition of the special historical responsibility of Germany arising from National Socialist tyranny and its consequences, in particular for the protection of Jewish life;
3. a commitment to the rejection of any kind of antisemitic, racist, and other actions contrary to human dignity.

Exclusion for Contradictory Conduct

§ 11 sentence 1 No. 3 StAG (in the version applicable since 2024) provides: naturalization is excluded where the applicant leads a plural marriage (letter a) or demonstrates through their conduct that they disregard the equal rights of men and women laid down in the Basic Law (letter b) — for example where they refuse to shake hands with a person of the other sex, insofar as this is not religiously motivated and the person of the other sex is otherwise also denied recognition as of equal worth.

In Practice

Nationwide, the authority uses largely uniform form templates whose wording is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and the interior ministries of the States. The declaration is signed in the application and, following the handover of the naturalization certificate, reaffirmed once more orally. Anyone who refuses to make the declaration in the prescribed form cannot be naturalized — the entitlement to naturalization is mandatorily tied to the declaration made.

Source

§ 10 para. 1 sentence 1 No. 1 and No. 1a as well as § 10 para. 1 sentence 3 StAG (declaration of loyalty); § 11 sentence 1 No. 3 StAG (plural marriage/equal rights); version since 27.06.2024, BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 104.

The nine requirements operate cumulatively, not alternatively. An authority reviewing an entitlement under § 10 StAG works through them systematically and denies naturalization as soon as one is missing. Three practical observations supplement the formal picture:

• Borderline points reinforce one another. Anyone who is just within the Bürgergeld range on livelihood should provide especially clean proof for the other requirements. A borderline livelihood forecast plus an open criminal de minimis matter plus a narrow B1 score add up, in the caseworker's perception, to an unclear overall picture — even if each individual question, considered in isolation, would still be within bounds.
• Clarification of identity is a cross-cutting requirement. It is not expressly named in § 10 para. 1 No. 1, but follows from § 3 PassG and consistent administrative practice. Anyone who does not prove their identity and nationality beyond doubt cannot be naturalized — even if all the other nine points are undoubtedly met. For persons from states without a functioning system of civil records (Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan, parts of Syria), officially defined facilitations apply, which must be documented precisely in the individual case.
• Check reform transitions. Anyone who filed an application before 27 June 2024 is reviewed under the principle of the more favorable rule, applying whichever law is more favorable. In practice, this almost always means: under the new law. A retention permit is moot; a missing eighth year of residence has been harmless since the reform.

Self-assessment should therefore not affirm or deny each requirement in isolation, but appreciate the overall picture. This is precisely what the civitas. self-check is designed for.

How long must I live in Germany to obtain German citizenship?

For naturalization by legal entitlement under § 10 para. 1 StAG, you must have had your lawful habitual residence in Germany for at least five years. These five years have, since 30 October 2025, been the uniform minimum period — the previously temporary shortened three-year track for special integration achievements (§ 10 para. 3 StAG, former version) was abolished without replacement by the Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256); § 10 para. 3 StAG is marked as "(repealed)".

For spouses or registered civil partners of German nationals, a shorter period applies: under § 9 StAG, three years of lawful residence are sufficient, provided the marriage or registered civil partnership has existed for at least two years at the time of naturalization. Whether a specific period of residence is creditable — for example in the case of a prior Aufenthaltsgestattung during asylum proceedings, or in the case of stays abroad — is decided by the responsible naturalization authority on the basis of the documents; in the case of legal doubts in an individual case, an admitted attorney can assist.

Which requirement is the most common ground for refusal?

According to the experience of the municipal umbrella associations and the administrative courts, it is regularly the independently secured livelihood. Close behind follows the clarification of identity for persons from states without a functioning system of civil records. Language skills and the citizenship test, by contrast, comparatively rarely become a ground for refusal — they are objectively verifiable through clear, repeatable examinations.

Is a "good" job enough for livelihood?

What matters is not the sector or the gross annual income in the abstract, but the forecast: is the available income likely to be sufficient, in the coming years as well, to cover the needs of the benefit unit without Bürgergeld? For a single full-time worker with a permanent contract and the minimum wage, this is met in most rental regions. For a family of five with a single earner on a low wage, often not.

Does my parents' Bürgergeld count against me if I live with them?

As long as you yourself do not receive Bürgergeld and are not recorded in any benefit unit with your parents, your parents' receipt of benefits does not count against you. For adult children living in the same household, the Jobcenter regularly examines whether a benefit unit exists — what is decisive is self-responsibility for one's cost of living.

