When you apply for German citizenship, one of the first questions you'll be asked is what type of residence permit you have. Will you run into problems if you don't have permanent residency rights?
Germany has seen a record number of naturalisations following the citizenship law reform in 2024. We want to hear: are you one of the newest citizens? Or are you applying to become German? Take a moment to fill in our short survey.
Many people had their citizenship revoked or were never granted it under Nazi Germany. After a rule change in 2021, more than 52,000 affected individuals and their descendants have been granted German passports.
The last step before a citizenship application can be approved is a personal appearance at the foreigner’s office. With a German passport so fresh it was still warm in his hands, Liam Kelly, told The Local about his experience.
Germany saw a record number of naturalisations in 2025, preliminary figures show. After leading conservatives called yet again to tighten naturalisation rules, other parties have pushed back.
A record number of German passports was issued in 2025 with almost 310,000 foreigners naturalised in Germany, according to preliminary figures collated in a media report.
Applicants for German citizenship need to have been living in the country for a certain amount of time in order to qualify. At what point does your time spent in Germany start to count towards your application?
Marrying a German national can entitle you to German citizenship in some cases - but you don't get it automatically. Here's what to know if you live abroad and want to become German through your spouse.
Applicants for German citizenship need to jump through a number of hoops before they can be naturalised - and not everyone manages to clear these hurdles. Here are some of the most common reasons a German citizenship application may be turned down.
People with German ancestry may qualify to reclaim their citizenship rights in certain cases. But like the process for naturalising via residency, first they have to submit a comprehensive application – and then potentially wait for years.
The far-right Alternative for Germany recently tried, and failed, to significantly tighten the Naturalisation Act. With the issue once again in the spotlight, we look at how parties voted and why citizenship rules are so fiercely debated.
Germany's immigration authorities are notoriously slow to process naturalisation applications. Here's where average wait times are fastest and where they are slowest.
If you've been left waiting months, or even years, to hear a decision on your application to naturalise as German you may be wondering what you can do to speed things up. We asked experts to lay out some options.
If you're taking the German citizenship test, you'll be hit with a random selection of questions on anything from former German chancellors to returning a faulty TV. Here are some of the questions I faced - and some tips for preparing for the unexpected.
The western German city of Cologne saw a sharp rise in naturalisations last year. We asked the city – which has previously struggled with a backlog of citizenship applications – what is behind the increase.
Conservative lawmakers in Germany have had their sights set on tightening the country's citizenship law since it was reformed in 2024. Here's how the party wants to make it harder for foreign residents to get a German passport this year.
Indian law does not allow for dual citizenship, so Indians are forced to renounce their citizenship if they choose to naturalise abroad. Dr Mihir Nayak told The Local about his experience of becoming German, and how he still feels close to his home.
New figures reveal Germany's largest cities are seeing record number of naturalisations. But conservative lawmakers continue to push for higher hurdles to citizenship.
Berlin reported a new record of naturalisations in 2025, with more than 39,000 people gaining German citizenship in the capital. However, nearly five percent of applications were rejected.
Most citizenship applicants in Germany will need to secure some translations of official documents. Here's the papers you might need and how to go about getting them.
German citizenship can only be revoked in very specific situations, but the number of revocations jumped significantly last year compared to recent years.
Police in Nuremberg have uncovered a scheme in which paid stand‑ins used forged identity documents to sit German language and naturalisation exams for migrants. We look at what it could mean for foreign residents applying for German citizenship.
Germany maintains a 'special responsibility' to the state of Israel and expects its citizens to embody that. Here's a look at how certain statements, and even social media activity, can endanger a dual-nationals' citizenship status.
