Bundesverwaltungsamt
Waiting times in citizenship cases, reported by applicants. Responsible for people living abroad, based in Cologne.
The wait is counted from the date of the Aktenzeichen, which is the BVA confirmation of receipt. If you have no Aktenzeichen yet, it counts from the day you sent your application.
Open cases according to the Bundesverwaltungsamt
Contact
Contact details from the website of the Bundesverwaltungsamt, see the source. The BVA asks you to quote the Aktenzeichen in every letter.
Bundesverwaltungsamt, Staatsangehörigkeit
- +49 221758-44833Mo und Mi 10:00 bis 12:00 Uhr, Di und Do 14:00 bis 16:30 Uhr (MEZ). Diese Nummer gilt für alle Staaten außer den folgenden: Nachfolgestaaten der Sowjetunion und EU-Staaten +49 221758-44828, Südamerika ohne Argentinien +49 221758-33065, Argentinien +49 221758-5288.
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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.
- Other figure · Declaration (§ 5 StAG)
The BVA says it processes § 5 StAG declarations in the order they arrive. The page gives no processing time (accessed 22 Oct 2026).
- Other figure · Redress naturalisation (Art. 116 GG)
The BVA is reviewing its procedures for redress naturalisation under Art. 116 GG after reports of forgery and announces temporary delays. Proceedings under § 15 StAG are not affected.
- Open applications · Declaration (§ 5 StAG)36,748 applications
Pending declarations under § 5 StAG according to the BVA work statistics, counted in persons. End of 2025: 34,212, end of 2024: 26,584.
- Other figure · Feststellung (§ 30 StAG)
The BVA attributes the drop in concluded Feststellung cases in 2024 and 2025 to the extra workload from § 5 StAG applications.
- Processing time stated by the office · Redress naturalisation (§ 15 StAG)
The BVA says it has no data on the average or median processing time for § 15 StAG.
- Applications received · Declaration (§ 5 StAG)13,038 applications
Declarations under § 5 StAG newly recorded in 2025 (persons).
- Cases completed · Declaration (§ 5 StAG)5,410 applications
Cases under § 5 StAG concluded in 2025, of which 4,898 with a certificate and 285 rejected.
- Open applications · Feststellung (§ 30 StAG)28,645 applications
Pending Feststellung applications under § 30 StAG according to the BVA work statistics (persons). End of 2024: 24,857.
- Applications received · Feststellung (§ 30 StAG)11,628 applications
Feststellung applications newly recorded in 2025 (persons).
- Cases completed · Feststellung (§ 30 StAG)7,840 applications
Cases concluded in 2025, of which 6,089 with an issued certificate and 354 rejected.
- Open applications · Redress naturalisation (§ 15 StAG)33,506 applications
Pending applications for naturalisation under § 15 StAG according to the BVA. End of 2024: 25,667.
- Applications received · Redress naturalisation (§ 15 StAG)15,528 applications
Applications under § 15 StAG newly recorded in 2025.
- Processing time stated by the office · Redress naturalisation (Art. 116 GG)
The BVA keeps no statistic on expected processing times for applications under Art. 116 (2) GG. They vary widely with the case and the quality of the documents.
- Open applications · Redress naturalisation (Art. 116 GG)17,888 applications
Pending applications under Art. 116 (2) GG according to the BVA work statistics. End of 2024: 13,714, end of 2023: 6,331.
Frequently asked questions
How long do cases at the Bundesverwaltungsamt take?
There are not enough reports yet. For applications under Art. 116 GG and § 15 StAG the BVA says it has no statistic on processing times (answers of October 2025 and January 2026).
How many cases are open at the Bundesverwaltungsamt?
Feststellung (§ 30 StAG): 28,645 (as of 31 Dec 2025); Declaration (§ 5 StAG): 36,748 (as of 31 May 2026); Redress naturalisation (Art. 116 GG): 17,888 (as of 31 Aug 2025); Redress naturalisation (§ 15 StAG): 33,506 (as of 31 Dec 2025). Source: work statistics of the Bundesverwaltungsamt, released after freedom of information requests.
From when is the wait counted?
From the date of the Aktenzeichen, which is the BVA confirmation of receipt. If you have no Aktenzeichen yet, it counts from the day you handed the application in at the consulate or sent it to the BVA. The BVA says it processes § 5 StAG declarations in the order they arrive.
Where do I apply from abroad?
At the German mission responsible for you, or directly at the BVA, Barbarastraße 1, 50735 Cologne. For naturalisation under § 14 StAG the BVA names the mission and says sending it directly causes delays. The BVA sends a confirmation of receipt with the Aktenzeichen.
What can I do if it takes very long?
Ask the BVA and quote your Aktenzeichen, by email to [email protected] or by phone during service hours. After three months without a decision an action for failure to act under § 75 VwGO may be possible, and the competent court is the Verwaltungsgericht Köln. Whether it makes sense is a question for a lawyer in citizenship or immigration law.
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. For cases at the Bundesverwaltungsamt the competent court is the Verwaltungsgericht Köln. Whether this makes sense in your case is a question for a lawyer in citizenship or immigration law.
More about the Untätigkeitsklage