Can I be naturalized if I myself receive Bürgergeld?

In principle, the receipt of Bürgergeld (SGB II) or social assistance (SGB XII) has, since 27 June 2024, been a bar to naturalization by legal entitlement — the former general hardship standard ("not responsible for it oneself") has been removed. § 10 para. 1 No. 3 StAG now provides for only three conclusively regulated exceptions: (a) members of the recruitment-agreement and contract-worker generation who are not responsible for the receipt of benefits; (b) those who are employed full-time and have been so for at least 20 of the last 24 months — here, supplementary ("top-up") Bürgergeld is harmless; (c) spouses or registered civil partners of a person employed in accordance with letter b who live with a minor child in a family community. Outside these three cases, the independently secured livelihood must be proven. Whether one of the exceptions applies is decided by the responsible naturalization authority.

Is there still a three-year period via special integration achievements?

No. The shortened three-year track that applied between 27 June 2024 and 30 October 2025 (§ 10 para. 3 StAG, former version) was abolished without replacement by the Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions of 27 October 2025 (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256). Since 30 October 2025, the uniform five-year minimum period of residence under § 10 para. 1 StAG has applied. Applications that, under the old legal situation, were aimed at the three-year track are handled via § 8 StAG (discretion) — there is no statutory transitional arrangement. The constitutional complaint against the abolition was not accepted for decision: BVerfG, order of 19 December 2025, 2 BvR 1792/25. In detail on this question: Naturalization After 3 Years.

Am I exempt from language proof if my children go to school in Germany?

No. The children's school attendance is irrelevant for the parents' language requirements. You yourself must either present a recognized B1 certificate, prove your own German school or vocational qualification, or fall under one of the statutory exemption provisions of § 10 para. 6 StAG.

Can my minor children be naturalized together with me?

Yes. Under § 10 para. 2 StAG, the spouse or registered civil partner and the minor children can be co-naturalized in accordance with paragraph 1, even if they have not yet lawfully resided in the country for five years. For co-naturalized children, the five-year period therefore does not apply independently; the remaining requirements of § 10 para. 1 are taken into account in an age-appropriate way (language proof and the citizenship test are only relevant from a higher age). Which proofs come together for the family and how co-naturalization proceeds is dealt with in the article Naturalizing the Family. The decision on co-naturalization is made by the responsible naturalization authority.

Can I repeat the citizenship test multiple times?

Yes. Repetition is possible any number of times; there is no blocking period. Each participation costs €25 again. Intensive preparation with the publicly available question catalog is recommended (310 questions, of which 10 are state-specific).

Are criminal convictions from abroad taken into account?

In principle, yes, insofar as the German criminal-law standards are comparable and the act would also be punishable under German law. The authority regularly requires a certificate of good conduct from the country of origin and examines, on the basis of the facts reported, whether the conviction would have led to a corresponding sentence under German law. Political persecution is not counted as a criminal conviction.

What is a "hardship case" under the old law, and does it still apply?

Before the 2024 reform, § 12 StAG provided for a hardship case with regard to giving up the former nationality. Since the obligation to give it up has been removed, the hardship clause has practically lost its function. It now plays a role only in connection with the assurance of naturalization (Einbürgerungszusicherung) in constellations where the former nationality is lost due to the law of the country of origin and a transitional phase must be bridged.

Does the time in asylum proceedings (Aufenthaltsgestattung) count toward the five years?

Not initially. The time during which you were in the federal territory with an Aufenthaltsgestattung solely to carry out asylum proceedings is, in principle, not credited toward the period of residence required under § 10 para. 1 StAG. Under § 55 para. 3 AsylG, this time is only taken into account if you were recognized as a person entitled to asylum or were granted international protection within the meaning of § 1 para. 1 No. 2 AsylG (refugee status or subsidiary protection). In the wording (English translation of the official German text): "Insofar as the acquisition or exercise of a right or benefit depends on the duration of residence in the federal territory, the time of a residence under paragraph 1 is only credited if the foreign national has been recognized as a person entitled to asylum or has been granted international protection within the meaning of § 1 paragraph 1 number 2." If such recognition occurs, the preceding period of Aufenthaltsgestattung is credited, so that the creditable period of residence in effect reaches back to the beginning of the Aufenthaltsgestattung. Whether, and from which day, your periods are creditable in the individual case is decided by the responsible naturalization authority on the basis of your documents; in the case of legal doubts in an individual case, an admitted attorney can assist.