How Long Does German Naturalization Take? Processing Times 2026

Naturalization in Germany usually takes between 6 and 36 months from the date complete documents are submitted — depending on the municipality and the complexity of the case. There is no nationwide uniform statistic and no official average or median. Large-city authorities in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg are working through waiting lists that are in some cases 24 to 36 months old; smaller rural districts in southern and northern Germany often decide within 6 to 9 months. What matters is not the filing of the application, but the day on which all required documents are complete — requests for additional documents (Nachforderungen) regularly extend the procedure by several months. Where an authority remains inactive beyond three months, § 75 VwGO opens the action for failure to act (Untätigkeitsklage) as an institutional legal remedy.

The processing time this article is concerned with relates to the final stage of a longer residence-law journey. Before the naturalization procedure there are, as a rule, years of consolidated residence: the temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) (§ 7 AufenthG), often followed by the permanent settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) (§ 9 AufenthG) or the EU long-term residence permit (Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EU) (§ 9a AufenthG). These permits secure the right to stay — naturalization under § 10 StAG is the destination that completes the journey and turns secured residence into German citizenship.

For the duration, this means an important distinction: the five years of lawful residence under § 10 para. 1 StAG are a requirement, not processing time. The 6 to 36 months referred to in this article begin only with the naturalization application at the end of this journey — more precisely, with the day on which all required documents are complete. Readers still at an earlier stage will find the distinction between residence titles in the article Residence permit vs. settlement permit; the catalog of naturalization requirements itself is covered by Check the requirements. Which residence periods are creditable in an individual case is decided by the competent naturalization authority.

The processing time is the product of several mutually independent factors. They can be roughly grouped into structural, case-specific, and applicant-side factors.

Structural Factors (Beyond the Influence of the Applicant)

• Staffing of the authority. The municipal umbrella associations have reported an increase in applications of 50–100 % compared with 2023 since the 2024 reform; staffing was not increased at the same pace.
• Level of digitalization. File-free workflow systems (Berlin LEA, Hamburg Service) process standard cases considerably faster than paper-centered procedures in rural districts.
• Workload of downstream bodies. Security clearance checks at the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz), the BKA (Federal Criminal Police Office), and the Central Register of Foreigners (Ausländerzentralregister) depend on their own processing capacities.
• Political steering. Individual states set up special units in 2024/2025 to process legacy applications carried over from the reform (e.g., Berlin, NRW); others operate without special structures.

Case-Specific Factors

• Complexity of the legal basis — § 10 StAG (naturalization by legal entitlement, Anspruchseinbürgerung) is regularly reviewed faster than § 8 StAG (discretionary naturalization, Ermessenseinbürgerung, with individual balancing steps).
• Completeness of identity documents — for persons from states without a stable system of civil records (Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan), procurement and authenticity checks often extend the procedure by 3–9 months.
• Criminal-record situation — ongoing criminal proceedings or deletion periods in the Federal Central Criminal Register (Bundeszentralregister) regularly suspend the procedure.
• Periods spent abroad — clarifying residence periods and, where applicable, ECRIS queries takes longer.

Applicant-Side Factors

• Completeness of the initial submission. Those who file the application complete with all documents avoid requests for additional documents.
• Speed of response to requests for additional documents. Authorities set deadlines — typically 4–8 weeks. Responding on time keeps the procedure moving.
• Reachability. Address changes, faulty mail delivery, and unretrieved emails lead to idle times of weeks, without the authority actively advancing the procedure.

Those who carefully review before filing which requirements are met and which supporting documents are missing avoid most delays. A systematic overview of the points to check is provided by the article Check the requirements.

A nationwide, monthly-updated statistic of naturalization processing times does not exist. The following overview is based on empirical values from the municipal umbrella associations, answers to minor interpellations (kleine Anfragen) in the Bundestag and state parliaments, and publicly communicated self-disclosures from individual authorities (as of April 2026). They are to be understood as ranges, not as an official median.

