https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed You don't need permanent residency to be qualified for a German passport, but the type of permit you have does matter. Here's the scoop on which residence permits allow you to naturalise and which do not. https://www.thelocal.de/20260716/which-residence-permits-qualify-you-for-german-citizenship Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:10:45 +0200 which-residence-permits-qualify-you-for-german-citizenship Should Germany's citizenship test be be rewritten, made harder or simply scrapped? We asked readers, and also political parties, how they would change the 'Einbürgerungstest'. https://www.thelocal.de/20261006/its-just-weird-how-readers-and-parties-think-germanys-citizenship-test-should-change Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:39:23 +0200 its-just-weird-how-readers-and-parties-think-germanys-citizenship-test-should-change After making significant effort to prepare your German citizenship application, and then waiting for months, receiving a rejection can be devastating. But there is a process you can use to appeal the decision. https://www.thelocal.de/20261001/how-to-appeal-if-your-application-for-german-citizenship-is-rejected Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:02:41 +0200 how-to-appeal-if-your-application-for-german-citizenship-is-rejected Germany's citizenship test has been criticised by certain politicians for being too easy whilst others say it does nothing to help integration. So we asked our readers for their views. https://www.thelocal.de/20260925/its-just-a-memory-test-the-verdict-on-germanys-citizenship-test Fri, 25 Sep 2026 15:30:32 +0200 its-just-a-memory-test-the-verdict-on-germanys-citizenship-test Applying for citizenship in Germany can be a lengthy and daunting process - and understanding the lingo is like learning a new language in itself. These are the top words and phrases you're likely to hear along the way. https://www.thelocal.de/20230714/the-vocabulary-you-need-to-understand-the-german-citizenship-process Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:19:11 +0200 the-vocabulary-you-need-to-understand-the-german-citizenship-process Immigration and German citizenship rules are some of the most important topics for foreign residents in Germany. Ahead of Sunday's election in Berlin, we round up what political parties in the capital have to say about their immigration policies. https://www.thelocal.de/20260916/what-political-parties-in-berlin-say-about-immigration-and-german-citizenship Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:56:23 +0200 what-political-parties-in-berlin-say-about-immigration-and-german-citizenship Some types of social welfare can bar you from applying for citizenship or permanent residency in Germany, but the rules are not simple. Here's the lowdown on what support you can claim, and which to steer clear of, if you want to naturalise. https://www.thelocal.de/20241008/which-social-benefits-exclude-you-from-german-citizenship Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:14:49 +0200 which-social-benefits-exclude-you-from-german-citizenship Ahead of contentious elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD's vice president in the state has called for making Germany's knowledge test for naturalisation more difficult. https://www.thelocal.de/20260831/why-is-the-afd-pushing-for-a-harder-german-citizenship-test Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:30:24 +0200 why-is-the-afd-pushing-for-a-harder-german-citizenship-test For some, proving financial independence can be the hardest hurdle to clear to achieve German citizenship - that's especially true for anyone who has recently lost their job. Stephanie Liao shares her experience. https://www.thelocal.de/20250925/i-got-rejected-how-one-womans-path-to-german-citizenship-was-blocked-by-unemployment Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:05:58 +0200 i-got-rejected-how-one-womans-path-to-german-citizenship-was-blocked-by-unemployment Most people need to sit the citizenship exam if they want to naturalise as German citizens - but not everyone has to. These are the lucky groups who can skip that part of the process. https://www.thelocal.de/20240215/whos-exempt-from-taking-a-german-citizenship-test-for-naturalisation Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:27:01 +0100 whos-exempt-from-taking-a-german-citizenship-test-for-naturalisation If you've been left waiting months, or even years, to hear a decision on your application to naturalise as German you may be wondering what you can do to speed things up. We asked experts to lay out some options. https://www.thelocal.de/20260402/what-can-you-do-to-get-a-faster-response-on-your-german-citizenship-application Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:30:35 +0200 what-can-you-do-to-get-a-faster-response-on-your-german-citizenship-application People with German ancestry may qualify to reclaim their citizenship rights in certain cases. But like the process for naturalising via residency, first they have to submit a comprehensive application – and then potentially wait for years. https://www.thelocal.de/20260415/difficult-and-opaque-applying-for-german-citizenship-via-ancestry-often-takes-years Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:26:35 +0200 difficult-and-opaque-applying-for-german-citizenship-via-ancestry-often-takes-years German citizenship can only be revoked in very specific situations, but the number of revocations jumped significantly last year compared to recent years. https://www.thelocal.de/20260126/how-many-newly-naturalised-germans-have-their-citizenship-revoked-each-year Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:33:02 +0100 how-many-newly-naturalised-germans-have-their-citizenship-revoked-each-year German citizenship comes with perks, including freedom of movement in the EU. Some foreign residents may wonder if newly naturalised Germans get to enjoy these rights immediately or if they have to wait for a period of time before moving abroad. https://www.thelocal.de/20240507/can-i-get-german-citizenship-and-immediately-move-abroad Tue, 07 May 2024 09:36:57 +0200 can-i-get-german-citizenship-and-immediately-move-abroad As a foreigner in Germany the rights you’re afforded, and the hoops you need to jump through, are determined by your residency or citizenship status. One common question that comes up is the differences between them. Here's an overview. https://www.thelocal.de/20250710/whats-the-difference-between-german-citizenship-and-residency Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:25:06 +0200 whats-the-difference-between-german-citizenship-and-residency Plenty of foreigners in Germany are focusing on getting their citizenship applications ready now that the new law allowing dual citizenship is in force - but what papers should you get once you finally have it? https://www.thelocal.de/20240103/what-documents-should-i-get-after-obtaining-german-citizenship Wed, 03 Jan 2024 09:15:31 +0100 what-documents-should-i-get-after-obtaining-german-citizenship Record numbers of people are becoming German citizens since the country's naturalisation act reform – with more than 332,500 people becoming German in 2025 alone. We asked new citizens why they became German and how they feel about it. https://www.thelocal.de/20260617/mix-of-joy-and-relief-what-its-really-like-to-get-german-citizenship Wed, 17 Jun 2026 10:46:17 +0200 mix-of-joy-and-relief-what-its-really-like-to-get-german-citizenship The last step before a citizenship application can be approved is a personal appearance at the foreigner’s office. With a German passport so fresh it was still warm in his hands, Liam Kelly, told The Local about his experience. https://www.thelocal.de/20260602/are-you-ready-to-be-german-a-first-hand-account-of-the-final-interview-for-citizenship Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:59:33 +0200 are-you-ready-to-be-german-a-first-hand-account-of-the-final-interview-for-citizenship When you apply for German citizenship, one of the first questions you'll be asked is what type of residence permit you have. Will you run into problems if you don't have permanent residency rights? https://www.thelocal.de/20240415/do-you-need-permanent-residency-to-apply-for-german-citizenship Mon, 15 Apr 2024 12:08:53 +0200 do-you-need-permanent-residency-to-apply-for-german-citizenship Many people had their citizenship revoked or were never granted it under Nazi Germany. After a rule change in 2021, more than 52,000 affected individuals and their descendants have been granted German passports. https://www.thelocal.de/20260609/more-than-52000-nazi-victims-and-their-descendants-have-become-german Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:30:04 +0200 more-than-52000-nazi-victims-and-their-descendants-have-become-german