What you ask — and what we answer.

5 years of lawful residence has been the standard since the StAG (Citizenship Act) reform of 27 June 2024. The former reduction to 3 years for exceptional integration achievements — C1 German, volunteer work, outstanding professional accomplishments — was abolished without replacement effective 30 October 2025.

Spouses of German citizens can naturalize after 3 years of residence, provided the marriage has lasted at least 2 years. For discretionary naturalization under § 8 StAG (German Nationality Act), the requirement remains 8 years.

Yes. The reform of 27 June 2024 abolished the general requirement to give up previous citizenship. You retain your previous citizenship and additionally receive German citizenship.

Whether your country of origin permits dual citizenship is decided by its respective national law. Some states formally require renunciation upon acquiring another nationality — examining such constellations is not the German authority's responsibility.

The statutory administrative fee under § 38 StAG is 255 euros per adult and 51 euros per minor child included in the application. This fee goes directly to the Einbürgerungsbehörde (naturalization authority) — not to civitas.

The fee is due before the decision is issued. Some municipalities accept instalment payments in cases of demonstrated financial hardship.

Depending on the municipality, between 6 and 24 months. In Berlin and other big cities, 18–24 months is typical. In less burdened districts, 6–12 months is realistic. The nationwide median is around 18 months.

civitas. cannot speed up the authority's processing time. However, a complete, correctly structured application reduces Rückfragen (queries) — and thus typical delays by several months.

§ 10 of the Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (Citizenship Act) governs the standard path to naturalization for foreigners with lawful residence in Germany. The section lists all core requirements: length of residence, residence permit, language skills, secured livelihood, Einbürgerungstest (citizenship test), no criminal record, and commitment to the free democratic basic order.

Around 85 percent of all Einbürgerung (naturalization) cases in Germany take place via § 10 StAG (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz — Citizenship Act). The remaining paths are § 9 (Ehegatten — spouses), § 8 (Ermessen — discretion) and §§ 13/14/40b (special cases such as Spätaussiedler or Germans living abroad).

§ 9 StAG governs the naturalization of spouses and registered partners of German citizens — shortened residence periods (3 years) apply where the marriage or partnership has existed for at least 2 years.

§ 8 StAG is discretionary naturalization. It applies when the eligibility requirements under § 10 are not fully met but the authority may naturalize in the specific individual case. This review is strictly individual, requires 8 years of residence, and is the legally most uncertain path to naturalization.

In principle yes — but only for minor offenses. Fines up to 90 daily rates (Tagessätze) are typically disregarded, as are certain warnings without probation conditions.

More serious penalties — especially those related to politically motivated offenses, hate crimes, or antisemitic acts — generally permanently exclude Einbürgerung (naturalization). If an Ermittlungsverfahren (criminal investigation) is ongoing, the naturalization procedure is suspended until its conclusion. Each case is reviewed individually.

For standard cases, generally yes. civitas. guides through the usual naturalization process under § 10 or § 9 StAG.

For complex cases — refusal and objection procedures, court actions, unusual biographies with Aufenthalt (residence) gaps, serious prior convictions, § 8 Ermessens-Einbürgerungen (discretionary naturalizations) — we recommend legal counsel. civitas. does not resolve exceptional situations.

civitas. is pure self-service without human advisors. No consultation appointments, no waiting times, no scheduled video calls.

The wizard works in six languages — German, English, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Ukrainian. One-time application packages with flat-rate pricing — no hidden costs, no lawyer's mandate, no success fees. Start immediately after purchase.

civitas. structures your application: the digital wizard asks 83 questions in 14 thematic steps — in your language — and transfers your answers into the German official form.

You receive an Unterlagen-Checkliste (document checklist) specific to your Kommune (municipality), the authority-ready PDF export and — depending on the package — Priority Support, postal dispatch, and Rückfrage (follow-up query) support during processing.

In principle yes. The Einbürgerung (naturalization) forms of your Kommune (municipality) are publicly accessible and the application can be submitted independently.

The hurdle usually lies in the often German-only forms, in document requirements that vary from municipality to municipality, and in translating your individual situation into official language. civitas. takes on this structural work. For 149 euros, you typically save 10–20 hours of research and reduce the risk of incomplete applications.

Six languages: German, English, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Ukrainian.

The wizard runs entirely in your chosen language — questions, help texts, explanations. The authority-ready application form is automatically generated in German, since the naturalization authority only accepts German applications. Additional languages are planned for later releases.

Your progress is saved automatically and can be retrieved at any time via your account. You can continue on another device — laptop, tablet, smartphone.

After 90 days of inactivity you will receive a reminder by email. Your wizard progress is retained as long as your account exists.

Yes — during application processing and afterwards for the legally required retention period (up to 10 years for payment transactions under tax and commercial law).

Data is stored encrypted on German servers (Hetzner, Nuremberg location). You can request deletion of your account and application data at any time — except for data we are legally required to retain.

Yes. Within 14 days of purchase you can upgrade to a higher-tier package free of charge — you only pay the price difference.

Downgrades are not possible, since services are configured per package and premium features that are already activated cannot be removed retroactively.

Processing and decision-making lie exclusively with the Einbürgerungsbehörde (naturalization authority). civitas. cannot guarantee approval — and no provider is allowed to.

If rejected, you will receive a written Bescheid (administrative decision) with reasoning. Widerspruch (objection) and lawsuit against the decision are outside our scope of services — for this you need a law firm specializing in migration law.

The Family package (449 €) covers spouses and up to three minor children co-applying. For extended constellations — more than three children, adult children in education, separated partners with shared children — please inquire directly.

The authority charges an administrative fee of 255 euros per adult and 51 euros per child. These fees are not included in the civitas. price.

The complete digital wizard in all 6 languages, the personalized document checklist for your municipality, the authority-ready PDF export — and depending on the package: priority support, postal dispatch, query support during authority processing.

You will find the exact service breakdown on the Pricing page.

You have the right to withdraw from the service without giving reasons for 14 days — as long as you have not fully completed the wizard.

Once the application is completed and the PDF exported, the Widerrufsrecht (right of withdrawal) lapses under § 356 Abs. 5 BGB, as the service is then fully rendered. Details are set out in our Widerrufsbelehrung (withdrawal information) in the AGB.

Currently, no. Wizard prices are flat, transparent, and apply uniformly to all customers. No hidden surcharges, no upselling strategies. The application tracker for the waiting period is offered separately as a companion subscription (€9.90/month or €99/year).

For non-profit organizations and counseling centers that accompany several people per month, a separate partner program exists. Details on request.

Yes. After payment you automatically receive a proper invoice by email as PDF. On request also by post.

civitas. currently operates as a Kleinunternehmer (small-business operator) within the meaning of § 19 UStG — therefore no Umsatzsteuer (VAT) is shown on invoices.