The ranges given are not official processing times. Individual interior ministries occasionally publish current figures on request; a nationwide comparative study is not available.

For those who need something more concrete: a city-by-city comparison of the processing times published by the authorities themselves — with source and status for each row — is available in the guide Naturalization processing time: 80 cities compared. There the table can be sorted by duration, and cities without an official figure are honestly marked as such.

Nationwide Trend

There is no nationwide, official average or median duration (see above) — the empirical values circulating from association practice move within the ranges given above. Since the reform came into force on 27 June 2024, the application load has risen significantly — the peaks in the large cities have grown further as a result in the quarters Q4/2024 and Q1/2025. A turnaround is to be expected only once the authorities have adjusted their staffing capacities to the new application level.

The clearest dividing line runs not between federal states, but between urban large authorities and rural district administrations.

Large-City Profile

• application volume per caseworker regularly in the three digits per month;
• digital application filing and file-free workflow widespread, but backlogs of 2,000–10,000 legacy files per authority;
• standard cases (clear residence period, secure income, B1, no criminal record) are processed in the current running workflow — processing times typically 12–24 months;
• complex cases move into specialized case processing with a longer waiting time (24–48 months not uncommon).

Small-Town and Rural District Profile

• application volume per caseworker considerably lower (often under 30 per month);
• frequently paper-based procedures, but in return less backlog;
• personal contact with the caseworker more likely;
• processing times typically 6–14 months for standard cases.

Those who have the choice between changes of residence should not steer the choice of authority via naturalization — residence must actually exist, and a change of residence during an ongoing procedure regularly leads to the file being transferred to the new authority with a delay. A strategic choice of authority is legally ruled out.

The 2024 reform accelerated digitalization; but it is not nationwide uniform up to April 2026. Comparative values:

• Berlin LEA (fully digital since 2024): confirmation of receipt in 1–7 days, initial review in 4–12 weeks.
• Hamburg Service (digital): confirmation of receipt in 3–14 days, initial review in 6–14 weeks.
• EfA portal NRW (in roll-out): confirmation of receipt 1–4 weeks, initial review 12–20 weeks.
• Paper procedure (small rural districts): confirmation of receipt 4–12 weeks, initial review 16–28 weeks.

The time advantage of digital procedures lies predominantly in the intake phase and in the speed of requests for additional documents — the actual substantive review and the external security clearance checks, however, remain the same in time terms. The overall advantage of a purely online procedure amounts, according to empirical values, to 2–6 months compared with the classic paper procedure. An in-depth discussion with practical examples can be found in the article Online application vs. paper procedure.

The processing regularly breaks down into six phases. The following values are empirical values for standard cases.

Phase 1 — Submission → Confirmation of Receipt

• Digital procedures: 1 day to 2 weeks.
• Paper procedures: 2–12 weeks.
• Content: a file reference number (Aktenzeichen) is assigned, and formal confirmation of receipt is issued in writing or electronically.

Phase 2 — Completeness Review

• Typically 2–16 weeks.
• The authority checks whether all mandatory documents are present. Gaps lead to requests for additional documents with set deadlines (usually 4–8 weeks).
• In practice, this phase is the greatest lever for the overall duration: complete initial submissions often save 2–4 months.

Phase 3 — Security Clearance Checks

• Federal / State Office for the Protection of the Constitution (LfV/BfV) — typically 4–12 weeks.
• Federal Central Criminal Register (Bundeszentralregister) — typically 2–4 weeks.
• Central Register of Foreigners (Ausländerzentralregister, AZR) — typically 1–4 weeks.
• ECRIS query for prior periods within the EU — typically 6–16 weeks.
• This phase regularly runs parallel to the substantive review; it becomes a bottleneck only when the queries return findings.

Phase 4 — Substantive Review

• Typically 8–32 weeks.
• Content: subsumption of the requirements of § 10 StAG (residence, means of subsistence, language, test, free democratic basic order [fdGO], declaration of loyalty, criminal record, identity); drafting of the decision; hearings where applicable.

