❗Important for STUDENTS! Here is our answer to the many questions whether the years you have spent in Germany as a student also count towards the 5 years: Quick answer: It depends! There are different legal opinions on this subject. So you need to check with your Ausländerbehörde. What does it depend on: - it depends on the type of student visa/residence permit you are/were holding (yes, there are plenty of different types). - each Ausländerbehörde and case worker may interpret things differently (it depends on whether your studies get counted as 'gewöhnlicher Aufenthalt') - it also highly depends on whether you get a job right after completing your studies in Germany. - more info on this topic: www.info4alien.de/einbuergerung/themen/rm_aufenthalt.htm If you think you fulfill all requirements, you can do the test from Migrando to find out more information on whether you qualify: - migrando.de/test/

This new law is great. As someone who just moved to Germany and intend to stay, having the possibility to get citizenship in 3 years is huge.

You guys are really awesome and super helpful in guiding me on my Germany journey ❤

Very informative, straight to the point and well edited video. Good job keep at it ❤

Wow🎉🎉🎉 these are definitely good news! Your videos have been such a great help, (BTW… I am new here in Deutschland) Thank you so very very much for clearly explanation🤗, you got a new subscriber from El Salvador, but I really loved Guatemala and the people I know from there are the best!!! … Bis Bald 😊 Hasta Pronto!!😃

Very informative, entertaining and educative video. Thank you!

Such valuable information!! thank you soooo for doing this

Thank you so much for the clarity here, I've been so lost in all of the beurocracy trying to help me become a permenant resident and have more stability here, and now I could soon have everything I need for duel citizenship, this is massive!

Thank you for this update

Great video. Thank you so much!

you guys are the best, and thanks a lot of making such a beneficial videos, to have good and positive information, this info really helps many peoples,

Me alegre que ustedes todavia estan aqui.

Holy crap! This very is so timely for me and my planned transition!!! You two are the best!!!! :D

I've been waiting for this for so long! Got my C1 certificate yesterday and excited to see if I'll be able to apply as soon as they are ready to allow me to! 😃

Really good video, thank you!! Have a nice day :)

Thank you so much for this video 😊

This is highly appreciated

Very helpful video!😊❤

Great news, great channel!

Super informatives Video Mädels, macht weiter so😊

Most awaited video. Danke! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Thanks for the information

This is great news - of course some people have much more intense reasons but for me it is an emotional barrier. I would have a hard time coming to terms with renouncing my Canadian citizenship. Being able to become a dual citizen would be wonderful :) Thanks for the incredibly informative videos and the website! You two are doing amazing work :)

concise, fun, and fabulous. Vielen dank!

Thank you for sharing this topic that clearly! definitely this new law is going to push so many of us to return to german lessons ahahah

thanks for sharing

Awesome job 👍👍👍

I came to Germany in 2017 and I'm so happy I can become a citizen... of course I might have to pay to extend my Aufenhaltstitel because it expires this year and I still have to take the Einbürgerungstest. Thank you for the information, I was hearing it could take years after you apply... but that might be under the old rules.

Watching you from Zambia, Africa! I will apply in 6 years time coz am just coming to Germany soon!

Thank you for this info. Ich bin schon 3 Jahre hier in De und habe ein Plan in 1 1/2 Jahr für the citizenship. ❤

Thank you very much ❤

Thanks to you both for the thorough information. I’ve lived in Germany 10 years now and have finally booked my appointment to take the Citizenship Test. Unfortunately the appointment is some months into the future but at least I have set the date. After that I will meet all the requirements. I assume I shouldn’t bother applying until after the confirmation of having passed the test, right?

Thank you so much gals

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I stopped following it late last year because I thought the bill would never go through. Thanks guys, for the video! I'm off to celebrate.

Thanks for insightful videos! Are studies years account in these five years?

Thanks Jen and Yvonne for this insightful video. Here is my experience regarding the duration it takes: I applied for my citizenship last year in Düsseldorf and it took about 2 months for me to get the approval. I get the certificate next week. Lets see if there is a ceremony😊🎊

Thanks!

