I know a lot of other immigrants are going through this process. So I’m going to answer questions if I can help!

Here’s my backstory.

Nationality: USA (S4)

Moved to Germany eight years ago. Got my B1 a while ago, took the citizenship test in January 2023 (anticipating the new law) and applied for citizenship as a permanent resident.

• 05.03.2024 – Applied online

• 23.04.2024 – Proactively sent in my Loyalitätserklärung using the contact form (https://www.berlin.de/einwanderung/ueber-uns/kontakt/artikel.1394181.php) and LEA responded, acknowledging receipt

• 27.06.2024 – Proactively sent in a new Arbeitsbescheinigung (using the same contact form) and my three most recent payslips on the day the citizenship law changed

• 02.07.2024 – LEA responded, letting me know my case number and that my application was being processed, but warned it could take a while due to the high demand (it read like a form letter)

• 15.07.2024 – Not so long after all, LEA! They wrote asking for proof of rent payments (I sent a screenshot of my bank statement) and any dates I was on unemployment. I responded with those details within the hour.

• 16.07.2024 – I received my inviation to pick up the Urkunde

• 31.07.2024 – Urkunde received (and the appointment was super easy, just as others have described it in this group)

Tips!

• BE PROACTIVE! I see a lot of people lamenting how long it will take to get citizenship. If you label all of your documents clearly that you submit online and proactively send information, it seems like you'll speed things up quite a bit.

• Book an appointment to get you passport/ID ASAP. I booked some backup appointments as soon as I got my Urkunde invitation, but I also looked for appointments opening up the day of my Urkunde pickup to see if I could get something the same day. (I read somewhere that the Amts release same-day appointments between 7am – 8am.) Luckily, I was able to get a Reisepass Termin. And I learned at that appointment that you can do both (Reisepass + Personalausweis) at the same appointment. No need to schedule two separate appointments. Currently, passports take about 10 weeks to process. I'm leaving the country shortly, so I paid double for express and will pick it up one week from tomorrow.

I think that's everything! But happy to answer any questions.

Cheers and good luck to all the other applicants! May the Deutsch be with you. 🇩🇪 🖖

by BaurJoe

43 comments

  1. Hehe, Herr Erdogan gave you your German citizenship documents. That’s a bit funny. 🙂

    Congratulations!

  3. Congratulations!

    From now on, please wear white tennis socks and sandals with shorts. /s

  8. Congrats! Just to confirm it’s not a typo in the date – did it really take less than 6 months? I’ve heard horror stories that people in Berlin wait even 2-3 years so it seems quite fast

  10. Herr Erdogan gave you your German citizenship.

    Sounds legit.

    /s

  11. Big congrats, you achieved my goal! Someday I’ll make this same post! May the Deutsch be with you!

  13. Congratulation!! But we can see you’re not a true German. You look way too happy, please be just slightly miserable from now on and if someone asks say “Passt schon”. Also you need to do a lot more complaining ESPECIALLY about the German bureaucracy. Doesn’t matter if you had a good experience, complaining is our Volkssport.

  15. Congrats. Did the other guy give consent to be on a public picture even showing his name? Otherwise you failed your first task as German. Ownership of own picture is holy in Germany.

  17. Congrats!

    You can also post this in /r/GermanCitizenship

  18. Nice one mate!Gratz
    Citizenship exam – it’s Leben in Deutschland ? And u got only B1 ?

  20. Congratulations. Now buy a Blattglasschale. If this step isn’t completed within the next 24 hours, your citizenship gets revoked automatically.

  21. seems like nowadays they let just about anyone in… cant believe you got accepted despite the clear lack of birkenstocks and a bauchtasche… also wtf is that facial expression? you think being german is funny? now go be productive and miserable like the rest of us! … smh

  22. What was your motivation to learn the language and how did you get started ?

  23. Herzluchen Glückwunsch.

    I hope you already made a schedule for your kehrwoche.

  27. Congratulations new German citizen

    Was gibt uns wohl den schönsten Frieden,
    Als frei am eig’nen Glück zu schmieden.
    (Göthe)

  28. U Look Like an older version of Rezo without his Blue hair

  32. But you still have your US Citizenship or, or?

    What was the reason to take the German one? Is it because of just you can and dervisification where you can live and work in the future or for deeper reasons?

  36. You fell for the trap. Now enjoy THE STEUERN! Muhahaha

  37. Did you need to renounce your US citizenship first to acquire german citizenship?

  43. Your moment looks so much better than mine did! We were just at a normal office, nobody took pictures and it was like I was handed the grocery list lol, nothing special at all.

    My husband made me laugh though; he’s German and as soon as we left he said “now that you have the citizenship… don’t leave me :(“ he said it cute. I told him “I won’t leave you, I love you. I’m also 5 months pregnant with our second child, if this was just to get the citizenship I took it too far. I’m too deep in now”.

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