Phase 5 — Decision

• Typically 2–8 weeks.
• Content: drafting of the decision, four-eyes review, dispatch. In complex constellations the decision is submitted to the head of the office — this extends Phase 5 by 2–6 weeks.

Phase 6 — Handover of the Certificate / Naturalization Ceremony

• Typically 2–12 weeks after the decision.
• Content: appointment for the handover of the naturalization certificate (Einbürgerungsurkunde) — frequently in the context of a naturalization ceremony (Einbürgerungsfeier) held by the municipality on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.
• With the handover, the person becomes German; from this point on a passport and identity card can be applied for.

Phase Summary in Figures

The individual phases can overlap. In standard cases they typically work out as follows:

The table is a rule of thumb, not an official calculation formula — but it does illustrate the wide margin that the application channel alone already opens up.

Security-Check Hits

If the BfV, BKA, or ECRIS deliver findings, the procedure is halted and a statement is obtained from the applicant. In the case of multi-year prior residence periods in crisis states, or of (even seemingly insignificant) memberships in monitored associations, clarification can take several months.

Missing or Unsuitable Documents

• certified translations without apostille,
• language certificates from non-recognized providers,
• identity documents with a spelling that differs from the birth certificate,
• proof of income over only three months instead of over twelve.

Each individual request for additional documents costs on average 4–8 weeks; several such requests often add up to 6–12 months of additional procedural duration.

Staffing Bottlenecks

Large-city authorities with sick leave, staff turnover, and vacancies have reported extended waiting times since 2024. A transfer of the file within the authority (previous caseworker no longer responsible) typically costs 4–12 weeks.

Complex Cases Under § 8 StAG (Discretionary Naturalization)

§ 8 StAG applications require an individualized statement of discretionary reasons — the authority weighs the public interest, integration achievements, life circumstances, and, where applicable, statements from other bodies. These applications typically take 4–8 months longer than § 10 StAG applications.

Criminal-Law Pending States

Ongoing investigation or criminal proceedings regularly lead to the suspension of the naturalization procedure until a final, legally binding conclusion; even after the conclusion of the proceedings, some authorities wait until the entry is ripe for deletion in the BZR.

Identity Clarification with Foreign Involvement

Where identity cannot be fully proven through documents recognized in Germany, the authority regularly obtains information via the foreign mission of the country of origin, or commissions the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt) with an identity check. Correspondence with foreign missions typically extends the procedure by 4–12 months; in states with limited consular cooperation (Eritrea, Somalia), clarification can take one to two years. In these constellations, authorities accept, upon application, affidavits (eidesstattliche Erklärungen) combined with indirect proof of identity (school and work references, marriage certificates, recognition by close relatives).

Special Effects 2024/2025 — Reform Wave

With the reform coming into force on 27 June 2024, additional waves of applications came to many authorities: on the one hand, persons who under the old law had been deferred (residence period under 8 years) and are now entitled after 5 years; on the other hand, persons who had previously been waiting because of the obligation to give up their previous citizenship. The municipal umbrella associations put the additional increase in applications at 50–120 % compared with 2023.

§ 75 VwGO governs the administrative-court remedy against administrative inaction. The provision is a central pillar of administrative law and ensures that applicants are not left without rights in the face of an unreasonably long processing time. This section describes the institution purely descriptively — a concrete recommendation to bring such an action in an individual case is a matter for the legal profession.

Elements of the Claim

The action for failure to act is available under § 75 VwGO where

• an application for a favorable administrative act has been made (naturalization is favorable),
• the authority without sufficient reason has not decided within a reasonable period,
• regularly three months have elapsed since the application was filed (§ 75 sentence 2 VwGO).

Wording of § 75 sentence 1 and 2 VwGO (source: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vwgo/__75.html, retrieved and reconciled against the official version on 3 July 2026): "Where no decision on the merits has been made on an objection or on an application for the performance of an administrative act without sufficient reason within a reasonable period, the action is admissible in derogation from § 68. The action may not be brought before the expiry of three months from the lodging of the objection or from the application for the performance of the administrative act, unless a shorter period is required due to special circumstances of the case." (Sentences 3 and 4 on the court-set suspension period are not reproduced here.)