Very informative and well-structured video. Couple of questions if you could help me with please - 1. What are the requirements for getting German citizenship if your spouse is German? 2. Do you need to have a PR before you can apply for German citizenship?

Great news ❤

Ihr seid großartig, macht weiter so und wisst einfach, dass ihr so ​​vielen Menschen hilft. Ich lebe jetzt seit 6 Jahren in Deutschland, habe B1 gemacht, meine Ausbildung gemacht, hatte einen Job, aber in meinem Kopf dachte ich immer noch, ich müsste 8 Jahre alt sein um mit der Beantragung der Staatsbürgerschaft zu beginnen. Montag rufe ich Ausländerbehörde für einen Termin an. Danke und wünsche euch alles Gute.😌

Hi, thank you for your amazing videos. Do you have a video about the adoption process of children especially for foreigners?

Berlin LEA … requested an appointment OCT 2023 and didn’t get a response until FEB 2024… five months just for them to say “hi, this is your appointment date”. 😊

Thank you so much for this great infomation. Could you please also tell us what happens to those who already renounced their own citizenship in order to obtain German citizenship?

Finally! My longwait is over! Been living in Germany since 2012, and now have 2 kids who were both ofcourse Dual Citizenahips. Now i can also be Dual Passport holder. No more worries if i go back home longer than 6mos before my youngest child goes to formal school😊

Thanks

Dear people, the reverse situation is also interesting: Beibehaltung der dt. Staatsangehörigkeit bei Erwerb einer (beliebigen?) anderen Nationalität.

Is it sure that it is possible to apply now before the law is enforced (all future requirements are met)? My local Einbürgerung Service said they don’t know.

It's a great change. However, the application phase will now likely take even longer. A friend of mine got the citizenship in about 8 months after application in 2019. Nowadays I've heard it's taking way over a year and even more in some cases. Could you explain how long you'd expect this to take after taking into account the new changes? (Heard over 40K applied since the new citizenship law rolled into effect but the Bureaucrats are not processing them fast enough)

❤ Jen&Yvonne & Simple Germany ❤

Hi, thanks for the video. Can you please elaborate your interview experience before receiving your citizenship certificate? How long is the interviews, types of questions etc.

Thanks for this great video But can ypu please explain also what are the new requirements for the permenant residence after the new law? Specially for people who have blue cards

My children have dual D/USA citizenship, due to parentage. I have an unlimited residency permit & after careful consideration, decided against applying for citizenship. Voting is the only advantage & not worth the time and money. Good luck for everyone applying.

Thanks for this amazing Video Jen & Yvonne ! Does 5 years work for someone here for 5 years but on a student visa ? regards !

You guys are doing wonderful job. thank you very much sharing such updates and making it easier for internationals. I lived in germany for five years and five years outside germany (moved back to my home country and other european countries). Now I plan to move back again to germany. So, will I be eligible for citizenship or should I start again 5 years ?

11:23 You paid for criminal record and 11:28 translation for birth certificate, but 5:18 they are not on the list of requirements for citizenship. Can you please make a full list of requirements, as some of those documents maybe very difficult to get. Let's take the translation of birth certificate for example. It implies that you need to do the apostille for it and if your country is not part of Hague agreement, then you need to do the legalization. As I understood when you do the apostille it somehow covers the birth certificate, so you need to translate the birth certificate first and only then do the apostille(and then translation of apostille?). Also the translator needs to be sworn translator, there is a database of them, but it could be that there is no one for your language. So I would definitely add birth certificate+translation into requirement list. I assume the same hurdles goes to marriage certificate? Also what about your home country passport, it's not on the requirements list. Is it because you provided your birth certificate as your identifying document? Does that mean that in case of the passport of home country the birth certificate is not required? If you say it depends and I should ask immigration authorities, they said that I have all the documents. They said almost every time, even before when I was getting/prolonging my stay in Germany, but every time I was applying they would require some additional documents(some of them took half a year to get). Should I then apply with the immigration lawyer? It's also hard to find them, somehow they are not existing in my town. Is it ok to apply through the immigration lawyer outside of your Bundesland?

