Naturalize Your Family: Spouses and Children in Joint Application

Many naturalization projects in Germany are family projects. Those who reach the 5-year period according to § 10 of the Nationality Act (StAG) typically also ask what applies to spouses and children. This article covers the basics: which three family constellations the StAG distinguishes, which documents are typically expected, what costs arise, and which typical errors delay the application. It does not cover discretionary naturalization under § 8 StAG in individual cases nor Turkey-specific special topics like reacquisition through the Blue Card (Mavi Kart) — for that there is a separate guide.

Who Can Naturalize Together?

The law recognizes two parallel paths through which family members can acquire German nationality together with a main applicant:

Entitlement to naturalization under § 10 StAG — the classic path. Those who have lived lawfully and habitually in Germany for five years and meet the other requirements (German language level B1, secured livelihood, passed naturalization test, no relevant convictions, commitment to the free democratic basic order and loyalty declaration) have an entitlement to naturalization.

Co-naturalization under § 10 para. 2 StAG — the family anchor. The spouse and minor children can be naturalized together with the main applicant, even if they have not yet fulfilled the 5-year period themselves. The other requirements (language, livelihood, no criminal record) still apply to them, although requirements for children are mitigated depending on age.

Spousal naturalization under § 9 StAG — the path for binational marriages. If one partner is already German, the foreign spouse can naturalize independently under § 9 StAG. The time periods were adjusted on October 30, 2025 by the Fourth Act Amending the Nationality Law: Instead of the previous special rule of three years of residence and two years of marriage, four years of lawful residence in Germany and two years of existing marriage now apply.

The Three Family Constellations in Detail

Constellation 1: Both Spouses Meet § 10 StAG Themselves

In this most common constellation, both spouses have lived lawfully in Germany for at least five years and each meet the requirements in their own person. Legally, they can file two separate naturalization applications or a joint application in which one partner is the main applicant and the other is listed as co-naturalizing. The authority fee is 255 euros per adult in any case; for separate applications these are two individual fees, for a joint application also the full fee per person, as no combined discount is provided. The practical advantage of proceeding together lies in bundled processing at the same nationality authority — identical supplementary requests, a joint appointment for the loyalty declaration, a joint certificate appointment.

Constellation 2: One Partner Meets the Time Period — Co-naturalization under § 10 para. 2

It is common that only one partner has already met the 5-year period, while the other has lived in Germany for a shorter time. Here co-naturalization under § 10 para. 2 StAG applies. The partner meeting the time requirement files the main application, the other partner is included as co-naturalizing. The co-naturalizing spouse does not need to prove the full 5-year period, but must generally meet the substantive requirements (sufficient German skills, secured livelihood, no relevant convictions, commitment and loyalty declaration). In practice, a separate language certificate (telc, Goethe, ÖSD, DTZ) at B1 level is expected; that the authority considers the family's total income is provided for under § 10 para. 1 no. 3 StAG when the livelihood is secured jointly.

Constellation 3: Partner Is Already German — Spousal Naturalization under § 9

When one spouse already possesses German nationality (for example through birth or previous naturalization), the question of family reunification arises differently. The foreign spouse files their own naturalization application under § 9 StAG. Since October 30, 2025, the tightened periods apply: four years of lawful residence in Germany and two years of existing marriage to the German partner. The other requirements (B1 German, naturalization test, secured livelihood, no criminal record, commitment, loyalty declaration) apply as with entitlement naturalization under § 10. The advantage compared to waiting for the 5-year period lies in the shorter residence duration. Which path is right depends on the individual situation; an individual case assessment is undertaken by a specialist lawyer for migration law.

