Naturalization

For more information on the requirements for German citizenship, the application process, and the naturalization procedure, please visit the website www.einbürgerung.de. In addition to an explanatory video on the naturalization process, the website also offers a quick check that allows you to determine whether you generally meet the requirements for naturalization. You can also find details in the comprehensive brochure published by the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees, and Integration.

As a general rule, you must meet each of the following requirements to be eligible for naturalization (so-called "naturalization by eligibility"):

• They have been living in Germany legally and continuously for five years.
• You can provide proof of your identity and your current citizenship(s).
• You have a permanent right of residence or a permanent residence permit.
• You can provide for yourself and your dependents. This includes your spouse and, for example, your children for whom you pay child support.
• You have sufficient knowledge of German, at least at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• You have sufficient knowledge of the legal and social systems as well as living conditions in Germany.
• They are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany.
• They acknowledge Germany’s special historical responsibility for the Nazi regime of oppression and its consequences—in particular, the protection of Jewish lives—as well as for the peaceful coexistence of peoples and the prohibition of waging wars of aggression.
• They have not been convicted of a crime.
• There are no other grounds that would preclude naturalization, known as grounds for exclusion.

There are certain grounds that generally preclude you from obtaining German citizenship. These include, among others:

• You have pursued or supported efforts directed against the free democratic basic order, or you have violated the Constitution.
• You have held anti-constitutional beliefs in the past. In this case, you must demonstrate to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Citizenship Authority that you no longer hold these beliefs.
• They disregard the equality of men and women as enshrined in the Basic Law.
• You are married to more than one person at the same time (known as “polygamy”). You are married to a person who is married to more than one person at the same time. The Naturalization Authority will determine whether you are ineligible for naturalization.

There are some exceptions to the requirements listed above, and special provisions apply, particularly for family members, stateless persons, stateless foreign nationals, refugees, spouses or domestic partners of German citizens, and former guest workers and contract workers. We would be happy to advise you.

Please send inquiries by email to einbuergerung@landkreis-fulda.de, including the following information: last name, first name, date of birth, place of birth, nationality, date of entry, special status (asylum status/recognition as a refugee), and the reason for your inquiry. We can only process your inquiry quickly if you provide this information.

If you have already submitted an application for naturalization, please contact the person listed in the acknowledgment of receipt or in the correspondence for an update on the status of your application.

You can download the current application forms (valid as of June 27, 2025) for printing from the website of the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sports.

Please note: The 5-page naturalization application and the declaration of loyalty may not be signed until you submit the application in person at our office. All other forms may be signed at home.

The following forms must be completed by every person over the age of 16:

• Application for Naturalization
• Statement Regarding the Application for Naturalization
• Data Protection Information Sheet
• Declaration of Loyalty
• Fact Sheet on Loyalty to the Constitution
• Declaration of Consent: Financial Requirements under SGB II and XII
• Consent Form for Foreign National Files
• Fact Sheet on Multiple Citizenship

Additional forms for individuals with a German spouse or domestic partner:

• Declaration Regarding German Citizenship of a German Spouse

The required documentation varies depending on the individual case. All documents must always be submitted in their original form. For documents in a foreign language, a translation by a sworn or certified translator is required.

Here you will find a non-exhaustive list of the documents that must generally be submitted. Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the requirements for naturalization or the documents that must be submitted.

The following documents must always be submitted

• Passport/ID card from your home country
• Residence Permit
• recent passport photo
• Current certificate of residence (issued within the last 14 days)
• Birth Certificate
• Proof of sufficient German language proficiency (see below)
• Proof of knowledge of law and society (see below)
• Proof of income (e.g., employment contract, last 3 pay stubs, notices regarding child benefits, BaföG, housing assistance, pension, unemployment benefits, basic income, etc.)
• If applicable, marriage certificate, family register extract, divorce decree, or death certificate of the spouse or domestic partner; custody order
• If applicable, a notice of recognition as a refugee from the BAMF
• If applicable, travel document for refugees, foreign nationals, or stateless persons
• Certificate of completion of an integration course, if applicable

Provide proof of German language proficiency

• Zertifikat Deutsch (at least B1) or
• A diploma from a German general-education school or
• A diploma from a German vocational school or
• Completion of a degree program taught in German
• Report cards (second semester) for the last 4 school years (for students)

Children under 16 years of age

• Certificate of School Attendance and
• most recent report card

Demonstrate knowledge of law and society

• Certificate of passing the naturalization test or the “Life in Germany” test, or
• A diploma from a German general-education school or
• A diploma from a German vocational school or
• A degree from a German university in the fields of social sciences, politics, law, social work, or public administration

Children under the age of 16 are not required to demonstrate knowledge of the legal and social systems. A naturalization test is not required.

You can find an overview of the integration and language course providers approved under the Immigration Act for the entire country, including addresses and contact information, here:

As a general rule, the application must be submitted in person, and all required documents must be presented in their original form. To schedule an appointment to submit your application, please contact us by phone.

Naturalization costs 255 euros per person. For minor children who are naturalized together with their parents, the fee is 51 euros. Minors who are naturalized without their parents must also pay 255 euros. The fee is collected by the naturalization office at the Kassel Regional Council.

To reduce the processing time for your application, you can upload the necessary documents in advance via an online portal. The online form helps you prepare as thoroughly as possible for your consultation with the Fulda District Office. However, you must still visit us in person to submit the actual application.