German Citizenship Costs 2026: €255 Fee Plus All Additional Costs

German naturalization costs, as a pure processing fee, €255 per adult (§ 38 para. 2 no. 1 StAG), and for co-naturalized children without their own income €51 per child (§ 38 para. 2 StAG, reduced rate). On top of this come typical additional costs of €150–450 for the language certificate, citizenship test, certified translations, apostille, and documents — depending on the country of origin and the document situation. Realistically, applicants should expect total costs between roughly €400 (standard case) and €1,200 (family with foreign documents). Those who receive social benefits or have a low income can apply for a fee reduction under § 38 para. 4 StAG.

Fee Categories

§ 38 StAG (Nationality Act, Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz) regulates the nationwide uniform base fee. The provision defines amounts that cannot be shifted by state law — an authority in Munich charges the same fee as an authority in Flensburg:

Special Cases

For restitution naturalizations under § 15 StAG (persons persecuted under the Nazi regime and their descendants), the procedure is free of charge. The declaration-based acquisitions under § 5 StAG (for children born before 1 January 2000 to formerly German mothers and similar constellations) are likewise free of charge. For naturalization abroad under § 13 StAG through the Bundesverwaltungsamt (Federal Office of Administration), the standard fee of €255 applies, supplemented in individual cases by disbursements for consular involvement.

When Is the Fee Due?

The fee is regularly charged upon submission of the application — many authorities require advance payment as a precondition for processing the application. In the event of withdrawal or rejection of the application, § 38 para. 2 StAG provides for a fee "ranging from 25 euros up to the amount that is provided for as the fee for performing the requested service or that would be charged" — for naturalization by legal entitlement (Anspruchseinbürgerung), therefore, between €25 and €255. The specific amount is set by the authority in each individual case at its dutiful discretion. A refund of the unclaimed difference is possible upon written request.

Legal Basis

§ 38 para. 4 StAG allows the authority to reduce or waive the fee where this is warranted on grounds of public interest or to avoid undue hardship. In practice, the administrative regulation on citizenship law applies two case groups:

• Receipt of social benefits (Bürgergeld [citizen's allowance], social assistance, housing benefit in combination with low earned income) — here the fee is regularly reduced to half the amount (approx. €127.50), and waived in cases of hardship.
• Low earned income below defined thresholds — the authorities take their bearings from the attachment exemption limit (Pfändungsfreigrenze) under the ZPO (Code of Civil Procedure) and from the Bürgergeld standard requirement. There is no nationwide uniform income threshold; practice varies from state to state.

How to Apply

The reduction must be applied for in writing, regularly in the application form itself or in a separate application. The following must be attached:

• current pay slips for the last three months,
• current Bürgergeld, social assistance, or housing benefit notice (if applicable),
• rental agreement or proof of housing costs,
• proof of maintenance obligations (child benefit notice, maintenance order).

The authority decides at its dutiful discretion. A rejection of the reduction is subject to appeal — it is integrated into the naturalization decision or issued separately.

Practical Observation

Families with several children benefit disproportionately: if the main fee of €255 is halved to €127.50 and the child fees (€51 each) are additionally waived, the authority costs for a four-person family fall from €408 to around €128. The reduction is financially decisive for many applicants — but in application-form practice it is often not actively asked about, which is why in many cases the application simply runs "on standard".

Comparison of State Practice

Even though the base fee is identical nationwide (§ 38 StAG is federal law), the application of the reduction varies considerably:

• Berlin (LEA) and Hamburg Service regularly apply the reduction in Bürgergeld and low-income cases in an automated manner — the reduction must be formally requested, but it is always granted upon submission of the SGB II notice.
• Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg review more on a case-by-case basis; a reduction is granted less frequently ex officio and more often only upon specific application.
• North Rhine-Westphalia handles the reduction differently at the municipal level; individual city administrations (e.g. Cologne, Düsseldorf) have internal guidelines on applying § 38 para. 4 StAG that are not publicly published.
• Saxony, Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern apply the reduction most restrictively — a hardship argument must be coherently documented.

The amount of the reduction ranges between 50% of the standard fee (frequent) and full waiver (hardship cases, regularly only upon application and with detailed income/need documentation). For further detail on the differing administrative practice and processing time of the authorities, see also the article on Processing Time.