Children in the Application — Co-naturalization under § 10 para. 2

Minor children are generally included through co-naturalization under § 10 para. 2 StAG with the naturalizing parent. Three age groups are distinguished in practice:

Under 16 years: Children are naturalized together with the parent. Own language skills are generally not required. The fee is 51 euros per child.
16 to under 18 years: Co-naturalization remains possible, but teenagers at this age generally present their own language certificate at B1 level. The naturalization test is also expected from age 16. The fee remains 51 euros as long as co-naturalization occurs together with the parent application.
From 18 years: Adult children file their own naturalization application under § 10 StAG with full 5-year period and full fee (255 euros).

A separate constellation is the acquisition of German nationality by birth under § 4 StAG. Children born in Germany since June 27, 2024, where at least one parent has lived lawfully in Germany for five years, acquire German nationality at birth — they do not need to be naturalized. This is formally not naturalization but an automatic legal mechanism under § 4 para. 3 StAG and particularly relevant for young families.

Documents per Family Member

The specific document catalog varies by federal state and municipality; the following documents are generally expected:

For all family members:

Valid passport (biometric) and current passport photo
Birth certificate with apostille and certified translation

For the main applicant (§ 10 StAG):

Residence permit for at least five years (all copies chronologically)
Language certificate B1 or higher (original and copy)
Naturalization test certificate
Income proof for the last twelve months (wage tax certificates, bank statements, tax assessments for self-employed if applicable)
Certificate of good conduct from the Federal Central Register, for relevant stays abroad additionally from the country of origin
Commitment to the free democratic basic order (in writing)
Loyalty declaration (to be given personally at the authority appointment)

For the co-naturalizing spouse:

Marriage certificate with apostille and certified translation
Own language certificate
Own income proof or proof that household income jointly secures the livelihood
Own certificate of good conduct

For minor children:

Birth certificate and school certificate if applicable
From 16 years own language certificate and naturalization test certificate
Current photos

Certified translations are made exclusively by translators sworn before a regional court in Germany. The state justice administrations maintain a nationwide database at justiz-dolmetscher.de.

Cost Matrix with Example

The authority fees for naturalization are regulated in § 38 StAG and the Nationality Fee Ordinance:

255 euros per adult
51 euros per minor child naturalized together with a parent
25 euros fee for participation in the naturalization test (per person from 16 years)

Example of a four-person family with two adults and two children under 16:

Item	Quantity	Individual Fee	Total
Authority fee adults	2	255 €	510 €
Authority fee children (co-naturalization)	2	51 €	102 €
Naturalization test	2	25 €	50 €
Total Authority Costs			662 €
Certified translations (estimated 6 documents × 40 €)			240 €
Apostilles and incidental costs if applicable			variable

To these official costs are added — depending on individual situation — costs for language courses if no B1 certificate exists, as well as the service fee for application assistance. The Family Package from civitas. currently costs 449 euros and covers the wizard guidance for all family members, the individual document checklist, arrangement of sworn translators, and completion of the joint application form. The overview of all packages can be found under Prices and Packages.

Process at the Authority

The application is filed with the nationality authority at the family's place of residence. In North Rhine-Westphalia, this is often not the city but the responsible district. Submission occurs depending on the municipality online (via the EfA-NRW portal or a state service account) or by paper. Which path is available for the place of residence is explained in the article Apply for Naturalization Online or by Mail?.

After receipt of the application, the authority reviews the documents, requests supplements if needed, and schedules the personal appearance. For family applications, all adults (and children from 16 years) generally appear together. The loyalty declaration is given personally before an employee of the authority; for children under 16, parents sign on their behalf. Processing time depends heavily on the municipality and ranges in 2026 between eight and eighteen months, in authorities with significant backlogs even longer. The handover of naturalization certificates often occurs jointly as part of a naturalization ceremony.

