German citizenship in 5 years — and you keep your US or Canadian passport.
Last verified: 8 July 2026The 2024 nationality reform cut naturalisation from 8 years to 5 and ended the ban on dual citizenship. The 2025 rollback then removed the 3-year fast-track. Here's the path as it stands in mid-2026, step by step, with the retiree-specific catch spelled out.
- 5 years of lawful habitual residence — down from 8 since 27 June 2024
- Dual citizenship allowed — Americans and Canadians no longer renounce anything
- 3-year fast-track: abolished — Bundestag vote 8 October 2025, effective 30 October 2025
- B1 German (CEFR) + naturalisation test: 33 questions, 17 to pass, €25
- Fee: €255 per adult (€51 per co-naturalising minor)
- You must support yourself without public benefits and have no serious convictions
What the 2024 reform changed
The Act on the Modernisation of Nationality Law (StARModG) took effect on 27 June 2024. Three changes matter for our readers:
- Residence requirement: 8 years → 5 years. The clock runs on lawful habitual residence — time on renewable residence permits counts.
- Dual citizenship for everyone. Germany dropped the renunciation requirement entirely. You naturalise and keep your US or Canadian citizenship. (The US and Canada both tolerate dual nationality, so nothing is lost on that side either.)
- A 3-year fast-track for exceptional integration — introduced by this reform, but no longer exists (next section).
What the 2025 rollback removed
The Bundestag voted to delete the fast-track (§10(3) StAG) on 8 October 2025; the repeal law took legal effect on 30 October 2025. Naturalisation after 3 years for applicants with C1 German and exceptional achievements is gone. Everything else survived: 5 years and dual citizenship remain the law in mid-2026. If you read a guide promising a German passport in 3 years, it predates late October 2025.
The full requirements checklist
- 5 years of lawful habitual residence in Germany
- A permanent settlement permit or a residence permit that can lead to permanent residence — most work, family, and §7 permits qualify; permits for inherently temporary purposes (study exchange, seasonal work) don't
- German at B1 — certificate from a recognised test (Goethe, telc, etc.)
- Naturalisation test — 33 multiple-choice questions on law, society, and your federal state; 17 correct to pass; €25 per attempt; official practice catalogue is public
- Secure livelihood without recourse to basic social benefits
- Clean record — minor offences are tolerated within narrow limits
- Commitment to the free democratic basic order, including a declaration acknowledging Germany's historical responsibility — antisemitic or racist acts are disqualifying
How the timeline actually plays out
| Stage | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| D visa + first permit | Months 0–4 | Consular visa, Anmeldung, first residence permit. The 5-year clock starts with lawful residence. |
| Renewals | Years 1–5 | Keep permits unbroken. Long absences (generally over 6 months) can reset the clock. |
| Language + test | Years 3–4 | Sit B1 and the naturalisation test early — appointment and processing queues are long. |
| Application | Year 5 | File with your local naturalisation authority (€255). Processing commonly takes 12–24 months in big cities — Berlin's backlog is well documented. |
| Certificate | Year 6–7, realistically | Citizenship ceremony, then German passport — and EU-wide rights. |
The retiree catch
Citizenship requires supporting yourself without benefits — pension income counts, so retirees can qualify. The friction is upstream: retirees on the discretionary §7 route hold 1-year permits and may struggle to get the permanent settlement permit at year 5, because §9 AufenthG normally wants 60 months of German pension contributions. Naturalisation law accepts a qualifying temporary permit, so the passport can arrive before permanent residency ever does — an odd but real quirk. A naturalisation adviser or lawyer should sequence this for your case.
What US and Canadian citizens should know before naturalising
- US: naturalising in Germany does not cost you US citizenship, and dual citizens keep filing US tax returns for life. If you ever consider renouncing US citizenship instead, that's a separate, expensive decision (exit-tax rules) — take advice.
- Canada: Canada permits dual citizenship with no tax strings — Canadian tax follows residence, not citizenship.
- The prize: a German passport is EU citizenship — the right to live, work, and retire in all 27 EU countries, plus healthcare access across the bloc.
Sources
- Federal Ministry of the Interior — nationality law (reform in force 27 June 2024): bmi.bund.de
- BAMF — naturalisation requirements, test, and fees: bamf.de
- Federal Foreign Office — dual-citizenship reform summary: canada.diplo.de
- Abolition of the 3-year fast-track (§10(3) StAG deleted) — Bundestag vote 8 October 2025, law in force 30 October 2025; reported i.a. by IamExpat (corroborating press)
- Nationality Act (StAG) text: gesetze-im-internet.de
- Naturalisation test details (33 questions, €25): BAMF Einbürgerungstest pages