The three-month period is a regular minimum period, not a conclusive standard. The administrative courts examine whether the specific facts justify a longer processing period — in particular complexity, outstanding security clearance checks, and the applicant's duties of cooperation.

Procedure

• Action before the locally competent administrative court (place of residence of the applicant);
• the amount in dispute (Streitwert) in naturalization matters is regularly set at €10,000;
• court fees and, where applicable, lawyer's fees are governed by the GKG (Court Fees Act) and RVG (Lawyers' Remuneration Act);
• outcome: if successful, the court orders the authority to decide within a period set by the court (regularly 2–4 months); a substantive preliminary review of the naturalization does not take place in the failure-to-act proceedings.

Costs Consequence

• If the action is granted, the losing authority bears the necessary procedural costs (§ 154 VwGO).
• If the action is dismissed, the applicant bears the costs.
• A declaration that the matter has been resolved (Erledigterklärung) in the event of a decision issued in the meantime leads to a costs decision at the court's equitable discretion (§ 161 para. 2 VwGO) — usually to the detriment of the authority if it was inactive without sufficient reason.

The action for failure to act is a rule-of-law corrective, not an acceleration instrument to be brought as a matter of routine. The legal assessment in an individual case — the question of "sufficient reason", the assessment of the amount in dispute, the need for a lawyer — belongs in the hands of admitted lawyers.

What Is Recognized as "Sufficient Reason"

The administrative courts regularly recognize "sufficient reason" for a longer processing period where

• outstanding security clearance checks have demonstrably not yet come back,
• the applicant has not fulfilled their duties of cooperation, or only partially,
• the facts — in particular under § 8 StAG — require a substantial statement of discretionary reasons,
• a criminal-law pending state needs clarification,
• the authority is demonstrably working through an application backlog resulting from the reform, insofar as concrete allocation and progress are set out.

Regularly not recognized as sufficient are: blanket references to "staff shortages" without concrete quantification, permanent idle time without discernible processing progress, and delays attributable exclusively to the authority's own organization.

The Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) generalized the standard in administrative-procedure terms in BVerwG, judgment of 11 July 2018 — 1 C 18.17 (subject area: asylum law, but the standard applies to § 75 VwGO as a whole): exceptional administrative workload can constitute a "sufficient reason", but must remain combatable through organizational measures; in the specific case, with a processing time of 22 months without a decision, no sufficient reason was recognized any longer. The transferability to naturalization procedures is a matter for the respective administrative-court assessment of the individual case. Notes on the treatment of negative decisions can be found in more depth under Rejection and objection.

Even though the majority of the procedural duration is determined by structural factors, the applicant has levers.

• Submit complete. The most common cause of delay is requests for additional documents due to missing documents. A preliminary plausibility check of the documents — either yourself (checklist of the competent authority) or via digital tools such as civitas. — often saves 2–4 months.
• Serve requests immediately. Those who respond to letters within a week rather than only after a month keep the procedure moving.
• Report address changes. Returned mail is a common, conveniently avoidable obstacle.
• Take the language certificate and test early. Those who complete the language certificate and citizenship test before filing the application reduce the number of "gaps" in the initial application.
• Keep translations current. Some authorities require translations that are not older than six months. Those who translate early and then wait a long time may under certain circumstances have the translation done twice.
• Apply for access to the file. In the case of long idle times, an application for access to the file (§ 29 VwVfG) can shed light on the processing status; many authorities respond with an updated status report.
• Meter status inquiries sparingly. Frequent status inquiries create processing effort for the caseworker — quarterly intervals are more sensible in proportion than monthly emails.
• Cooperate actively in the event of completeness deficiencies. Those who, already in the initial submission, themselves point out discernible gaps (e.g., a missing translation of an additional document) and announce that they will provide it, give the authority a clear signal and avoid avoidable request loops.
• Provide several passports or identity documents in parallel. If the birth certificate shows a name status different from the current passport (e.g., after marriage abroad), the proactive submission of a certified translation of the marriage certificate plus a declaration of name in the StAG application often saves 8–12 weeks of clarification effort.

