B1 German Certificate for Citizenship (Einbürgerung)

Yes. telc Deutsch B1 is on the official BAMF list of recognised B1 certificates, together with the Goethe-Zertifikat B1, the ÖSD Zertifikat B1, DSD I, the ÖIF and ECL B1 exams and the DTZ at B1.

We found no official statement either way. The BAMF list names recognised exams, not how they are taken, and the authority pages we checked say nothing about exams taken remotely. Internal tests of language schools and universities are not recognised by BAMF. Ask your Einbürgerungsbehörde before you pay for a certificate from an online exam.

Yes, if the overall result is B1. That requires B1 in speaking plus B1 in either listening and reading or writing. If your DTZ result is A2, you need a B1 result from a new attempt or from another recognised exam.

Neither §10 StAG nor the official certificate list sets an age limit. telc prints no validity period on its certificates, and the Goethe-Institut says its certificates are valid without limit, while noting that many institutions want one no older than two years. The authority assesses the proof, so ask yours if your certificate is many years old.

You can take it again. With telc B1 you can repeat only the written or only the oral part within 12 months, if you ask for this when you register. Goethe B1 modules can be repeated one at a time.

The law prefers neither. Both are on the BAMF list of recognised B1 certificates, and your authority assesses the proof. Choose by exam dates, location and fee: telc fees are set by each exam centre, and the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 costs €259 at Goethe-Institut locations in Germany.

Yes. Citizenship requires both B1 German and proof of civic knowledge, normally the Einbürgerungstest. A "Leben in Deutschland" result of at least 17 points also counts. You can take them in any order.

Only in the cases §10 StAG names: illness, disability or age, proven hardship, former guest and contract workers, and children under 16. See our guide to citizenship without B1.

Yes. Spouses of Germans can be naturalised after three years of residence if the marriage has lasted two years, but §9 StAG keeps the language requirement.

The federal government's citizenship portal says to expect 18 months or longer, depending on the individual case. The language certificate is one document among many, so have it ready before you apply.