# Ausländerbehörde Köln

> How long does an application at the Ausländerbehörde Köln 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/koeln
- As of: 2026-10-22
- Foreign residents (estimate): 200,000 (19.5%, 2024)

## Reported waiting times

No reports for this office yet.

## Official figures

- Wait for an appointment (Citizenship): 12 months Wait for an appointment for the naturalisation application interview: about 12 months. In Cologne the appointment request counts as the application (page dated 14 Sep 2026). (as of 2026-09-14; [Stadt Köln, Ausländeramt](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/service/produkte/00547/index.html))
- Open applications (Citizenship): 8286 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): 9000 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): 6703 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 Köln?

There are not enough reports for this application type in Köln yet. Across Germany the median is 257 days.

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

8,286 open applications (Citizenship), as of 2026-05, according to Mediendienst Integration.

### What can I do if the Ausländerbehörde Köln 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 Köln serve?

About 200,000 people, 19.5% of the population (2024 share of foreign nationals, Federal and State Statistical Offices).

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