The reform of 27 June 2024 simplified the requirements substantively (shorter residence period, dual citizenship, clearer means-of-subsistence rule) — but regularly extended the processing time, because the application load has risen significantly.

Data Situation

• The official naturalization statistics of the Federal Statistical Office showed the highest number of naturalizations since 2002 for 2023; in 2024 this figure rose again significantly (Destatis press releases spring 2024 and spring 2025).
• Answers of the Federal Government to minor interpellations on naturalization practice (Bundestag printed papers) document an increase in applications in most large cities of 50–120 % between 2022 and 2024.
• Individual interior ministries (NRW, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg) report processing backlogs and special units in state-parliament printed papers.

Outlook

The staff increases at individual large-city authorities (Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt) from 2025 onward, as well as the ongoing digitalization (EfA portals, a uniform federal-state standard for application filing), suggest a stabilization of processing times in the medium term — a short-term shortening compared with the 2024/early-2025 values is, in the assessment of the associations, not to be expected across the board for 2026.

What the Reform Changed About the Processing Logic

Substantively, since 2024 the authority reviews fewer statutory elements — the giving-up of the previous citizenship is dropped completely, the residence period is 5 (instead of 8) years, and the declaration of loyalty is newly introduced but low in procedural effort. This shortens the substantive review per file in the standard case by an estimated 2–4 weeks. Against this stands the increase in applications, which means more files in the pipeline per caseworker. On balance, both effects neutralize each other in many authorities — the overall duration remains within the range stated so far for 2026.

How long does naturalization really take?

There is no official nationwide average or median. Depending on the municipality and the complexity of the case, the range extends from around 6 months in smaller rural districts to about 36 months in heavily burdened large cities. What matters is not the filing of the application, but the day on which all mandatory documents are complete.

Does processing begin with receipt of the application or with completeness?

Formally with receipt. In practice, the substantive-review phase only begins once all mandatory documents are present. As long as requests for additional documents are open, the procedure remains in the completeness review.

Does an online application really have advantages?

Yes, above all in the initial phases. Confirmation of receipt and initial review are 4–12 weeks faster, because file creation and recording take place digitally. The substantive review itself and external security clearance checks, however, run independently of the application channel.

What is an action for failure to act?

§ 75 VwGO governs the administrative-court action where an authority does not decide on an application without sufficient reason. It regularly becomes possible after the expiry of a three-month minimum period. If successful, the result is the obligation of the authority to decide within a period set by the court — not the direct naturalization.

Should I bring an action for failure to act after three months?

This question concerns an individual legal assessment and belongs in the hands of admitted lawyers. § 75 VwGO is an institutional legal remedy; whether bringing it makes sense, has prospects of success, and is proportionate in a specific case depends on many individual factors.

How do I find out the current processing status?

Direct status inquiries are possible — by telephone, by email, or via the respective authority portal. In the case of prolonged inactivity, an application for access to the file (§ 29 VwVfG) comes into consideration; it reveals which phase the procedure is in.

How long does it take after the application until an appointment or invitation?

There is no statutorily fixed period within which the authority must send an appointment or invitation after receipt of the application — in practice, the range extends, depending on the authority, application channel, and case complexity, from a few weeks to many months. Applicants usually first receive a confirmation of receipt with a file reference number: in digital procedures often within 1 day to 2 weeks, in paper procedures within 2 to 12 weeks; some online portals send only an automatic status display instead of a separate confirmation.

