Naturalisation · City
Naturalisation in Dortmund.
Responsible authority, processing time, application route and the documents required — compiled for applicants resident in Dortmund.
Place of residence
Dortmund
Responsible authority
Stadt Dortmund — Einbürgerungsbehörde (38/4-2)
Destination
German passport
The route in four stagesFederal state
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Your procedure follows the competence of the federal state
Submission
Online portal
Standard route: the authority's online portal
You receive
civitas application
PDF ready for the authority — completed and verifiable
In four steps · The route in Dortmund
From the check to the application.
civitas. is a digital form-filling aid. We guide you through every requirement in a structured way.
Check eligibility
Free eligibility check: length of residence, language, income, identity — along § 10 StAG.
Enter your details
Structured questions in several steps, in multiple languages. Every entry is checked for plausibility.
Compile your documents
A checklist tailored to Dortmund — which evidence, in which form.
The following documents are usually expected in Dortmund for a naturalisation under § 10 StAG. The specific list may vary from case to case — family applications require additional annexes for each person.
- Valid passport (biometric) — present all of them in case of multiple nationalities
- Residence title with evidence of at least 5 years of lawful residence
- B1 language certificate (telc, Goethe, ÖSD or DTZ) or a recognised alternative
- Naturalisation test certificate with at least 17 out of 33 points
- Proof of income for the past 12 months
- Certificate of good conduct from the German Federal Central Criminal Register
- Birth certificate with apostille and certified translation
- Marriage certificate with apostille (if married)
- Extended registration certificate to triangulate your residence history
- Tabular CV with a gapless residence history
Stopover · Not ready to start yet?
Document checklist by email
Sign up and we'll email you the document checklist for naturalisation under § 10 StAG straight away. You can start the eligibility check right now.
Arrival
Receive your application
You receive the application for Dortmund ready for the authority — completed and verifiable.
EfA-Portal bundesweit: Online-Quick-Check, dann BundID-Login.
The first step is the check — free of charge and without signing upAlready applied?
Keep track of processing time and status.
Keep deadlines, processing status and § 75 VwGO options in view — the civitas. application tracker reminds you of documents to submit and translates letters from the authority.
Processing time according to a press report: etwa sechs bis acht Monate(press, quoting the authority)
Source: Nordstadtblogger (Lokalpresse Dortmund), zitiert Rechts- und Ordnungsdezernent Norbert Dahmen (Stadt Dortmund) · As at: 2026-03-05
Authority's own assessment
Die Stadt Dortmund nennt laut Lokalpresse (Stand März 2026) etwa sechs bis acht Monate für das Einbürgerungsverfahren nach erfolgreicher Antragstellung; als Grund wird die nötige Korrespondenz mit verschiedenen Sicherheitsbehörden angeführt. Diese Dauer betrifft NUR die Bearbeitung nach Antragstellung — hinzu kommt eine separate, teils bis zu einjährige Wartezeit auf den Antragstellungstermin (die durch das neue Online-Verfahren reduziert werden soll).
Naturalisations in the state · 2024
68,705
Nordrhein-Westfalen — rank 1 among the sixteen federal states. Your procedure is not an exception but everyday administrative business.
Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis), Tabelle Einbürgerungen nach Bundesländern · As at: 2024
Authority fee (§ 38 StAG)
€255 per adult, €51 per child naturalised alongside
The fee is set uniformly across Germany and does not depend on the municipality you file with. Costs in detail
Sources
- Stadt Dortmund 2025: 9 Monate Wartezeit von Terminanfrage bis persönliche Einreichung. Ruhrnachrichten 2025 berichtet zusätzlich bis zu 16 Mon. Wartezeit vor Einreichung. Bearbeitungszeit nach Einreichung 6-24 Mon. abhängig von Auslastung. · verified 2026-04-24
- Nordstadtblogger (Lokalpresse Dortmund), zitiert Rechts- und Ordnungsdezernent Norbert Dahmen (Stadt Dortmund) · verified 2026-03-05
Context & references
Around Dortmund.
Federal state
Dortmund is located in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Responsibilities, particularities and all recorded authorities of the state are brought together in the overview.
More cities in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Common topics
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about naturalisation in Dortmund.
Answers to the most common questions, with reference to the responsible office.
01Where do I file the naturalization application in Dortmund?
You file the naturalization application with the naturalization authority of your city or district in Dortmund. Civitas. is not an authority — it prepares your application and all your documents in full so you can submit them to the responsible office yourself.
02Which requirements must I meet for naturalization?
For naturalization under § 10 StAG you generally need five years of lawful residence, a secure livelihood, German at B1 level, a passed Einbürgerungstest (citizenship test) and a commitment to the free democratic basic order. A clean criminal record is checked as well.
03Which documents do I need for naturalization in Dortmund?
Typically a passport, residence permit, B1 language certificate, Einbürgerungstest certificate, proof of income for the last twelve months, a police clearance certificate plus birth and, if applicable, marriage certificates with translation. Civitas. builds a complete checklist for your case.
04How long does naturalization take in Dortmund?
Processing time depends on how busy the authority is and is usually between 12 and 24 months nationwide. A complete, correctly filled-out application with all documents avoids follow-up queries and can noticeably speed up the process.
Ready to apply?
Naturalisation in Dortmund —
in four steps to your application.
civitas. guides you through all the requirements and produces the application ready for the authority — tailored to the requirements of Dortmund.
Free eligibility check
Check your eligibility in Dortmund.
The eligibility check goes through your requirements along § 10 StAG — length of residence, language, income, identity.
Free of charge and without signing up.