What does naturalisation cost? Fees and costs 2026

How high is the fee for naturalisation?

The fee for naturalisation is 255 € per person. For a minor child who is naturalised together with a parent and has no income of its own, it is 51 €. This is regulated nationwide by § 38 Abs. 2 of the Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, StAG). Further costs of naturalisation, for example for the test, documents or a lawyer, depend on your case.

„Co-naturalisation“ means: your spouse or registered partner and your minor children can be naturalised together with you. This also applies if they have not yet lived lawfully in Germany for five years (§ 10 Abs. 2 StAG).

Naturalisation becomes effective with the handing over of the naturalisation certificate (§ 16 StAG). § 38 StAG does not provide for a separate fee for the certificate.

What does naturalisation cost for a family?

For a family the fees are added up: 255 € for each adult person and 51 € for each co-naturalised minor child without its own income. A married couple with two such children therefore pays 612 € in fees. On top of that comes 25 € for each person who has to take the naturalisation test.

Children under 16 years do not need a naturalisation test (§ 10 Abs. 1 Satz 2 StAG). If a minor child has its own income, for example from vocational training, its naturalisation costs 255 €.

What do the naturalisation test and proof of language cost?

Taking part in the naturalisation test costs 25 € (BAMF, page of 28.09.2026). For the language certificate at level B1 the Nationality Act names no price; ask the examination provider. With a German school-leaving qualification you do not have to take a test (BAMF). The qualification can also serve as proof of language (city of Neuss, Service Berlin).

• Test: 33 questions in 60 minutes; passed from 17 correct answers (§ 1 Naturalisation Test Ordinance). Anyone who does not pass can repeat the test (BAMF). A naturalisation course in preparation is voluntary (§ 10 Abs. 5 StAG).
• Without test: children under 16 years do not need a test (§ 10 Abs. 1 Satz 2 StAG). This also applies if you cannot meet the requirements due to illness, disability or age (§ 10 Abs. 6 StAG).
• Integration course certificate: B1 in the „German Test for Immigrants“ counts as proof of language. With at least 17 of 33 points in the test „Living in Germany“ you do not need a naturalisation test (BAMF).

All proofs at a glance: Requirements for naturalisation.

What further costs can arise?

Further costs can arise for documents: certificates from the country of origin, certified translations, passport photos and a valid national passport. There are no uniform prices for this. The amount depends on the country of origin, on the translator and on your authority. After naturalisation, an identity card or passport is added.

Since 27 June 2024 Germany no longer requires you to give up your previous nationality (BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 104). More on this in the guide on dual citizenship. Which documents you need is shown by the checklist of documents for naturalisation.

When do you have to pay the naturalisation fee?

§ 38 StAG does not name a fixed payment date. When you pay depends on your naturalisation authority. Some authorities require the fee already with the application, i.e. before the decision. In Neuss you pay when submitting the application, in Berlin before sending the online application (both accessed on 02.10.2026).

• City of Neuss: in cash, by debit card or by credit card. An advance of 190 € is also possible first, i.e. a partial amount in advance (Serviceportal Neuss).
• Berlin: online by credit card or PayPal (Service Berlin).

Until the decision it can take a while: the city of Neuss names up to 16 months processing time after the application. More on this in the guide How long does naturalisation take?

What happens to the fee in the case of rejection or withdrawal?

A rejection also costs money. If the authority rejects your application or you withdraw it, a fee is charged if the substantive examination has already begun. It is 25 € up to the full fee, for adults therefore up to 255 € (§ 38 Abs. 2 Satz 3 StAG). „Substantive examination“ means: the authority is already examining your application in terms of content. In Berlin the full fee is due in the case of a rejection, and in the case of a withdrawal after the substantive examination has begun, half.

Can you have the fee reduced or pay in instalments?

Yes, in individual cases. For reasons of equity or public interest the authority can reduce the fee. It can also exempt you from it entirely (§ 38 Abs. 4 StAG). According to the BAMF this is possible, for example, if you earn very little or several children are co-naturalised. Payment in instalments can also be agreed.

„Equity“ means: the full fee would be unreasonably harsh in your situation. For this, submit a reasoned application and enclose proof, for example of your income. The city of Neuss names reductions „in a justified individual case on application“.

When is naturalisation free of charge?

