Selected corrections on 11 October 2026 to the citizenship or family-reunification conditions on this page; sources are listed below. This does not certify every accepted document, local procedure or individual case.
Written under our editorial standards.
Last checked against the official source: 29 August 2026
Naturalisation under Section 10 StAG normally requires five years of lawful habitual residence, a clarified identity and nationality, and the statutory conditions below. The conditions must be assessed together with their legal exceptions; a missing ordinary requirement does not always mean refusal.
The conditions at a glance
- Legal basis
- Section 10 of the Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, StAG).
- Residence period
- Five years of lawful and habitual residence in Germany.
- Language
- German at level B1 under Section 10(4), subject to the statutory age-appropriate rule, reductions and exemptions.
- Subsistence
- Support for yourself and your dependants without SGB II or SGB XII benefits, subject to the exceptions in Section 10(1), number 3 and, where applicable, the transitional rule in Section 40a.
- Criminal record
- Convictions and security measures are assessed with Section 12a StAG. Not every conviction prevents naturalisation; the specified thresholds have conditions and exceptions.
- Competent body
- The naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde) of your city or district.
The seven conditions as the statute lists them
- Commitment to the free democratic orderA declaration of commitment to the free democratic constitutional order, and no support for activities hostile to the constitution.
- Acknowledgement of historical responsibilityRecognition of Germany's historical responsibility for the National Socialist crimes and a commitment to peaceful coexistence. This is stated expressly in the text.
- A qualifying residence statusAn unlimited right of residence, the Swiss free-movement agreement status specified in the law, an EU Blue Card, or a residence permit for a purpose not excluded by Section 10(1), sentence 1, number 2. A qualifying temporary permit can therefore suffice.
- Secured subsistenceSupport for yourself and your dependants without SGB II or SGB XII benefits, subject to the exceptions in Section 10(1), number 3 and, where applicable, the transitional rule in Section 40a.
- The criminal-record conditionConvictions and security measures are assessed with Section 12a StAG. Not every conviction prevents naturalisation; the specified thresholds have conditions and exceptions.
- Language abilityGerman meeting the B1 examination requirements under Section 10(4), with the statutory reductions and exemptions.
- Civic knowledgeKnowledge of the legal and social order and of living conditions in Germany.
Exemptions from the language requirement
Section 10(6) requires the language and civic-knowledge requirements to be disregarded if illness, disability or age makes the applicant unable to meet them; age or disability alone is not an automatic exemption. The defined historical guest-worker and contract-worker groups and spouses who joined them in temporal connection instead have a reduced oral-language standard under Section 10(4), sentence 3. Section 10(4a) permits a hardship reduction to everyday oral communication if serious, sustained attempts cannot achieve B1 or it remains substantially and permanently difficult. The civic-knowledge requirement is waived for the groups covered by Section 10(4), sentence 3 and (4a). Ask which rule applies and what evidence is needed.
What we did not verify — and will not claim: different periods circulate online for naturalisation (three years, six, eight). The text of Section 10 that we checked states five years, and contained no provision reducing that period in exchange for integration achievements. The Nationality Act does, however, contain other provisions governing special cases — such as the naturalisation of spouses and children of German nationals — with different conditions and periods. Do not assume your case falls under Section 10; ask the naturalisation authority which provision applies to you.
Official source
Please note: this page is general guidance, not legal advice. Nationality law has been amended repeatedly and naturalisation decisions are assessed individually. Consult a specialist lawyer before applying or taking a decision that affects your current nationality.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of residence are required for naturalisation?
Five years of lawful and habitual residence in Germany under Section 10 of the Nationality Act. The act also contains other provisions for special cases — such as spouses and children of German nationals — with different conditions and periods.
What language level is required?
The ordinary standard is B1 under Section 10(4) StAG, subject to its statutory exceptions. Section 9 AufenthG also uses a legally defined level: Section 2(11) AufenthG defines “sufficient German” as B1. The statutes differ in their routes and conditions, not because the settlement-permit standard lacks a legal definition.
What are the seven conditions?
Commitment to the free democratic order; acknowledgement of Germany’s historical responsibility; a qualifying residence status; subsistence without SGB II or SGB XII benefits; the criminal-record condition; German ordinarily at B1; and civic knowledge. Apply the statutory exceptions, and also check identity, nationality and the other eligibility rules.
Can the language requirement be waived?
Yes, where the legal conditions are met. Illness, disability or age must cause inability to meet the requirement for Section 10(6) to apply. The defined historical worker groups have an oral-language reduction, and Section 10(4a) allows a hardship reduction subject to proof of serious and sustained efforts. These are different rules, not a blanket exemption for all older or disabled applicants.
Is it true that naturalisation is possible after three years?
The text of Section 10 we checked states five years and contained no provision reducing that period for integration achievements. The other figures circulating relate to different provisions or to earlier versions of the act. Ask the naturalisation authority which provision applies to you.
Does receiving social assistance block naturalisation?
The ordinary restriction concerns benefits under SGB II or SGB XII, not every social benefit. Section 10(1), number 3 includes defined worker and family exceptions. For applications made by 23 August 2023, Section 40a preserves the pre-27 June 2024 subsistence rule where it is more favourable. The authority must assess the rule applicable to the individual application.
Sources for these targeted corrections: § 12a StAG · § 2 AufenthG · § 40a StAG