Case Law

The Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG) clarified the standard for equity-based reductions in two parallel decisions:

• BVerwG, judgment of 16 November 2006 — 5 C 26.05 and 5 C 27.05: An equity-based reduction may be considered where the applicant — or family members eligible for naturalization — depends on social benefits under SGB II or SGB XII, without this precluding naturalization under § 10 StAG, and where no foreseeable change in the life situation is expected in the near future. The reduction is only considered for individual hardship cases; general statutory rules may not be corrected through equity decisions.

Certified Translations

Birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decrees, and, where applicable, certificates from the country of origin must be translated by translators publicly appointed and sworn in Germany. Typical prices:

• Standard civil status certificate (birth/marriage certificate): €30–80 per certificate,
• School/university certificate: €60–150,
• Court decision (divorce decree, custody decision): €80–200.

Online translation platforms are at the lower end of the range; court-appointed translators in large cities at the upper end.

Apostille and Legalization

Documents from abroad often have to be apostilled (Hague Convention) or legalized (non-apostille states). Costs:

• Apostille in the country of origin: €15–80 per document,
• Legalization via the German diplomatic mission abroad: €25–100 per document,
• where applicable, recourse to an embassy confirmation or a document verification procedure (Urkundenüberprüfungsverfahren, UPV) in the event of doubtful authenticity: an additional €100–300.

Birth Certificate From the Country of Origin

Anyone who does not have a birth certificate recognized in Germany must obtain a new one in the country of origin. Direct authority fees are usually below €50; shipping and, where applicable, lawyer or intermediary costs for obtaining it can drive the total price up to €80–250.

Police Certificate of Good Conduct

The Federal Central Register (Bundeszentralregister) issues an extended disclosure directly to the authority — no costs arise for the applicant for this. Anyone who additionally has to provide a certificate of good conduct from their country of origin regularly pays €20–60 there, plus apostille and translation.

Language Certificates

Goethe-Institut, telc, and ÖSD offer B1 examinations. Typical price range:

• Goethe-Zertifikat B1: €200–280 (depending on location),
• telc Deutsch B1: €130–200,
• ÖSD-Zertifikat B1: €150–220,
• DTZ B1 (integration course): often free of charge after course participation, or €100–130 as a retake examination,
• C1 certificate (premium language certificate, optional beyond the B1 minimum level; a shortened 3-year deadline based on C1 has not existed since 30 October 2025 — cf. the Act Amending the Nationality Act and Further Provisions (Gesetz zur Änderung des Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes sowie weiterer Vorschriften), BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256): €220–320.

Citizenship Test

The nationwide uniform test "Leben in Deutschland" costs €25 per attempt. Repetitions are possible any number of times (€25 each). The complete question catalog can be accessed free of charge via the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education) — preparatory engagement with the catalog is sufficient in most cases. For further detail on the test, see the Citizenship Test article.

Photo, Postage, Travel Costs

• Biometric photographs (two to four): €10–30,
• Certifications of simple copies (notary, citizens' office, parish office): €1–10 per certification,
• Postage for registered mail with return receipt: €5–10,
• Travel costs to authority appointments, possibly multiple times: depends on the individual case.

Overview of Additional Costs

Detailed guidance on the B1 Language Certificate is provided in its own article.

The following examples are generic model calculations. They do not replace an individual cost calculation but do give realistic orders of magnitude.

Example A — Single Adult (Turkey, Standard Case)

Person, 32 years old, has lived in Germany for 7 years, permanently employed, no social benefits, acquired B1 through an adult education center course.

Example B — Family With Two Children (Syria, Protected Status for 6 Years)

Father (main applicant, B1), mother (B1), two children (5 and 9 years old), self-initiated top-up benefits (Aufstocker) due to short-term care periods for the grandmother.

Notes on the Examples

The figures above are empirical values from typical constellations — they vary according to place of residence (translator density and fees higher in large cities), country of origin (apostille procedures inexpensive in EU states, more expensive and lengthier in states without a stable document system), and family status (each additional person produces its own translation and apostille costs). Anyone who arrives with the DTZ certificate from a completed integration course often saves the external language certificate costs entirely — the test is eligible for funding within the framework of the course.

Example C — Married Couple Ukraine (Protected Status for 4 Years)

Both in their early 30s, employed full-time, no children, acquired B1 through DTZ, no social benefits.

