So you want German citizenship or are perhaps merely interested in what pursuing a Reisepass from the Deutschland might look like.
Not only am I going to tell you how I got it relatively fast and easy, but I’ll also share what I think is the key to getting your application processed schnell und reibungslos.
First off, the obligatory intro where I quickly vomit out my story so you know why the hell you’re paying attention to this guy.
My wife and I have been living in Germany for eight years –– and I got dual citizenship on July 31st, just a little over a month after Germany legalized dual citizenship for non-EU residents.
Now Germany is stuck with me, baby! Unless I join a foreign military, apparently. That’s a big nein-nein.
German citizenship law
In case you aren’t already in the know, the law for citizenship used to be eight years in Germany and you’d have to renounce your native citizenship if you weren’t already an EU citizen. Now, it’s five years or as quickly as three years if you show “besonderen Integrationsleistungen” which basically means you made a special effort to integrate quickly into German society.
No, that doesn’t mean successfully completing a Freikorper-Maßkrugkraut, which is of course when you chug a liter of beer after eating a jar of sauerkraut while naked.
Turns out that’s not a thing and I wish someone told me before I did it.
Generally, you can show special integration by getting C1 level German. Sooo, yeah, viel Glück with that!
If languages aren’t your thing or you live within the Ringbahn of Berlin where many will switch to English if they get even the tiniest whiff that you’re not a native speaker, you can get citizenship in five years with B1 German.
Honestly, that’s nicht schlimm.
With that out of the way, I’ll share my timeline for getting German citizenship. I’ve also shared it on Reddit, which you can find here in case you want to have a look.
My timeline for getting German citizenship
• 05.03.2024 – Applied online
• 23.04.2024 – Proactively sent in my Loyalitätserklärung using the contact form and LEA responded, acknowledging receipt
• 27.06.2024 – Proactively sent in a new Arbeitsbescheinigung (using the same contact form) and my three most recent payslips on the day the citizenship law changed
• 02.07.2024 – LEA responded, letting me know my case number and that my application was being processed, but warned it could take a while due to the high demand (it read like a form letter)
• 15.07.2024 – Not so long after all, LEA! They wrote asking for proof of rent payments (I sent a screenshot of my bank statement) and any dates I was on unemployment. I responded with those details within the hour.
• 16.07.2024 – I received my inviation to pick up the Urkunde
• 31.07.2024 – Urkunde received (and the appointment was super easy, just as others have described it in this group)
How to get German citizenship fast(er)
Now, finally, here’s my big tip that I really think made all the difference in making my application go quickly.
Bist du bereit? Can I possibly drag this out any longer? Is my stalling sending you into a murderous rage?
Well, we don’t want that, so here its!
BE PROACTIVE
I see a lot of people complain about how long it will take to get citizenship because they’ve lived here long enough to know that German efficiency is, well, a myth. I’m talking Zeus in the clouds myth.
So I get it! I understand the negativity. But first of all, delaying your application isn’t going to speed things up for you. There’s no reason you shouldn’t apply as soon as you can.
But more specifically, be proactive in what you send the Landesamt für Einwanderung. Label all of your documents clearly that you submit online, with your name attached, and proactively send information that you know or think they might need to process your case, like a fresh Arbeitsbescheinigung or more recent payslips.
If they don’t respond to your case for three months, you can file an Untätigkeitsklage, which is essentially a lawsuit for failure to act on your case. I obviously didn’t have to do this, but anecdotally, I’ve read stories that indicated it really sped things up.
Frustratingly, it seems every state is different in terms of how they’re processing citizenship applications. I applied and got my citizenship in Berlin, so it might not be the same process as, say, in Nordrhein Westfalen.
But, I think in general you can be proactive wherever you’re applying for citizenship.
And I’d also encourage you to join the Einbürgerung in Deutschland Facebook group where people share tips and their experiences of applying for German citizenship. There’s one just for Berlin, too, that I was frequenting like a low-key addict back when I was in the thick of the process.
Running around Germany
I hope that was helpful! Let me know in the comments of my YouTube video what other questions you have or even just questions about life running around in Germany.
Speaking of running, go check out my Running the Ringbahn film where I run a marathon around the city while telling the story of how the Ringbahn’s history reflects German and Berlin history.
I want to make more of these things, so it helps when, you know, people watching them. So go do that!
And if you want to do some running around Germany yourself, I do offer German travel consultation.
Listen, I’ve done more laps around this country on train, foot, and bike than a hamster on speed, so do reach out if you want to talk travel in Germany. I’m your Mann.
