Documents for German citizenship: the checklist

For a German citizenship application you usually need a valid passport, your residence permit, your birth certificate and, if relevant, your marriage certificate, proof of income, health insurance and housing, a registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung), your B1 language certificate and your citizenship test certificate. The exact list is set by your naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde) and can differ from one place to the next. The checklist below covers what is typically requested – always compare it with your authority's own website.

The checklist at a glance

Identity and residence

• Valid passport or national ID card from your country
• Residence permit – EU citizens don't need one; Swiss citizens show their Swiss residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis-Schweiz), and family members of EU citizens their residence card (Aufenthaltskarte)
• Biometric photo – often required
• Application form or your authority's online application

Your identity and nationality must be clarified; without that, there's no naturalisation. Make sure your passport and permit stay valid for the whole procedure – applying doesn't extend either of them. Authorities handle this differently: in Berlin, a travel document issued by Germany (Reiseausweis), such as a refugee travel document, is usually not accepted as proof, whereas Munich explicitly lists the international travel document as a possible ID. If you can't get a valid passport, talk to your authority early.

Civil status: documents from your home country

• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate or proof of a registered partnership, if you're married
• Divorce decree, if you're divorced

These often have to come from your country of origin, so they need the most lead time. Documents that aren't in German usually need a certified translation. Depending on the country and the authority, legalisation or an apostille may also be required – check before you order documents from abroad. Also check that your name is spelled the same way in your passport, permit and certificates. If it isn't – because of different transliteration from another alphabet, for instance – point this out in your application.

Income, insurance and housing

• Employees: employment contract, payslips for roughly the last six months, a recent letter from your employer
• Self-employed: income tax assessment, a statement from your tax adviser
• Health insurance: proof of cover
• Pension insurance: your contribution history (Versicherungsverlauf), if the authority asks for it
• Housing: tenancy agreement showing the rent, plus a registration certificate

These show that you support yourself without Grundsicherungsgeld (formerly Bürgergeld) or social assistance. Because the test covers you and your dependants, the authority may also ask for proof of your spouse's income. If you rely on one of the statutory exceptions – for example as a full-time worker who has worked full-time for at least 20 of the last 24 months – keep proof for that whole period. See the income requirement for German citizenship.

Language and citizenship test

• B1 proof: for example DTZ, Goethe, telc or ÖSD with all modules – or other proof such as a German school qualification (see how to prove B1 German)
• Test certificate: the Einbürgerungstest or the “Leben in Deutschland” test with at least 17 of 33 correct answers
• Or proof of exemption: such as a medical certificate or a German school-leaving certificate

The BAMF posts your test certificate – currently this takes around 11–12 weeks (see citizenship test results), so plan for it. Still need the test? Check your level with a practice exam and register early.

Documents for children

• the child's birth certificate
• the child's passport and, if applicable, residence permit
• the other parent's consent if you share custody of a child under 16
• depending on the authority, a school or nursery certificate

Children aged 16 and over file their own application with their own documents. How joint naturalisation works is explained in German citizenship for children.

Translations, copies and originals

Your authority decides whether plain copies are enough, whether you need certified copies, or whether you must show originals. Online applications take scans or photos, but keep the originals ready – the authority may want to see them, for example at your personal appointment.

Authorities check certificates and documents for authenticity. Deception, threats, bribery or knowingly false or incomplete information don't just lead to refusal: since 24 December 2025 they bar you from naturalisation for ten years (Section 35a StAG). Munich, for one, says it reports forged documents to the police as a matter of course.

Tips for a complete application

1. Follow your authority's list: it takes priority over any general checklist – one example is the Berlin document list (in German).
2. Order certificates early: documents from abroad and translations often take weeks.
3. Scan cleanly: legible PDFs with clear file names.
4. Keep copies: keep a copy of everything you submit and note the date and your file number.
5. Send recent proof: especially payslips and your registration certificate.
6. Declare foreign proceedings: convictions and pending proceedings abroad must be listed in your application (Section 12a(4) StAG).

Once everything is together, continue with how to apply for German citizenship, and see how much German citizenship costs for the fees.