Only in special cases, which § 38 Abs. 3 StAG lists. Free of charge is re-naturalisation under Art. 116 Abs. 2 Basic Law and naturalisation under § 15 StAG. Both rules concern people who were persecuted between 1933 and 1945 on political, racial or religious grounds, and their descendants. Free of charge is also the naturalisation of former Germans who lost their nationality through marriage to a foreigner. Acquisition by declaration under § 5 StAG is likewise free of charge.

What does a lawyer for naturalisation cost?

That depends on the agreement with the law firm. Without an agreement the statutory fees under the Lawyers' Remuneration Act (RVG) apply. For representing one person in the application procedure these are, for example, 1.032,44 € gross. This includes a 1,3 business fee at an object value of 10.000 €, the flat-rate expenses and 19 % value added tax.

You do not need a lawyer for the application. From 16 years you can submit it yourself (§ 34 StAG). Help can be useful if your case raises questions, for example about periods of residence, subsistence or convictions, or if the authority does not decide.

This is how the statutory fees are calculated

Decisive is the object value, i.e. the monetary value of the matter (§ 2 RVG). Even outside court proceedings the courts' value rules apply if the matter could come before a court (§ 23 Abs. 1 Satz 3 RVG). The value-in-dispute catalogue for the administrative courts 2025 recommends 10.000 € per person for naturalisations (No. 42.1). It is a recommendation, not a law.

10.000 € are double the fallback value of 5.000 €. The court uses this value if there are no sufficient reference points (§ 52 Abs. 2 Court Costs Act, GKG). In an individual case the value can differ.

The business fee is the fee for the work outside court proceedings. Its rate lies between 0,5 and 2,5. The lawyer may only charge more than 1,3 if the work was extensive or difficult (No. 2300 Remuneration Schedule to the RVG, in short VV RVG).

Flat rate instead of statutory fees

A law firm can also agree a separate remuneration with you, for example a flat rate. This agreement usually requires text form, for example on paper or by e-mail (§ 3a Abs. 1 RVG). Outside court proceedings the remuneration may be below the statutory fees if it is reasonable (§ 4 Abs. 1 RVG). Before a court this is in principle not allowed (§ 49b Abs. 1 Federal Lawyers' Act). The agreement must also contain a notice: if the opposing side has to reimburse you costs, it usually pays at most the statutory remuneration (§ 3a Abs. 1 Satz 3 RVG).

What does an action for failure to act in naturalisation cost?

At a value in dispute of 10.000 € the court fee is 849 € (3,0 fee under No. 5110 KV GKG). With a lawyer, under the statutory fees, 1.032,44 € without hearing fee or 1.963,50 € with hearing fee are added, each gross and for one person. The court fee becomes due on filing the action (§ 6 Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 5 GKG).

With the action for failure to act you defend yourself before the administrative court against the authority not deciding on your application. It is in principle possible at the earliest three months after the application. A further condition is that the authority has not decided without a sufficient reason (§ 75 Code of Administrative Court Procedure, VwGO).

• Value in dispute: this is the monetary value of the proceedings; the court sets it. If several people sue jointly, the values are added up (§ 39 Abs. 1 GKG). The fee does not double in the process: for two people (20.000 €) the court fee is 1.215 € (3,0 × 405 €).
• Who pays in the end? The court decides on the costs. If the authority decides only after the action, it bears the costs if you were already entitled to expect a decision before the action (§ 161 Abs. 3 VwGO). If the authority had a sufficient reason, the costs can remain with you.
• Set-off: if the same law firm has already represented you in the application procedure, part of the business fee is set off against the action. This is half, at most a rate of 0,75 (Preliminary Note 3 Abs. 4 VV RVG).
• Without a lawyer: before the administrative court you may conduct the legal dispute yourself (§ 67 Abs. 1 VwGO). The risk of the court costs remains.
• Legal aid: this is state assistance for the costs of court proceedings. It requires, among other things, that you cannot raise the costs, or only in part or only in instalments. In addition, the action must have sufficient prospect of success and must not appear frivolous (§ 166 VwGO, § 114 Code of Civil Procedure).

When the action is possible and how it proceeds is explained by our guide Action for failure to act in naturalisation.

Frequently asked questions

Rechtsanwalt Nihat Kaygalak, LL.M.

Responsible for the content of Mein Deutscher Pass. Admitted as a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 2007, member of the Düsseldorf Bar Association (Rechtsanwaltskammer Düsseldorf), firm in Neuss. You can verify the admission in the nationwide official register of lawyers.

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