How long does Einbürgerung take? Processing times

How long an Einbürgerung (naturalisation) takes depends heavily on the office. In many cities it takes a year or more, in some more than two years. The block below shows the current nationwide median from reports by applicants.

Why waits differ so much

There is no single national deadline. Each citizenship office has its own staff, systems and backlog. Three reasons come up again and again:

• Backlog. According to Mediendienst Integration (as of 3 June 2026), processing takes over a year in almost all surveyed cities and over two years in half of them. In 2025 the surveyed cities received about 189,000 applications, roughly 10 percent fewer than in 2024. The number of open applications still grew, by 22 percent on average in most cities. So the backlog keeps growing even though fewer applications come in.
• Security checks and other authorities. Security authorities are involved in the review. The city of Munich currently states four to six months for these checks.
• Staffing and appointments. Some offices already have long waits just to get an appointment to submit the application. Mediendienst Integration reports up to two years in some cities.

On individual offices: Munich states on its page that processing takes 18 months or longer (statement by the city, checked 23 Oct 2026). Aktenzeit's office pages show official figures with source and date next to reported waits, for example for Munich.

Offices with the most reports

The table lists the offices with the most reports and their current medians. You can browse all of them under offices.

What the clock measures

Aktenzeit counts from the day the office received your complete application to the decision. You can also report the receipt confirmation, appointment and later steps; how reports are evaluated is explained on the methodology page.

What counts as complete is up to the office. Munich writes that it can only finish processing once all documents are submitted and that requests for missing documents delay the process. Your own office's page lists what it requires.

Steps between application and certificate

There are several stages between the application and the certificate. Typical times from reports:

Under § 16 StAG, naturalisation takes effect only when the office hands over the naturalisation certificate. Before that you make a solemn declaration. The handover is normally meant to take place at a public ceremony. How soon your ceremony follows the assurance (Einbürgerungszusicherung) is up to your office, so ask there.

What you can legitimately do

You cannot force a faster decision, but you can avoid delays:

• Submit all documents complete and up to date. Check your office's list first.
• Answer requests for documents quickly and keep every email and letter.
• Write down your Aktenzeichen (file number) and quote it in every message.
• Report changes such as a new address, employer or passport right away.
• Do not chase constantly. A few targeted status inquiries (Sachstandsanfragen) usually help more than frequent emails that take up caseworker time.

After three months: § 75 VwGO

Under § 75 VwGO, an action is generally admissible if an authority has not decided on an application within a reasonable time without sufficient reason, as a rule after three months. This is called an Untätigkeitsklage (action for failure to act). A long wait alone is not such a reason, and long waits are common in citizenship cases. Whether an action makes sense in your case is something a lawyer has to assess. Read more on the Untätigkeitsklage page, and find lawyers on the law firms page.

Find your office

Frequently asked questions

Does the wait count from the appointment or from submission?

Aktenzeit counts from the day the office received your complete application, not from an appointment. Some offices give an appointment to submit first, and in a few cities that appointment can take up to two years (Mediendienst Integration, as of 3 June 2026). How Aktenzeit evaluates reports is explained on the methodology page.

Is there an official status check?

Each office decides this itself. Look on your office's page for an online portal or a contact address for status inquiries, and always quote your Aktenzeichen.

Does the three-year fast track still exist?

No. § 10 Abs. 3 StAG has been repealed, and the change has been in force since 30 October 2025. The general residence period of five years under § 10 StAG applies.

How long after the assurance do I get the certificate?

That depends on the office, because naturalisation takes effect only when the certificate is handed over (§ 16 StAG). The steps block above shows typical times from reports. Your office sets the date.

Sources

• City of Munich, citizenship office: processing time 18 months or longer, security checks four to six months, note on complete documents and requests for missing ones (checked 23 Oct 2026)
• Mediendienst Integration: fewer applications, but the backlog grows: application numbers, open applications, waiting times (as of 3 Jun 2026, checked 23 Oct 2026)
• § 75 VwGO: action for failure to act (checked 23 Oct 2026)
• § 10 StAG: paragraph 3 repealed (checked 23 Oct 2026)
• § 16 StAG: naturalisation takes effect on handover of the certificate (checked 23 Oct 2026)