Thank you! So, if I previously lived in Germany with unlimited Aufenthaltsgenehmigung, can I fall back on that or do I have to move back first and start the 5 years over?

Thanks a lot for bringing this GOOD NEWS to us who love Germany!!

Hi There: This is really a good KZfaq video. As far as the residency goes, does previous residency count? Also, if you went to a German school as a child can you circumvent the German exam requirements? I am bilingual English/German; worked in Germany for 15 years, and married to a German wife. Not sure if any of those things count. We have a German Consulate here in Calgary, Canada and I could go there to get more information. 🙂

So do you think finishing a Masters here in Germany would count as special integration? I will start my PhD here in Munich but later so not sure as it seems quite vague. Thanks for the videos!! Part of the reason I ended up here!

Hi there! Really looking forward for the dual citizenship to take effect! Will definitely apply. However, it would also be nice to know the rules with regards to paying taxes example, if a person owns/ buys/ sells a land in the country of origin, will the person also need to pay taxes here in Germany. 🤔

Do you have any videos or helpful tips about people coming over on a job seekers visa. And how much harder is it if you don't have a Bachelor's degree?

Does the Blue Card/employment visa count towards the 5 years? Or do you have to be a permanent resident for 5 years?

Thank you for this video! :) is it yet clear what kind of "language certificate" is necessary to prove C1 German proficieny? would it be enough to show for example that I successfully passed C1 German course at university?

I can just imagine how many people will storm the facilities at the same time once the law comes into effect. In my family alone 5 people will be affected. Within the group of people around me 15 people will be affected

Hey guys, What about those who already got the citizenship and would like to get their main passport back? Would they need to give up on their German passport?

Very helpful video! Thanks! I find it challenging to understand what they mean by extracurricular achievement. I will have master‘s degree from a German university soon, but the program was in English 🤔 would that count? I also have been working for a German company for over a year 🤔 does that count? I can’t find an answer to this anywhere :( it would be great if you knew

thank you very much for this video it was very helpful ^^ . i have a question tho: what if i give birth in germany before i get my citizenship(for example 1 year before i get it), does he/she get it as soon as i do or he needs to wait and do it on his own at 16 . thank you in advance

Hi! Thanks to both of you for the really valuable and useful information. :) I have a query if you guys have any ideas :) Those already staying in Germany for more than 4 years (with a valid residence permit) completed their master's degree and started work in Germany as subject specialists this year(2024). Will those years of studentship be considered to calculate the "5 years of residence" in the new law? Thanks a lot :)

Thanks for the video! A question for Blue Card holders, can the holders skip to apply permanent residency and directly apply the citizenship after 5 years?

I have a query! If I back to my country for 2 months vacation, will it effect to that 5 years count to apply for citizenship?

I am currently having the German citizenship and I want to get dual citizenship so the same proceedure applies right?

Thanks a lot for the video. Just want to clarify one point: If the person studied at German university (and in German language), does he /she still need to submit C1 level German certificate ?

Dear @simplegermany Could you please suggest what one should do if he/she is unable to get documents from Ausländerbehörde. My family submitted a request to the permanent residence in December 2021 and is waiting since then. Me and my family have already 3 Fiktionsbescheinigung and keep counting. The Behörde ignores all our emails and phone calls and gives no clarity or date when the documents can be received. The only way to receive the documents seems to be by hiring a lawyer which additionally costs about 1000 euros. I live in Böblingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Curious as to your opinion on the new questions added

You guys should talk about the new Marihuana laws. I am living here in Germany and I am super confused.

I'm following you two back in Philippines and now I'm here in Germany already, still your input is what I always searched for when I need to know something about Germany.

Very informative. Is residence permit should be permanent residence or even temporary with 5 years residency?

Jen, could you choose how your name will be written in your Passport and ID card - choose your "German name"?

Hi. Me and a lot of other students I ask, are confused on the topic if the time spent by a foreigner as a student in Germany counts towards the 5 year legal residence time which is necessary before one can apply for citizenship. Could you please share your knowledge on this issue?

Thank you for the very insightful video, very informative! In regards to the residency, will it require us not to leave Germany within 5 yrs as well? Cause in other countries one of the requirements is to stay in the country for 3-5yrs.

