Which documents and conditions are required to apply for German citizenship?

On the internet you will encounter the requirements in order to apply for naturalization (Einbürgerung) in Germany. I will try to simplify the checklist from my own experiences, as someone who has been through this process in 2021.??

Checklist for Naturalization: Do you comply with all requirements??

• Can you prove that you have been living in Germany for 8 years permanently and lawfully??
• Do you possess at the time of naturalization a limited or indefinite legal residence permit??
• Are you familiar with the free democratic basic order of constitutional law??
• Do you agree to give up your current citizenship of your home country??
• Can you prove your German language knowledge, as spoken and written at Level B1??
• (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)?
• Can you prove the necessary knowledge of legal system, social order and living conditions in Deutschland with a naturalization test (Einbürgerungstest)??
• Can you afford your own livelihood and eventually your family members’, whom you are obliged to support??
• Can you assure, that you can live and integrate the German living circumstances? (Having married to more than one person is especially prohibited and illegal)?
• Have you always abided the German law with no criminal records??

You can also read more details on this web page for Naturalization (Einbürgerung):??

https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/living-permanently/naturalisation/prerequisites?

Now, these are obviously the primary requirements for you to fulfill in order to apply for German citizenship to obtain the passport at all.??

And now let's talk about my way, of how I applied and received my German citizenship in October 2021:??

1. As I had immigrated to Germany with EU Blue Card in February 2015, this firstly gave me a great advantage to receive my Niederlassungserlaubnis (settlement permission) after 21 months of residence, by proving that my German knowledge isabove B1 Level while I have been performing in the pharmaceutical industry. In April 2017, I had the pleasure to receive my settlement permit, which provided me an unlimited time of stay in Bundesrepublik Deutschland and I did not need to prolong my residence permit any more for living and working in Germany.??

More to read on "Settlement Permission" in Germany:??

https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/living-permanently/settlement-permit?

For details about EU Blue Card, you can read this article from Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge:??

https://www.bamf.de/DE/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Migrathek/BlaueKarteEU/blauekarteeu-node.html?

2. After gaining the first advantage by receiving a permanent residence permit, next step would be for me was to improve my German language skills further and therefore visited German course at Goethe Institut in Frankfurt to the level of C2. That was of course not really a requirement?for applying to German citizenship, however it's always beneficial to be proficient in the native language of the country you are living in. And as I was determined to stay in DACH region (Deutschland-Austria-Switzerland), that made perfectly sense for me to master the German language. After finishing the course, I have even achieved Goethe Zertifikat-C1 with a grade of 80 points out of 100. Cool, isn't it? ??

3. Let's come to the point, WHY it was important for me to prove the C1-Level German? Remember, the requirement of living is at least 8 years of residence to apply for the citizenship???

Staatsangeh?rigkeitsgesetz (StAG) § 10 Abs. 3 says:??

Weist ein Ausl?nder durch die Bescheinigung des Bundesamtes für Migration und Flüchtlinge die erfolgreiche Teilnahme an einem Integrationskurs nach, wird die Frist nach Absatz 1 auf sieben Jahre verkürzt. Bei Vorliegen besonderer Integrationsleistungen, insbesondere beim Nachweis von Sprachkenntnissen, die die Voraussetzungen des Absatzes 1 Satz 1 Nummer 6 übersteigen, von besonders guten schulischen, berufsqualifizierenden oder beruflichen Leistungen oder von bürgerschaftlichem Engagement, kann sie auf bis zu sechs Jahre verkürzt werden.?

Meaning, if you are a highly qualified professional and you show great dedication to integration in Germany by proving also your high German language skills, you can apply for the citizenship after 6 years living and working in Germany!??

Although, the requirement is ONLY for B1-Level German after a period of 8 years, I can tell from my own experience, that your life will be very hard in Germany, while looking for a job, talking to the government authorities and passing the naturalization test (Einbürgerungstest) full within laws, history and social questions. And if you have B2-Level, that means you can apply after 6 years.??

4. Einbürgerungstest / Leben in Deutschland (Naturalization Test) consists of 33 questions about Germany's history, politics, social life and constitutional law. It is selected among 330 questions randomly and you can apply for this test at Volkshochschule in your city or region. So, you are basically free to select, where you wish to take the test. And by answering right to 17 questions out of 33, you will already be accounted of passing the exam.??

5. Rentenversicherungsverlauf mit Rentenauskunft der Deutschen Rentenversicherung, (Pension fund) is also essential during this process, as you are required to pay at least for 60 months of pension fund during your stay in Germany in order to be eligible for the process. You will not find this information openly online, because somehow it is ignored to mention. However, a very important point to fulfill, as you are requested to bring also this document to the immigration authority.??

6. Mitgliedsbescheinigung der Krankenkasse mit Beitragsh?he, the certification of your membership at a health insurance together with your monthly payment is also required during the process. The insurance company here is irrelevant, you are obliged to have a health insurance in order to work in Germany in any way.??

7. Arbeitsbescheinigung, confirmation of employment is to prove that you are legally working in a company or as a freelancer and you have monthly payments, not in a need of any financial help from the German state.?

8. Lohn/Gehaltsabrechnung der letzten 3 Monate, pay slips of the last 3 months are to be handed to immigration authority as well. Two documents only needed from your employer so to say as an employee.??

9. Mietvertrag und Nachweis über die aktuelle Mieth?he, rental agreement for your flat/apartment with the monthly amount is required as a proof of your address and your livelihood in Germany.??

For me, the naturalization process has started in February 2021 and ended in October 2021, when I obtained my Einbürgerungsurkunde (certificate of naturalisation) and became a citizen of Bundesrepublik Deutschland ??

Hope you will have some benefits from my own experiences for your citizenship journey!??

In another article, I write the process more in details, how my ping-pong trips between Turkish Embassy in Karlsruhe and Immigration Authorities have gone!?

Regards,??

G?k?ehan?