Important questions and answers regarding German citizenship

1. Important questions and answers regarding German citizenship

Becoming a German citizen by naturalization

What are the requirements for becoming a naturalized German citizen?

Section 10,para. 1 of the Nationality Act

To be eligible for naturalization, a person has to have lived legally in Germany for at least eight years and possess the appropriate residence permit.Foreigners who have successfully completed an integration course are eligible for naturalization after seven years.

Persons wishing to become naturalized citizens must also declare their allegiance to our constitution and have a sufficient command of the German language. Knowledge of German is an essential prerequisite for integration into our society.

Candidates for naturalization must be able to support themselves without recourse to social assistance or unemployment benefits (Arbeitslosengeld II), unless this is due to circumstances beyond their control; nor can they have committed any serious criminal offences.

In addition,they must give up their previous citizenship. In certain cases or for certain groups of persons, however, multiple nationality may be considered.

Special rule sapply to persons with special status (displaced foreigners and stateless persons), making it easier for them to become naturalized citizens.

Your local naturalization authority will be able to tell you whether you are eligible for naturalization and how to apply.They will also determine whether you are eligible for discretionary naturalization.

What is discretionary naturalization?

Section 8 of the Nationality Act

Discretionary naturalization rests not on entitlement derived from law but on a decision made at the legal discretion of the relevant authority.

Persons who wish to become naturalized but are not yet legally eligible to do so may, under circumstances defined in Section 8 of the Nationality Act, become naturalized citizens at the discretion of the authorities.

http://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Standardartikel/EN/Themen/Migration/Staatsang/faq.html;jsessionid=0FF241EA6DA3C34F2584190166042024.1_cid174?nn=439476#doc1308132bodyText3

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2 Integration in Bonn -- Naturalization / receiving German citizenship
http://www.integration-in-bonn.de/en/residence-permission/naturalization-receiving-german-citizenship.html