# Ausländerbehörde Essen

> How long does an application at the Ausländerbehörde Essen take? Real waiting times for citizenship, permanent residence, Blue Card and residence permits, reported by applicants.

- State: Nordrhein-Westfalen
- Page: https://aktenzeit.de/en/office/essen
- As of: 2026-10-22
- Foreign residents (estimate): 109,000 (19.0%, 2024)

## Reported waiting times

No reports for this office yet.

## Official figures

- Processing time stated by the office (Citizenship): 12 months Naturalisation applications, including online ones, take at least 12 months to process (per the office website, accessed 21 Oct 2026). (as of 2026-10-21; [Stadt Essen](https://service.essen.de/detail/-/vr-bis-detail/dienstleistung/3265300/show))
- Open applications (Citizenship): 9721 applications Naturalisation applications in processing in May 2026, as reported by the office to Mediendienst Integration. (as of 2026-05; [Mediendienst Integration](https://mediendienst-integration.de/news/weniger-antraege-doch-bearbeitungsstau-waechst/))
- Open applications (Citizenship): 8083 applications Open naturalisation applications in May/June 2025, as reported by the office to Mediendienst Integration. (as of 2025-06; [Mediendienst Integration](https://mediendienst-integration.de/fileadmin/Grafiken/Mediendienst_Integration_Daten_zu_Einbuergeungen_Einbuergerungsantraegen_Offenen_Antraegen_Juni_2025.xlsx))
- Applications received (Citizenship): 5626 applications New naturalisation applications filed in 2025, as reported by the city to Mediendienst Integration. (as of 2025; [Mediendienst Integration](https://mediendienst-integration.de/news/weniger-antraege-doch-bearbeitungsstau-waechst/))

## FAQ

### How long does citizenship (Einbürgerung) take at the Ausländerbehörde Essen?

There are not enough reports for this application type in Essen yet. The office states 12 months (Stadt Essen, 2026-10-21). Across Germany the median is 257 days.

### How many applications are open at the Ausländerbehörde Essen?

9,721 open applications (Citizenship), as of 2026-05, according to Mediendienst Integration.

### What can I do if the Ausländerbehörde Essen has not decided after three months?

Under § 75 VwGO you can file an action for failure to act (Untätigkeitsklage) if an authority does not decide within three months without sufficient reason. Whether this makes sense in your case is a question for an immigration lawyer.

### How many foreign residents does the Ausländerbehörde Essen serve?

About 109,000 people, 19.0% of the population (2024 share of foreign nationals, Federal and State Statistical Offices).

Data reported by applicants, not verified. Not legal advice.