Einbürgerung für heimatlose Ausländerinnen und Ausländer beantragen

As a homeless foreigner, you can apply for naturalization under simplified conditions.

With naturalization you receive German citizenship. This means that you become an equal citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany with all rights and obligations.

Among other things, you can

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

You are a homeless foreigner,

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

and

• had to leave your homeland in connection with the 2nd World War and
• you were lawfully and habitually resident in the area of application of the Basic Law as of June 30, 1950.

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

As a homeless foreigner, you are entitled to naturalization if you have been legally residing in Germany for at least 7 years and have not been convicted of a criminal offense. This does not apply to sentences to a fine or to a juvenile or prison sentence of up to one year, the execution of which has been suspended.
The requirements you have to fulfill are less extensive compared to the other naturalization options. And the fee is lower.

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

The naturalization becomes effective with the delivery of the naturalization certificate. The competent authority is the citizenship authority of your place of residence.

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

• You are a homeless alien, which means:
  • You are stateless,
  • you have a foreign nationality,
• and
  • had to leave your homeland in connection with the 2nd World War and were staying in the area of validity of the Basic Law as of 30.06.1950, or
• You are descended from homeless foreigners and were residing in the Federal Republic of Germany on 01.01.1991.
• You must submit an application for naturalization
• You must
  • have been born at least on 01.01.1991.
• You have been legally and habitually residing in the Federal territory for 7 years.
  • Your spouse and your minor children can also be naturalized together with you if they have not yet been legally and ordinarily resident in Germany for 7 years.
• They have not been sentenced to a prison term without probation or to a suspended sentence of more than one year.
• You are not being investigated on suspicion of a criminal offense.
  • If you are, the naturalization procedure remains suspended until the criminal proceedings have been concluded.
• You do not pursue or support any anti-constitutional or extremist activities and have not done so in the past.

You can submit your application for naturalization in writing to the relevant office:

• Fill out the application and submit it by mail with the required documents.
• After receiving your application, the competent office will check the requirements and make a decision.
• If you meet the requirements, you will be handed a naturalization certificate in person. Only then is the naturalization effective.

There is no deadline.

Action before the competent administrative court

• Naturalization Granting of German citizenship to homeless foreigners
• Homeless foreigners are
  • stateless persons or
  • persons of foreign nationality who
    • had to leave their homeland in connection with the 2nd World War and
    • were residing in the area of application of the Basic Law as of 30.06.1950
• persons are legally equal to them,
  • who are descended from aliens without a country of origin and who
  • were lawfully and ordinarily resident in the Federal Republic of Germany on 01.01.1991.
• responsible: Citizenship authority of the respective place of residence

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