The civitas. rate starts at €149 (as of April 2026, standard rate). The price includes:

• Structured requirements self-check with a gap analysis per § 10 StAG element,
• personal, country-specific document list with reference to the responsible authority,
• digital application document with pre-filled mandatory fields (based on the data entered),
• preliminary plausibility check of the documents before they are sent to the authority,
• references to recognized language examination centers, test centers, and sworn translators in the vicinity of the place of residence,
• structured reminders during the procedure (appointments, additional requests, status queries),
• where needed, referral to specialized partner lawyers on transparently communicated additional terms.

Not included are: the authority fee itself (€255, or €51 per child), language certificate and test costs, translator and apostille fees — these are systematically to be paid by the applicant directly to the respective bodies and are not billed through civitas.

A complete rate overview and the respectively current price tiers can be found at civitas. Pricing.

When is each worthwhile?

• DIY makes sense in clear constellations: long period of residence, stable income, B1, no criminal record. Those who have time, understand administrative language, and have patience for additional requests can manage with it.
• civitas. makes sense when the life situation is typical but the application is meant to be formally complete without spending weekend after weekend on research. The digital guided track covers about 80% of standard cases.
• Specialist lawyer makes sense for legally complicated questions: threatened refusal, ongoing criminal proceedings, objection/lawsuit proceedings, difficult identity questions, disputes over reform transitional provisions.

Insofar as such advice is required in an individual case, civitas. refers to its own partner lawyer network.

What Drives Lawyer Costs?

The range from €800 to €2,500 in the comparison above is explained by several factors:

• Consultation meeting for an initial review (initial consultation fee under the RVG: up to €190 net for full advice).
• Application processing with client meeting, document review, and application document: a flat fee of €600–1,200 is customary.
• Support during the authority's review (statements on additional requests, file inspection): an additional €200–600.
• Representation in contentious proceedings (objection, lawsuit, action for failure to act): based on the amount in dispute (typically €10,000 — the RVG fee framework yields around €600–1,500 per instance).

In the event of success in court proceedings, under § 154 VwGO the losing authority bears the necessary procedural costs of the applicant party — the lawyer's fees are reimbursed up to the RVG amount. Fee agreements beyond the RVG limits remain the applicant's own cost burden.

The following points appear in no authority list but regularly entail additional costs.

• Expired translations. Some authorities require translations that are no more than six months old. Anyone who prepares the translation early and then waits a long time for the authority appointment must have it translated anew.
• Missed apostille. Anyone who submits documents without an apostille receives additional requests. Subsequent procurement costs additional time (often 4–8 weeks) and money (€15–80 plus shipping).
• Wrong translator. Translations by translators working abroad are regularly not recognized in Germany. Only translators publicly appointed and sworn in Germany are recognized.
• Wrong language certificate. Module certificates (listening only or writing only) are not sufficient; only the complete B1 certificate is recognized.
• Test too early. Anyone who took the citizenship test more than three years before submitting the application may encounter requests for a repeat — not statutorily mandatory, but administrative practice in individual authorities.
• Multiple certifications. Some authorities accept digital copies, others only originally certified ones. Anyone who has documents certified twice pays twice.
• Failure to report changes of address. Anyone who moves during the procedure and does not inform the authority risks returned mail, repeated appointment postponements, and, in individual cases, the assumption of an application withdrawal.
• Application too early. Anyone who submits the application before fulfilling all requirements may be formally rejected — and pays, under § 38 para. 2 StAG, a fee between €25 and the full standard fee (€255) for processing the unsuccessful application.
• Proof of identity through substitute documents. Anyone who has no passport and works with an identity card, birth certificate, and subsequent identity clarification risks multiple translations and certifications — the substitute passport from the country of origin (€40–120) is often the cheaper solution.
• Occasionally charged flat-rate disbursements. Individual authorities charge flat rates beyond the standard fee for security checks, hearings, or the presentation ceremony. Such flat rates are not regulated uniformly nationwide; a look at the fee bylaws of the municipality of residence is worthwhile.
• Additional costs due to a change of residence during the procedure. A move to another authority district during an ongoing application regularly leads to the file being handed over to the new authority. A second processing fee is not provided for by law, but individual authorities charge disbursements for forwarding the file.

What Authorities Offer

The processing fee under § 38 StAG is an administrative fee. Under § 18 of the Federal Fees Act (Bundesgebührengesetz, BGebG) and the corresponding state fee acts, a deferral or payment in installments is possible upon application if immediate payment would constitute a considerable hardship. Practice varies greatly:

• Some large-city authorities (e.g. Berlin LEA, Hamburg Service, Munich KVR) offer payment in installments upon informal application.
• Smaller district administrations decide on a case-by-case basis, regularly after submission of proof of income and expenses.
• Deferral beyond six months is the exception and requires special justification.

