Applying for naturalisation for homeless foreigners

As a homeless foreigner, you can be naturalised under simplified conditions.

Upon naturalisation, you will receive German citizenship. This will make you an equal citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany with all rights and obligations.

Among other things, you can

• exercise their right to vote in the Länder and to the Bundestag,
• enjoy freedom of movement within the European Union as a citizen of the Union, and
• can also travel outside of Europe without a visa to many countries.

You are a homeless foreigner,

• if you are stateless or
• if you have a foreign nationality,

and

• had to leave their homeland in connection with the 2nd World War and
• were lawfully and habitually resident within the scope of application of the Basic Law on 30.06.1950.

You also have the same status if you are descended from homeless foreigners and were legally and habitually resident in the Federal Republic of Germany on 01.01.1991.

As a homeless foreigner, you are entitled to naturalisation if you have been legally resident in Germany for at least 7 years and have not been convicted of a criminal offence. This does not apply to sentences of a fine or a juvenile sentence or imprisonment of up to one year, the execution of which has been suspended.
The requirements to be fulfilled by you are less extensive compared to the other naturalisation requirements. And the applicable fee is lower.

In addition, your spouse and your minor children can also be naturalised, even if they have not lived in Germany for as long as you have.

Naturalisation becomes effective upon delivery of the certificate of naturalisation. The competent authority is the nationality authority of your place of residence.

Please contact the citizenship authority of your place of residence.

• valid travel document for foreigners
• Birth certificate
• if applicable, marriage certificate or divorce decree
• Translations of foreign certificates or documents by an authorised translator
  • Translation must be firmly attached to a copy of the document and sealed
• for persons under 16 years of age:
  • Proof of legal representation
  • in the case of joint parental care of the parents, only the consent of the other parent with custody
• further documents may be added in individual cases

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: No
Personal appearance required: Yes

• You are a homeless foreigner, which means:
  • They are stateless,
  • You have a foreign nationality,
• and
  • had to leave their homeland in connection with the 2nd World War and were within the scope of the Basic Law on 30.06.1950, or
• They descend from homeless foreigners and resided in the Federal Republic of Germany on 01.01.1991.
• You must apply for naturalisation
• You must
  • have been born at least on 01.01.1991.
• You have been legally and habitually resident in Germany for 7 years.
  • Your spouse and minor children can be naturalised together with you even if they have not yet been legally and habitually resident in Germany for 7 years.
• They were not sentenced to imprisonment without probation or to a suspended sentence of more than one year.
• You will not be investigated on suspicion of a criminal offence.
  • If it does, the naturalisation procedure remains suspended until the criminal proceedings have been concluded.
  • You must also meet the other naturalisation requirements, i.e.
• Your identity and nationality(s) have been clarified
• You are capable of acting or legally represented
• You hold a residence permit or a permanent right of residence which is in principle intended for permanent residence
• You are able to support yourself and that of your dependent family members without receiving certain public benefits
• You have sufficient knowledge of the German language (level B1)
• You have knowledge of the legal and social system and living conditions in Germany
• You give up your foreign citizenship or lose it
• Their classification into the German living conditions is guaranteed; this means in particular that you are not married to several spouses at the same time
• They are committed to the free democratic basic order of the Basic Law; that is, you do not support or have supported anti-constitutional or extremist activities unless you have credibly turned away from previous persecution or support
  •  
• They do not prosecute or support anti-constitutional or extremist activities and have not done so in the past.

Action before the competent administrative court

You can submit your application for naturalisation in writing to the competent authority:

• Fill out the application and submit it by post with the required documents.
• On receipt of your application, the competent body will examine the conditions and take a decision.
• If you meet the requirements, you will personally receive a naturalisation certificate. Only then is naturalisation effective.

There is no deadline.

Additional fees may apply, for example for translations of foreign documents into German.: Administrative fine 51,00 EUR (The amount is to be paid in advance)