What Does German Citizenship Cost?
The official fees for naturalisation, the citizenship test and your new passport, plus what a B1 exam costs if you still need one.
How much does German citizenship cost?
The naturalisation fee is €255 per adult and €51 for a minor child naturalised together with a parent (§38 StAG). The citizenship test costs €25. If you still need a B1 certificate, the exam fee is set by the exam centre or provider: for example €160 for telc B1 at VHS Münster and €259 for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1. After naturalisation, a German passport costs €70 and an identity card €46. Translation costs depend on your documents and have no official price.
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.
Legal Basis
Law
§38 StAG
Requirement
Naturalisation fee of €255; €51 for a minor child naturalised with a parent
Official Source
View law textThree Example Totals
Our own sums from the official fees above. They include the naturalisation fee and the citizenship test only, not exams, translations or new identity documents.
| Who | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| One adult | €255 + €25 test | €280 |
| A couple | 2 × €255 + 2 × €25 test | €560 |
| A couple with two children under 16 | 2 × €255 + 2 × €51 + 2 × €25 test | €662 |
Source: §38 StAG (gesetze-im-internet.de) · Fees as of 12 October 2026
If the Application Fails or You Withdraw
| Case | Fee | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Rejection or withdrawal after processing has started | €25 up to the full naturalisation fee | §38 Abs. 2 StAG |
| Reduction or waiver | Possible on grounds of equity or public interest. The authority decides. | §38 StAG |
Source: §38 StAG (gesetze-im-internet.de) · Law as of 12 October 2026
How to Keep the Cost Down
Check the proof you already have
A DTZ result at B1, a German school certificate or an older B1 certificate can save you the exam fee. A "Leben in Deutschland" result of 17 points or more saves you the citizenship test.
Compare exam centres
telc does not set a fixed price. Each exam centre sets its own fee, so compare the centres near you.
Pass the exam the first time
Every repeat costs again. With telc B1 you can repeat only the written or only the oral part within 12 months. Goethe B1 modules can be repeated one at a time.
Tip: Practise the full exam format before you book, so you know which part needs the most work.
Ask which documents need translating
Authorities differ on which documents they need and how they must be translated. Ask before you pay a translator.
All Costs at a Glance
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Naturalisation fee, adult | €255 | §38 StAG |
| Minor child naturalised with a parent | €51 | If the child has no income of their own. Otherwise €255. |
| Citizenship test | €25 | §2 EinbTestV. A repeat costs again, for example at VHS Tempelhof-Schöneberg in Berlin. |
| telc Deutsch B1 exam | Set by the exam centre | Example: €160 at VHS Münster (December 2026) |
| Goethe-Zertifikat B1 exam | €259 | €104 per single module. National price list of the Goethe-Institut in Germany. |
| German passport after naturalisation | €70 | €37.50 if you are under 24 |
| German identity card after naturalisation | €46 | €27.60 if you are under 24. Fees since 7 February 2026. |
| Certified translations | No official price | Depends on the number and language of your documents |
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in part. If the application is rejected or you withdraw it after processing has started, the fee is between €25 and the full naturalisation fee (§38 Abs. 2 StAG).
§38 StAG allows a reduction or waiver on grounds of equity or public interest. The authority decides in each case. The fee for a minor child naturalised with a parent is already reduced to €51.
No. The test fee of €25 is separate. The federal citizenship portal also names proof of identity and the language certificate as possible extra costs.
telc does not set the price. Each exam centre sets its own fee. As one example, VHS Münster charges €160 for its December 2026 sitting. Check the centres near you.
There is no official price. Translators set their own fees, and the total depends on how many documents you need. Cologne, for example, requires a certified translation by a sworn translator based in Germany for documents that are not German or international.
You apply for German identity documents once you are a citizen. A passport costs €70, or €37.50 if you are under 24. An identity card costs €46, or €27.60 if you are under 24.
Ready for Your B1 Exam?
Practice with AI-generated exercises in the real exam format. Instant feedback and personalized explanations.
Start FreeSources
- §38 StAG: fees (gesetze-im-internet.de)
- §2 EinbTestV: fee for the citizenship test
- telc: exam FAQ (fees are set by the exam centre; partial repeat)
- VHS Münster: registration form telc Deutsch B1, 12.12.2026
- Goethe-Institut: exam prices in Germany
- Personalausweisportal: identity card fees since February 2026
- Federal Ministry of the Interior: passport fees
- einbuergerung.de: Federal Government Commissioner for Integration (extra costs)
- VHS Tempelhof-Schöneberg (Berlin): Einbürgerungstest (repeat fee)
- City of Cologne: naturalisation (translations)