Naturalization

Bitte schreiben Sie uns eine E-Mail unter einbuergerungen@jena.de mit Angaben zu:

• Ihrem Namen,
• Geburtsdatum,
• Ihrem Familienstand,
• Ihrem Herkunftsland und
• gegebenenfallszu den Aufenthaltszeiten.

Sie erhalten eine auf Ihren Einzelfall abgestimmte Liste über die benötigten Unterlagen für eine Einbürgerung.

The application form is required and can be obtained from the nationality authority. You will receive a detailed list of your individually required documents following the consultation.

Regularly required documents are:

• unrestricted certificate of registration (application at the Bürgerservice)
• Passport or other documents to establish identity and prove citizenship and residence status
• Proof of civil status (e.g. birth certificate, marriage certificate if applicable, legally binding divorce decree)
• Current passport photo (only for persons over 16 years of age)
• Proof of income and assets (e.g. earnings statements, rental agreement, tax assessment notices, pension assessment notices, social security benefit notices)
• Certificate of health insurance
• Proof of sufficient knowledge of German in accordance with the requirements of the language test for the Zertifikat Deutsch (language level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), both orally and in writing.
• Naturalisation test to prove knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany (a naturalisation test is not required if proof can be provided of graduation from a German Hauptschule or a comparable or higher school leaving certificate from a German general education school)
• certificates of graduation from schools, universities, etc.
• Handwritten, completed curriculum vitae (for persons over 16 years of age)
• For pupils, the end-of-year reports of the last four years.

Further documents may be required, e.g. proof of special residence status (asylum seeker, foreign refugee, etc.).

Documents in a foreign language require not only the original but also a German translation by an interpreter who is resident in Germany and has been publicly appointed or sworn for courts or authorities.

Please pay by EC or credit card.

Naturalisation confers German citizenship on a foreign national. In order to be able to acquire German nationality, the following requirements must essentially be met:

1. entitlement to naturalisation in accordance with Section 10 of the Nationality Act (StAG).

• legal residence in Germany for at least eight years or for at least seven years if proof of successful participation in an integration course is provided
• in the case of special integration achievements, the required period of residence can be reduced to six years
• The naturalisation applicant is an EU citizen entitled to freedom of movement or holds a settlement permit or a specific residence permit.
• Commitment to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law
• no anti-constitutional activities
• Securing of livelihood without claiming social benefits (in particular benefits according to SGB II and SGB XII)
• no conviction for a criminal offence
• Willingness to give up the previous nationality (except for nationals of a member state of the European Union or Switzerland)
• Sufficient knowledge of the German language
• Knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany (successful participation in a naturalisation test)

Spouses and minor children can also be naturalised, even if they have not been legally resident in Germany for eight years.

2. discretionary naturalisation according to § 8 and 9 StAG

In this case, naturalisation may be granted at the discretion of the authorities if the legal requirements are fulfilled, if a public interest in naturalisation is established in an individual case, or if naturalisation serves to avoid particular hardship. Shorter periods of residence apply to certain groups of persons (e.g. spouses or life partners of Germans, recognised refugees) than in the case of entitlement naturalisation.