Information and advice
On this page you can find various useful information on the topic of emigration.
1. If you live in Germany, you should try to learn German as quickly as possible. It is important to do so to meet new people, to make yourself understood in everyday life, and to find work. There are many different opportunities to learn German.
2. If you are living in Germany permanently, you can become naturalised under certain circumstances. This is not an automatic process, but you have to submit an application.
If you are living in Germany permanently, you can become naturalised under certain circumstances.
To do so, you must submit an application. You can submit this application yourself once you have turned 16. Parents must make the application on behalf of children and young people under the age of 16.
You can obtain application forms from the responsible naturalisation authorities. They will also inform you which authority is responsible for your naturalisation process:
- the immigration authority for your town or community,
- the youth migration services,
- the immigration advice service for adult immigrants, and
- the town council or local authority.
Costs
Naturalisation costs EUR 255 per person. A fee of EUR 51 applies to minors who are to be naturalised with their parents. Minors who are to be naturalised without their parents must also pay EUR 255.
If you are on a low wage or have several children who will be naturalised at the same time as you, the fee can be reduced, or payment in instalments can be agreed.
Conditions
You have a right to naturalisation if you fulfil the following conditions:
- you have an unrestricted right of residence at the time of being naturalised,
- you have passed the naturalisation test (knowledge of the legal and social system, as well as living conditions in Germany),
- your habitual, lawful place of residence has been in Germany for eight years (this period can be reduced to seven years if you attend an integration course successfully, and can be reduced to as few as six years in the case of special integration measures),
- you have independent means of securing a living (including for family members entitled to maintenance) without resorting to welfare payments and unemployment benefit II,
- you have adequate German-language skills,
- you do not have any convictions on account of a criminal offence,
- you are committed to the free democratic constitutional order of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany, and
- you have lost or given up your former nationality (exceptions apply with regard to this point, depending on the country of origin; please contact the naturalisation authority).