Is there any update on citizenship by birth for those beyond 1990? or does it remain the same?

Quick question, do you know if the 5 years of residency include students? Meaning people who studied here, graduated and then stayed and started working. The type of residence makes a difference? Thanks (:

You mentioned that Child born to a parent legally residing in Germany for 5 years will receive German citizenship as well. Does it apply for permanent residence holder also? Thank you for the video!

14:47 Personally I would like to have it that way. Is there an option for introverted people(or people who just afraid of going to authorities and shakes every time they visit immigration officers) to not have an official ceremony and just do everything over mail and if required over video call?

Can you do a video on Woolsocks cashback app!!!!

Looks like law was approved in 2nd of Feb , so now 3 months time is starting ? until it is in use ?

Somebody said that a person has to work full-time for two years to apply. But as I was reading the law, it’s an exemption to ability to provide for yourself and your family (applies if you have worked 20 months full-time in the last 2 years). I’m so confused

is the B1 still compulsory?

how can apply for a German international internship or volunteering work under electrical engineering

As far as my understanding goes, when parents have resided in Germany for more than 8 years, children are eligible for German citizenship, provided that the parents also have Permanent Residency (PR). However, in your video, you only mentioned 8 years (in the new law, it will be 5 years). Could you please clarify whether PR is required in this situation?

I lived in Germany many years ago, when i was in my late 20's. During that time I went to college to train as a dental technician. (3.5 year vocational training). I can speak and understand German but I have never taken part in an official language course. Does the fact that I completed my vocational training in German, constitute a certain level of German Language? Do I still need to do the Living in Germany test? I should add, I moved back to Germany last year, I understand I am not yet eligable for Eingürgerung, just getting prepared. Thanks

Thank you very much for a very efficient video. German efficiency! ;-)

very informative video. I have one more question though... How the rules apply to the students? If I am a bachelor's student with B1 and living in Germany for 5years. Also earning 1500€ a month doing a part time job. Do I qualify for applying?

Does anyone knows if scholarship holders (DAAD scholarship for a doctoral degree, for example) meet the requirement "Ability to support yourself financially without social assistance"?

At the Ausländerbehorde: Why are you applying for a German citizenship? Me(probably): So we can stop seeing each other every year 🤓 Finally done with exams today so I can actually sit down and watch this video. I'm glad that they're making it easier for people to consider becoming German citizens, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of handing over the right they had in their homeland, limited as they may be for those coming from the lesser democratic parts of the world. Also I will second what Jen says about how they treat you differently if you show a German national ID card/residence permit or passport, it's hilarious how differently I was treated when I left my home country and how the attitudes at customs changed when I visited. It's a nice perk to have for sure although the underlying pretenses can be a bit questionable. Also C1 in 3 years? I like to be ambitious but I'm not that daring. I will start my B2 course soon whilst reviewing over my B1 course material and still sometimes speaking at a A -1 level fluency 😆

I got my C1 certificate in 11 months after I arrived in Germany. I finished last month with my master's degree and I am excited to see what comes out after applying. I am just a little bit confused, should I first get a job or can I apply right now since I am not getting any assistance from the state. I also paid 2 years pension insurance (important for unlimited residence permit) when working as working as student...

Are there consideration for people who live outside of Germany for some time

Question, if you know… I had dual citizenship between Germany and the United States until I was 18 years old at which time I had to choose. Does that mean that I can just apply for my German dual citizenship now again or do I need to go through as if I had never been a German citizen?

For Legally living in Germany for 5 years, does this apply to the time you stay during your studies in Germany?

I've an odd/specific question regarding citizenship through decent. In the past, German citizens had to file a citizenship Retention Permit (Beibehaltungsgenehmigung) in order to keep German citizenship while also naturalizing as a citizen in another country. Most people chose not to bother with the Beibehaltungsgenehmigung. Does this law do away with that requirement? And would this apply retroactively? I would like to claim citizenship through decent, from my grandfather's line, and as far as I can tell the Beibehaltungsgenehmigung would be the only thing in my way.