⏱️ 2026 Citizenship Law: Quick Summary
- Is the 3-Year Citizenship rule cancelled? Yes. As of October 30, 2025, the "Turbo-Einbürgerung" (fast-track citizenship after 3 years) has been entirely revoked.
- What is the new waiting period for 2026? The standard minimum residency requirement is fixed at 5 years (with exceptions like marriage to a German national).
- Is Dual Citizenship still allowed? Yes, you can keep your original passport.
- New Penalties in Jan 2026: Submitting fake documents or hiding criminal records now results in a 10-year ban from applying for citizenship.
For hundreds of thousands of expats and migrants dreaming of an early German passport, 2026 started with a massive shock. The 2024 reform that allowed highly integrated individuals with a C1 language certificate to apply after only 3 years has been officially cancelled.
Why did the law change? What happens to earlier applicants? Why have processing times skyrocketed to 2 years? Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 "Einbürgerung" reality.
🚨 1. Why Was the 3-Year Fast Track (Turbo-Einbürgerung) Cancelled?
The German government concluded that true economic and social integration cannot be realistically assessed in just three years. To relieve the heavily overwhelmed immigration offices (Ausländerbehörde), the 3-year track was suspended on October 30, 2025.
Having a C1 certificate or doing voluntary work no longer reduces your application time to 3 years. The minimum residency time for the majority of applicants is now reverted to a standard 5 years.
What Happens to Old Applications?
If you applied in 2024 or 2025 based on the 3-year rule, your application is currently "on ice" and you run a high risk of being rejected. Many authorities are now demanding additional proof of integration for transition cases.
💡 Expert Advice: To avoid losing your application fee and years of waiting, we highly recommend consulting a specialized Rechtsanwalt (Immigration Lawyer). They can protect your rights and challenge unlawful rejection letters (Ablehnungsbescheid) in court.
⚠️ 2. January 2026 Update: 10-Year Ban for Fake Statements!
The new "Anti-Betrugs-Gesetz" (Anti-Fraud Law) introduced severe punishments starting January 2026:
- Submitting fake or purchased B1, B2, or C1 language certificates.
- Faking pay slips or hiding aspects of your financial income (Einkommensnachweis).
- Hiding past criminal convictions or state debts.
Committing any of the above will lead to a 10-year permanent ban (10-jährige Einbürgerungssperre) on acquiring German citizenship, and puts your current residency permit in jeopardy.
📉 3. Exceptions: Who Can Still Apply Early?
While the 3-year rule has generally been cancelled, there are still very limited exceptional paths to obtain German citizenship earlier. You don't have to wait 5 years in the following cases:
- 💍 Through Marriage (3 Years): If you have been married to a German citizen for at least 2 years, the marriage is ongoing, and you have legally lived in Germany for a total of 3 years, you still have the right to apply early. However, your spouse must have been a German citizen for at least 2 years.
- 👶 Children Born in Germany: If at least one of the parents (Mother or Father) has legally lived in Germany for the last 5 years and holds a permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), a child born in Germany can automatically be considered a German citizen by law.
- 👴 Guest Worker Generation (Gastarbeitergeneration): For people who came to the former West Germany before 1974, or to the former East Germany before 1990 (or their descendants), serious language (written B1, etc.) certificate and Einbürgerungstest exemptions continue to apply.
📊 4. Real Waiting Times in Major Cities (2026 Data)
👉 Wondering about the exact processing times in your local Ausländerbehörde, or want to share your application timeline? Check out the Citizify Citizenship Timeline Platform to see real, user-submitted data from thousands of applicants.
| City / State | Average Processing Time | Express Priority Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin (LEA) | 14 - 18 Months | Only via Untätigkeitsklage (Lawsuit) |
| Munich (München - KVR) | 16 - 20 Months | Very Low (Massive backlog) |
| Frankfurt (Hessen) | 12 - 15 Months | Medium (Partially digitalized) |
| Hamburg | 10 - 14 Months | Medium |
| Cologne (Köln - NRW) | 18 - 24 Months | Very Low |
💡 5. How Can You Speed Up the Process?
With waiting times extending this long, it is essential to act proactively to prevent your file from gathering dust on a clerk's shelf for months. Here are the golden rules that have the potential to legally speed up your citizenship process:
- 100% Complete File Submission (Vollständige Unterlagen): When the Ausländerbehörde sends you an official letter just for a single missing document, your file is pushed back by at least 3-4 months. Submit everything completely from the very beginning. Your income proof, pension history (Rentenverlauf), and rental agreement must always be up-to-date.
- Untätigkeitsklage (Lawsuit against Inactivity): If more than 6 months have passed since you submitted your file with all correct documents and you get no response, you can file a 'Lawsuit against Inactivity' (Untätigkeitsklage) via a lawyer according to the German administrative justice system, pulling the decision phase practically into 1-2 months.
- Prepare the Einbürgerungstest Certificate Early: Some people leave the citizenship test for after the appointment. However, there is a massive backlog and a crisis of not finding open appointments for months. Long before the authority asks you for the document, you should have already passed the exam and added it to your file.
- Communication Rules: Constantly calling the Ausländerbehörde or sending a weekly email does not speed up your file; on the contrary, it slows down the process. Only communicate when there is a "constructive" development (e.g., a significant salary increase, a new permanent employment contract, or a change of address).
🔥 Test Yourself Immediately with Citizify!
Are you prepared for the 2026 standard test? Solve the most up-to-date questions completely for free and explore the Citizify App Platform to boost your German language skills!
Start Citizenship Test Simulator❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I get citizenship if I receive Bürgergeld (Unemployment/Social Welfare)?
Generally, no. You must secure your livelihood entirely through your own income (Lebensunterhaltssicherung).
2. I applied under the 3-year rule in 2024 and haven't heard back. What should I do?
You should request an official status update (Sachstandsanfrage). If waiting longer than 6 months, consider filing a lawsuit for failure to act (Untätigkeitsklage).
3. What criminal records prevent citizenship?
Minor traffic fines do not prevent it. However, if you received more than 90 "daily rates" (Tagessätze) in fines, or specifically committed violent, drug-related, racist, or antisemitic crimes, you are completely barred from citizenship.
4. Can my spouse and children apply at the same time?
Yes! This is called "Miteinbürgerung". If you've been a resident for 5 years, your dependent family can join your application even if they haven't been in Germany for 5 years (spouse needs B1 German).
5. How much net salary do I need to earn?
There's no fixed minimum. Your remaining residential income must not fall below the social necessity limits in your local region. It varies heavily based on where you live and family size.
6. Does the B1/C1 Language Certificate expire?
No. Certificates passed from Goethe-Institut or telc do not have a legal expiration date (Verfallsdatum). They are valid for a lifetime.
7. Are pensioners exempt from the citizenship test?
Yes. The "Guest worker generation" (Gastarbeitergeneration) is generally exempt from the test and strict written B1 requirements.
8. Do I have to renounce my previous passport?
No! Dual citizenship (Doppelpass) remains fully legal and guaranteed under the current 2026 law. You can become a German citizen while keeping your current nationality.
9. I have a traffic fine, can I still become a citizen?
Yes, minor traffic offenses (speeding, parking tickets - Ordnungswidrigkeit) do not affect your naturalization process.
10. How long will the decision on my file take?
In major cities, the minimum waiting time is around 15 months. In cities like Munich and Cologne, it might take 2 years or more. A lawyer can file an Untätigkeitsklage to reduce this prolonged waiting time to around 6 months.
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