Responsible Naturalization Authorities — City Overviews

Where the family application is specifically to be submitted depends on the place of residence. We maintain city-specific overviews with authority address, processing time ranges, and usual application method:

Common Errors in Family Applications

The nationality authorities regularly report in publications and city association papers that three reasons typically delay family applications:

Incomplete documents of a family member result in supplementary requests for the entire family application. If for example the marriage certificate with apostille is missing, the files of all family members remain idle until submission.
Non-certified translations are not accepted. Translations must be made by translators sworn before a regional court in Germany; online services or translations from abroad without apostille do not suffice.
Missing income proof for the entire family. When the co-naturalizing spouse has no own income, proof that the family income jointly secures the livelihood generally suffices. If this is not explicitly shown, the authority requests supplements.
Passport photos of insufficient quality. Biometric passport photos according to ICAO standard are mandatory. Children's passport photos with closed eyes or tilted head are regularly rejected.
Missing language proof for teenagers from 16. When 16- or 17-year-old children are to be co-naturalized, an own B1 certificate and passed naturalization test are generally expected — a point often overlooked in families with teenagers.

These points are not individual legal advice but recurring procedural observations. For complex constellations (such as patchwork families, separated spouses, or children from previous marriages), individual consultation with a specialist lawyer for migration law is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can children under 16 be co-naturalized without their own language proof?

Yes. For children under 16 years, no own language proof is generally required. Co-naturalization occurs together with the parent application at the 51-euro fee. From 16 years, an own B1 certificate and the naturalization test are generally expected.

Does a joint family application save authority fees?

No. The authority fee is 255 euros per adult and 51 euros per co-naturalizing child — regardless of whether a joint or two separate applications are filed. The practical advantage of proceeding together lies in bundled processing, joint appointments, and a single naturalization ceremony.

What is the difference between § 10 para. 2 (co-naturalization) and § 9 (spousal naturalization)?

§ 10 para. 2 StAG allows co-naturalization of the spouse when the main applicant meets the 5-year period. § 9 StAG is independent spousal naturalization when the other partner is already German; it requires four years of lawful residence and two years of marriage since 30.10.2025.

Does receiving Bürgergeld (citizen's benefit) affect the family application?

Yes, generally. § 10 para. 1 no. 3 StAG requires that livelihood be secured for oneself and dependent family members without claiming SGB II or SGB XII benefits. The law recognizes exceptions, such as inability to work for reasons beyond one's control.

Can children over 18 still naturalize in the family package?

Adult children from 18 years file their own naturalization application under § 10 StAG with full 5-year period and full fee (255 euros). Co-naturalization in the sense of § 10 para. 2 StAG is not possible; however, the family package of application assistance can bundle them organizationally.

What civitas. Provides

civitas. is application assistance, not an authority and not a law firm. The wizard supports families with a single account and guides in parallel through the requirements for main applicants, spouses, and children. The document checklist is created dynamically per family member, and translator arrangement for Turkish-German or other language combinations is handled with volume discount. The joint application is prepared as a complete PDF bundle for submission to the responsible nationality authority.

For constellations touching on discretion under § 8 StAG, or for questions of Turkish nationality law — such as reacquisition through the Blue Card after German naturalization — referral is made to specialized law firms or the separate guide on the topic of Mavi Kart.

Further Articles:

Legal Notice: This article presents the legal situation according to the Nationality Act (StAG) in the version after the Fourth Amendment Act of October 30, 2025. It does not replace legal advice in individual cases. civitas. is a private application assistance service and not an authority. For individual legal questions — particularly regarding patchwork constellations, discretionary naturalization under § 8 StAG, reacquisition of a former nationality, or difficult document situations — consultation with a specialist lawyer for migration law is available.

Sources: Nationality Act (StAG) in the version of 30.10.2025, available at gesetze-im-internet.de/stag; Nationality Fee Ordinance on § 38 StAG; Federal Office of Administration, Information on the naturalization procedure (bva.bund.de); Federal Office for Migration and Refugees on the naturalization test (bamf.de); Association of German Cities, press release on changes to naturalization law and municipal administrative practice 2025. Status of all sources: April 2026.

Naturalize Your Family in 2026 Spouses and Children in Joint Application — Requirements, Documents, Costs