German Citizenship in Berlin
Who handles your application in Berlin, how to apply, where to take the citizenship test, and what the authority itself says about waiting.
How do I apply for citizenship in Berlin and how long does it take?
In Berlin the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) handles all naturalisations. It asks you to apply online and to pay the fee before you send the application; applications that arrive another way, for example by letter, are handled with lower priority. The LEA gives no processing time. Because it took over about 40,000 open files from the districts, it says longer processing times are to be expected, and the Senate has stated that the duration is not recorded statistically. Berlin naturalised 21,811 people in 2024 and 39,041 in 2025.
Legal Basis
Law
§38 StAG
Requirement
Naturalisation fee of €255; €51 for a minor child naturalised with a parent
Official Source
View law textBerlin: Key Facts
| Topic | Berlin |
|---|---|
| Authority | Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA), Department S. It took over more than 40,000 open files from the districts on 1 January 2024, the oldest from 2005. |
| How to apply | Online. The LEA asks that applications under §§8, 9 and 10 StAG be made online only. Applications that reach it another way, for example by letter, are handled with lower priority. |
| Stated time | None. The LEA says longer processing times are to be expected because of the open files taken over from the districts, and that it cannot say when the remaining old applications will be completed. It asks you not to send status enquiries. |
| After a positive check | You receive an appointment to come in. Because of the very high number of open applications, the LEA says this can take some time. |
| Fee | €255 per adult, €51 for a minor child naturalised with a parent (§38 StAG). Paid before you send the online application, by credit card or PayPal. If you withdraw after processing has started, the fee is halved. |
| Workload | Up to 1,000 applications a week, according to the LEA. |
| Naturalisations 2024 | 21,811 (regional database, table 12511-04-01-4) |
| Naturalisations 2025 | 39,041 (Federal Statistical Office, result for the state of Berlin) |
Source: Berlin Landesamt für Einwanderung: Einbürgerung · Authority page read on 22 October 2026
Where to Take the Citizenship Test in Berlin
The LEA does not offer the test itself. These are the 12 district adult education centres (VHS) on the BAMF list of test centres for Berlin. You can register at any Berlin VHS, wherever you live in the city. The test costs €25, and you do not sit it on the day you register.
| Test centre | Address |
|---|---|
| VHS Charlottenburg City West | Pestalozzistr. 40/41 |
| VHS Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg | Wassertorstr. 4 |
| VHS Lichtenberg | Paul-Junius-Str. 71 |
| VHS Marzahn-Hellersdorf | Mark-Twain-Str. 27 |
| VHS Mitte | Antonstr. 37 |
| VHS Neukölln | Boddinstr. 34 |
| VHS Pankow | Prenzlauer Allee 227/228 |
| VHS Reinickendorf | Am Borsigturm 6 |
| VHS Spandau | Carl-Schurz-Str. 17 |
| VHS Steglitz-Zehlendorf | Goethestr. 9/11 |
| VHS Tempelhof-Schöneberg | Barbarossaplatz 5 |
| VHS Treptow-Köpenick | Baumschulenstr. 79/81 |
Source: BAMF: list of citizenship test centres in Berlin (Prüfstellen BE) · BAMF list read on 22 October 2026 (the list shows no date)
What the Berlin Senate Reports
Answers of the Senate to a written question in the Berlin House of Representatives. Decisions include all decided applications, so they are not the same as the naturalisation count above.
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Open applications | Not recorded statistically |
| Processing duration | Not recorded statistically |
| Decisions 2024 | 21,866 |
| Decisions 2025 | 40,965 |
| Decisions, first half of 2026 | 18,627 |
Source: Berlin House of Representatives, printed paper 19/26819 (answer of 26 August 2026) · 2024 to first half of 2026
Your Steps in Berlin
Get your B1 certificate
Have your language certificate ready before you apply. Our telc B1 page for Berlin lists exam centres and dates.
Tip: telc B1 results take four to six weeks. Book early.
Register for the citizenship test at a Berlin VHS
Any of the 12 district VHS can register you, regardless of where you live in Berlin. The fee is €25. You sit the test on a later date, not on the day you register.
Tip: Each VHS runs its own booking; check its page.
Wait for the BAMF result
BAMF marks the test and sends you the certificate. The result takes weeks; BAMF states on its citizenship test page which exam date it is currently marking.
Apply online with the LEA
Fill in the online application and pay the fee before you send it, by credit card or PayPal. Applications by letter or other routes are handled with lower priority.
Wait for your appointment
The LEA states no processing time and asks you not to send status enquiries. If the check is positive, you are invited to an appointment, which the LEA says can take some time.
Ask about a district ceremony
We found no central ceremony run by the LEA. Some districts hold their own: Steglitz-Zehlendorf welcomed about 50 new citizens at Zehlendorf Town Hall on 5 June 2026. Ask your district office.
German citizenship also needs proof of B1 German. You can practise for it here:
Free telc B1 Modelltest — practise online with answers
Real tasks from every section in the authentic exam format. You see the answer straight after each task — no PDF to download.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
The LEA gives no figure. It says longer processing times are to be expected because of the open files it took over from the districts. The Senate has stated that processing duration is not recorded statistically.
The LEA asks for online applications only. Applications that reach it by other routes, for example by letter, are handled with lower priority.
At the district adult education centres (VHS). All 12 are on the BAMF list of test centres, and you can register at any of them wherever you live in Berlin. The test costs €25. The LEA does not run the test.
The LEA asks applicants not to send status enquiries. If your application is checked positively, it will send you an appointment.
21,811 in 2024 and 39,041 in 2025, according to the official statistics. The Senate reported 40,965 decisions in 2025 and 18,627 in the first half of 2026.
We found no central ceremony run by the LEA. Some districts hold their own, for example Steglitz-Zehlendorf on 5 June 2026 at Zehlendorf Town Hall. Ask your district office.
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- Berlin Landesamt für Einwanderung: Einbürgerung
- Berlin service portal: applying for naturalisation
- Berlin service portal: registering for the citizenship test
- BAMF: citizenship test (fee and marking status)
- BAMF: list of citizenship test centres in Berlin (Prüfstellen BE)
- Regional database of the statistical offices: naturalisations by district, table 12511-04-01-4
- Destatis: naturalisations by federal state 2025
- Berlin House of Representatives, printed paper 19/26819
- Steglitz-Zehlendorf district office: naturalisation ceremony, 5 June 2026
- §38 StAG: fees (gesetze-im-internet.de)