Published: 03.08.2026
Foreign nationals may qualify for naturalisation after five years of lawful habitual residence if they meet additional conditions, including B1 German, financial self-sufficiency and the naturalisation test. The accelerated three-year route was abolished on 30 October 2025, while dual citizenship remains permitted.
According to the source, the standard route to citizenship requires five years of lawful habitual residence rather than the former accelerated three-year route. Applicants also need an eligible residence status, financial self-sufficiency, B1 German, knowledge of Germany’s legal and social order, and no relevant criminal convictions. The rule is particularly important for workers, students planning to remain after graduation, and families pursuing long-term integration, because extended absences can interrupt the residence clock. Anyone planning a multi-year move to Germany should therefore use five years as the baseline and keep their lawful residence and absence records in order.