When you are marrying one of a German citizen, you do not become a citizen without saying anything. Rather, you are required to use the naturalisation option, which is a citizenship route founded on residence and integration in the country.
In case you are married to a German national, you can be naturalised after residing in Germany for at least three years.
Citizenship requirements for German Citizenship through Marriage
To be naturalised as a German citizen by marriage, the following conditions must be met:
Residency in Germany
You should have resided in Germany not least three years before the date of application, and have been married not least two years.
Financial stability
You are required to show that you will not be a burden to the country since you are financially stable. In case your partner is providing you with financial support, you will have to demonstrate it, e.g. joint bank statements.
Language skills
You must also speak German to at least the B1 level to be eligible to become a German citizen. This level marks a middle-level language mastery, i.e. you can communicate in ordinary situations as well as understand written and spoken German to a moderate degree.
Citizenship test
All those individuals who intend to apply to become citizens of Germany will be required to pass a citizenship examination that will have questions about the German social, legal and political systems.
Clean criminal records
You are obliged to submit a certificate stating that you have no criminal convictions or that you are not under investigation. In case you are, the naturalisation authorities should wait until an investigation is completed to determine your citizenship application.
Are you intending to gain German citizenship by marriage? Then you should be aware of how the demands will be applied to your particular case. The paperwork, residency requirements, language requirements, etc., can be rather daunting at times.
German naturalization
You should request German citizenship at the local nationality authority office (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde). To find out about the times and requirements of the appointments, contact them. You will be required to provide evidence that proves you are entitled to citizenship, including:
- Your marriage certificate.
- Your permanent residency in Germany.
- Evidence that you have been staying in Germany for at least five years.
- Your present address.
- Evidence that you are not dependent on money, or that your husband/wife is not dependent on money.
- Your knowledge of German.
- Your understanding of the German laws and society (citizenship test).
In case you do not even know where to address your application, you may also contact the nearest city administration office (Stadtverwaltung). District administration office (Kreisverwaltung), borough office (Bezirksamt), or foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde).
Processing time
The processing of your application may take a couple of months. It is all dependent on the workload of the local application office. When the decision is reached, you will be informed of when you can collect your citizenship certificate and attend the citizenship ceremony.
Fees
The German nationality costs 255 euros. This excludes administrative expenses and any fee you may have to pay to access some of your documents or to have your documents.
Is it possible to sometime to get citizenship by marriage even when we live abroad
In cases of naturalisation, there is always a residence requirement. The spouses of German nationals have a three-year residency requirement, instead of five years, which applies to other expats. Therefore, you have had to reside in Germany for at least three years. (And have been married at least two years) to qualify to obtain citizenship. To be able to naturalise, living together in another country is not a qualification.
What are the advantages of citizenship by marriage in Germany
The German citizenship acquired by marriage has quite a number of advantages. Among the main advantages this route will provide you with. There is the right to live and work in Germany without any time restrictions, the right to create a stable life. Moreover, any children that are going to be born to you after you have become a German citizen will automatically be German citizens. Another benefit is access to social benefits, healthcare and education, and a wider range of employment opportunities.
You can also view these posts:
Frequently Asked Questions on Germany
Things to know before immigrating to Germany
Getting Germany’s passport
