Naturalisation · City
Naturalisation in Köln.
Responsible authority, processing time, application route and the documents required — compiled for applicants resident in Köln.
Place of residence
Köln
Responsible authority
Stadt Köln — Amt für Migration und Integration
Destination
German passport
The route in four stagesFederal state
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Your procedure follows the competence of the federal state
Submission
Email & post
Standard route according to the authority: by email — the postal route remains open
You receive
civitas application
PDF ready for the authority — completed and verifiable
In four steps · The route in Köln
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 Köln — which evidence, in which form.
The following documents are usually expected in Köln 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 Köln ready for the authority — completed and verifiable.
The naturalisation authority in Köln treats email as the standard route for applications.
Submitting by post remains legally possible — but it may lead to queries or delays, because the authority does not treat it as the standard route.
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.
2,869 naturalisations in 2024.
Source: IT.NRW Statistische Berichte: Einbürgerungen in NRW 2024 (Tab. 7) · As at: 2025-05-20
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
- t-online Köln 2025: 16 Monate Wartezeit, bis zu 20 Monate Gesamtbearbeitung; 2025 >500 Anträge/Monat bearbeitet (Ziel: 800). · verified 2026-04-23
- IT.NRW Statistische Berichte: Einbürgerungen in NRW 2024 (Tab. 7) · verified 2025-05-20
Context & references
Around Köln.
Federal state
Köln 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 Köln.
Answers to the most common questions, with reference to the responsible office.
01Where do I file the naturalization application in Köln?
You file the naturalization application with the naturalization authority of your city or district in Köln. 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 Köln?
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 Köln?
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 Köln —
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 Köln.
Free eligibility check
Check your eligibility in Köln.
The eligibility check goes through your requirements along § 10 StAG — length of residence, language, income, identity.
Free of charge and without signing up.