Self-Financing

Anyone who cannot raise the fee from current income should first check the social fee reduction under § 38 para. 4 StAG. Credit financing via consumer loans is possible but rarely economically sensible — the effective interest costs quickly exceed the original fee.

Funding and Grants

There is no state naturalization funding. Migration advisory centers of the welfare associations (Caritas, Diakonie, AWO, Paritätischer, DRK) advise free of charge on the requirements and can, in hardship cases, refer to hardship funds of individual foundations. An overview of regional advisory services is maintained by the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees).

Individual municipalities subsidize the naturalization of socially disadvantaged applicants from their own municipal funds; there is no nationwide system for this. Anyone who receives Bürgergeld or benefits under SGB XII should ask their own Jobcenter or social welfare office whether the naturalization fee can, in an individual case, be covered as a one-time need under § 24 SGB II — there is no nationwide uniform rule.

Upon presentation of the naturalization certificate, the person becomes German; the previous residence title loses its function. What must be applied for — insofar as desired — are the German passport and the identity card. The costs:

In addition — where needed — there is the international driving permit (around €18), the updating of insurance and bank documents (regularly free of charge), the entry in the civil registration system (free of charge with the registration), and, where applicable, the adjustment of surname spellings in official documents. Anyone naturalized from a state with a different writing system (Arabic, Cyrillic) should have the uniform spelling of the name recorded at the citizens' office — divergent transliterations regularly lead to proof problems later.

A complete overview of the follow-up appointments — citizens' office, passport, re-registrations, and, where applicable, the consulate of the country of origin — is part of the civitas. support during the procedure.

Anyone who applies from abroad (§§ 13, 14, 15 StAG, jurisdiction of the Bundesverwaltungsamt in Cologne) pays the standard fee of €255 plus, in addition:

• disbursements for consular involvement (identity verification, certification of signatures and copies) — depending on the diplomatic mission abroad, €25–80 per appointment,
• where applicable, a presentation fee of the diplomatic mission abroad,
• increased costs for international translations and apostilles (see point 3 above).

The BVA offers the procedure largely digitally (application via De-Mail or online portal) — the processing time is regularly longer than domestically. No blanket statement can be made about the additional consular burden; the diplomatic missions abroad publish their fee schedules on their own websites under "Consular Services".

The processing fee under § 38 StAG is not tax-deductible. It is neither income-related expenses (no sufficiently specific professional causal connection) nor an extraordinary burden (naturalization is not an unavoidable expense within the meaning of § 33 EStG). Language certificate and citizenship test are likewise not deductible. The only conceivable constellation for tax consideration would be an assumption of the cost by the employer as a monetary benefit within the framework of a professionally occasioned foreign posting — but this concerns special cases that have nothing to do with naturalization by legal entitlement under § 10 StAG.

Do I have to pay the €255 immediately?

Most authorities require advance payment upon submission of the application. Payment in installments or a deferral is possible upon informal application if immediate payment would be unreasonable. In the case of Bürgergeld receipt or low income, the social fee reduction under § 38 para. 4 StAG additionally comes into consideration.

Do I get the fee back if the application is rejected?

Not in full. § 38 para. 2 StAG provides, for withdrawal or rejection of the application, a fee between 25 euros and the full rate amount (for naturalization by legal entitlement, therefore up to €255) — the specific amount is set by the authority in each individual case at its dutiful discretion. In the case of application withdrawal before substantive review, a larger portion is regularly refunded than in the case of rejection after a completed examination of the merits.

Are children free of charge?

No. Co-naturalized children without their own income cost €51 per child. Minors naturalized independently (for example under § 8 StAG without simultaneous naturalization of the parents) pay €255 like adults.

Can I also apply for the fee reduction after the fact?

A subsequent reduction after payment of the full fee is possible in individual cases but difficult in practice. It is sensible to apply for it together with the naturalization application.

Does a lawyer cost more than civitas.?

Yes, regularly considerably more. Legal representation in naturalization proceedings is billed under the RVG or according to a fee agreement and typically ranges between €800 and €2,500. Naturalization proceedings with court representation (action for failure to act, lawsuit against a rejection) are more expensive.