A genuine invitation typically follows in two situations: on the one hand, a possible appointment for a personal appearance or for submitting missing documents, which, depending on the authority's workload, can fall weeks to many months after the application; on the other hand — at the very end — the invitation to the handover of the naturalization certificate after a positive decision. Binding ranges cannot seriously be given, because they depend on the authority, application channel, and case complexity; the authority investigates the facts of its own motion (§ 24 VwVfG) without a rigid appointment deadline. If the authority remains inactive beyond three months without sufficient reason, § 75 VwGO opens, as an institutional legal remedy, the path to the administrative court; whether that makes sense in an individual case is a legal question for admitted lawyers. In the case of a longer waiting time without a response, a written status inquiry, where applicable with an application for access to the file (§ 29 VwVfG), is the usual way to find out the processing status.

What happens if I move during the procedure?

The file is transferred to the now-competent authority. Processing pauses during the file transfer (typically 4–12 weeks). No additional fee is charged; the procedure is continued at the new authority.

Is the application delayed by a naturalization ceremony?

The naturalization ceremony is at the end of the procedure — after the positive decision has been issued. It does not delay the legal decision; it only postpones the date of the handover. Those who do not want a ceremony can regularly collect the certificate at a regular appointment.

When at the earliest should I inquire?

A status inquiry after 3–4 months is customary and unproblematic. In the case of a very long waiting time (over 12 months), a written status inquiry is worthwhile, where applicable with a request for access to the file. Constant weekly inquiries increase the caseworker's workload and regularly do not speed up the procedure.

Can I already apply for my passport before the certificate is handed over?

No. A passport and identity card can only be applied for after the handover of the naturalization certificate. Before that, the person is not German within the meaning of passport and identity-card law. The issuance of the certificate is therefore the decisive cut-off date.

How long does naturalization take after payment of the fees?

The payment of the fee is usually at the very end of the procedure, not at the beginning: only after a successful substantive review does the authority issue a fee notice (Gebührenbescheid), and the handover of the naturalization certificate typically takes place only once the fee has been received. In practice, there are usually a few weeks between payment and the handover of the certificate — the actual waiting time therefore falls before this, not after.

The fee amounts, under § 38 StAG, to 255 euros per person; for a minor child co-naturalized without their own income, it is reduced to 51 euros. § 38 StAG does not name a statutorily fixed due date; the authority sets a payment deadline in the fee notice. Those who transfer the amount promptly after receiving the notice avoid additional idle time, because the handover of the certificate is coupled to the receipt of payment. With the handover of the naturalization certificate, the naturalization becomes effective (§ 16 StAG) — only from this point on can a passport and identity card be applied for. The exact sequence of the appointment and ceremony is described in the section on the handover of the certificate (Phase 6).

What do I do during the waiting time?

During the ongoing procedure, it is worthwhile to keep one's personal document situation current: keep the language certificate within reach of the six-month period of some authorities, keep translations current, report address changes immediately, and periodically update proof of income and residence. Those who, during the ongoing procedure, switch to a different basis of entitlement — for example a marriage to a German citizen (§ 9 StAG, three years' residence + two years of marriage) — should report this immediately; the authority then checks whether the legal basis can be changed. A shortening to three years via special integration achievements (§ 10 para. 3 StAG old version), which was possible between 27 June 2024 and 29 October 2025, no longer exists since the Act Amending the Nationality Act and Other Provisions (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256).

Does a trip abroad extend the procedure?

A stay abroad of a few weeks during the ongoing procedure is regularly unproblematic — the authority does not require constant reachability. Longer stays abroad (over six months) can interrupt habitual residence within the meaning of § 12b StAG and thereby retroactively jeopardize the requirements. In cases of doubt, a brief notification to the authority with the travel plans attached is advisable.

How reliable are the online status displays?

The digital portals (Berlin LEA, Hamburg Service, EfA-NRW) generally show the current procedural status: receipt, completeness review, substantive review, decision, handover. The display often updates with a delay of 1–4 weeks compared with the real processing status; it is a rough classification, not live tracking. In paper-based procedures, online status displays usually do not exist — a telephone status inquiry with the caseworker is the practical way here, supplemented by a brief written note for the file documentation.