Ausländerbehörde Hamburg
Processing times reported by applicants. Located in Hamburg.
When will your decision come?
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Report your waitOfficial figures
Figures from the office itself, from parliamentary questions and from press reports quoting the office. They are not part of the reported waiting times.
- Wait for an appointment · Residence permits8–10 weeks
Hamburg Welcome Center: about 8 to 10 weeks from the online application to an appointment offer for a first residence permit. Applies to skilled workers, trainees and their families, not to the district offices.
- Open applications · Citizenship31,967 applications
Naturalisation applications in processing in May 2026, as reported by the office to Mediendienst Integration.
- Processing time stated by the office · Citizenship14 months
The Hamburg interior authority expects an average processing time of about 14 months for applicants in 2026.
- Open applications · Citizenship31,539 applications
Open naturalisation cases on 20 Aug 2025, per the Senate's answer to a question in the Hamburg parliament.
- Applications received · Citizenship16,500 applications
Naturalisation applications filed in 2025, about 16,500 according to the Hamburg interior authority.
Hamburg compared
Applicant numbers and reported waiting times of the offices in this state.
Foreign residents: estimate from the 2024 share of foreign nationals (Regionalatlas, Federal and State Statistical Offices) and population. Boundaries: © GeoBasis-DE / BKG 2024.
| # | Office | Foreign residents | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamburgthis office | 360,800 | 0 |
All of Germany, for comparison
- Citizenship
- 257 days
- 1 report
Frequently asked questions
How long does citizenship (Einbürgerung) take at the Ausländerbehörde Hamburg?
There are not enough reports for this application type in Hamburg yet. The office states 14 months (Behörde für Inneres und Sport Hamburg (hamburg.de), 2026-02-04). Across Germany the median is 257 days.
How many applications are open at the Ausländerbehörde Hamburg?
31,967 open applications (Citizenship), as of 2026-05, according to Mediendienst Integration.
What can I do if the Ausländerbehörde Hamburg 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 Hamburg serve?
About 360,800 people, 19.3% of the population (2024 share of foreign nationals, Federal and State Statistical Offices).
No decision after more than 3 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.
More about the Untätigkeitsklage