Are costs reimbursed if the authority remains inactive?

In the case of a successful action for failure to act under § 75 VwGO, the losing authority bears the necessary procedural costs of the applicant party under § 154 VwGO. The original processing fee is not reimbursed — it was payable for the administrative processing itself.

How much exactly does the apostille cost?

The apostille is issued by the country of origin. The fee is governed by the law there and typically ranges between €15 and €80. In states without the Hague Convention, legalization via the German diplomatic mission abroad is required; it usually costs €25–100.

Is the citizenship test worthwhile if I am exempt on the basis of a school diploma (Hauptschulabschluss)?

Anyone who holds a German school diploma (at least Hauptschule, the lower secondary school leaving certificate) is, in the authorities' interpretation of § 10 para. 1 no. 7 StAG, regularly regarded as having education equivalent to the test, so that the test requirement is treated as fulfilled — a school diploma is not listed in the law as a separate exemption element under § 10 para. 6 StAG (which covers only illness, disability, or age-related impossibility). Voluntary participation in the test is then not required and unnecessarily costs €25. Whether the diploma is recognized is decided by the authority in the individual case; in the event of formally unclear recognition, early clarification is advisable.

What does the naturalization ceremony cost?

The presentation of the naturalization certificate within the framework of a ceremony is regularly free of charge. Individual municipalities charge symbolic amounts for catering; many offer the ceremony as a free celebratory act. Participation is voluntary — anyone who does not want a celebratory act can receive the certificate at the usual authority appointment.

Are application-/job-related follow-up costs deductible?

Follow-up costs of naturalization — for example, applying for the German passport (€70), the identity card (€46), or the later updating of contracts and directories — are likewise not tax-deductible (see point 10).

What happens if I move after submitting the application?

A move within the previous authority district is regularly unproblematic — a brief notification to the caseworker with the new address suffices. In the case of a move to another state or district area, the file is handed over to the now-responsible authority. Processing there may be delayed; an additional fee for the change of authority is not provided for by law.

Are costs of migration advice reimbursed?

Migration advice from the welfare associations (Caritas, Diakonie, AWO, Paritätischer, DRK, JMD youth migration services) is free of charge for applicants and available nationwide. The advice covers clarification of requirements, help with documents, and, where applicable, accompaniment to authority appointments. Reimbursement is unnecessary, since no own costs arise.

Can the fee be reduced for Bürgergeld recipients?

§ 38 para. 4 StAG allows the authority to reduce or entirely waive the fee on grounds of equity or public interest. The wording reads: "A reduction or exemption from the fees under paragraph 2 may be granted on grounds of equity or public interest." If the applicant receives Bürgergeld (SGB II) or benefits under SGB XII, such a reduction comes into consideration — in administrative practice this may be a reduction, or in hardship cases a full waiver. There is no entitlement to a specific amount; the reduction must be applied for in writing, and the decision is made by the responsible authority at its dutiful discretion. To be distinguished from this is the question of whether the Jobcenter or social welfare office covers the fee: there is no nationwide uniform rule on this; in an individual case, coverage on the basis of § 24 SGB II may come into consideration — responsibility then lies with the Jobcenter or social welfare office, not the naturalization authority.

Is payment of the naturalization fee in installments possible?

§ 38 StAG itself contains no rule on payment in installments or deferral of the naturalization fee. In administrative practice, individual authorities grant a deferral or payment in installments upon informal application if immediate payment would constitute a considerable hardship; there is no nationwide uniform rule on this, and handling differs at the municipal level. Anyone who cannot raise the fee from current income should first check the fee reduction under § 38 para. 4 StAG. The responsible authority decides on deferral or payment in installments in the individual case.

What does naturalization cost for a family with several children?

For each adult applicant, the processing fee of €255 applies (§ 38 para. 2 no. 1 StAG). For each minor child who is co-naturalized and has no income of its own, the fee is reduced to €51 per child — the wording of § 38 para. 2 StAG: "The fee is reduced to 51 euros for a minor child who is co-naturalized and who has no income of its own within the meaning of the Income Tax Act." A parental couple with three children therefore pays in pure authority fees 2 × €255 + 3 × €51 = €663. On top of this come the additional costs (certified translations, language certificates, apostilles) per person. If the family receives social benefits or has a low income, the fee can be reduced or waived under § 38 para. 4 StAG. Which requirements each family member must fulfill is explained in the article Family Naturalization.