Lawyer: Chances of success naturalization Berlin 2025

More and more people in Berlin want German citizenship – but anyone applying in 2025 must prepare for significant waiting times. The chances of completing the process in the same year are slim. Lawyers at VISAGUARD assess the situation and explain what applicants need to prepare for now.

High demand due to new naturalization rules

Naturalization has been made considerably easier by the reforms implemented by the "traffic light" coalition : fewer years of residency are required, and dual citizenship is now permitted ( new version of Section 10 of the Citizenship Act ). These changes led to a nationwide boom in applications – and Berlin is particularly hard hit. Many people live in the capital who now meet all the requirements for the first time and want to apply immediately (see: Naturalization Status in Berlin 2025 ).

Berlin administration struggles with overload – and political headwinds

The Berlin State Office for Immigration (LEA) is responsible for naturalizations . The LEA has taken over naturalization procedures from the district offices and has made efforts to centralize and digitize the process. Nevertheless, the backlog remains enormous: Even straightforward cases currently take six to twelve months.

In addition, the State Office for Immigration is now also under political pressure . The previous CDU-led Berlin state government under Kai Wegner already cut the LEA's funding in 2023. Now, the new CDU-led federal government is also criticizing Berlin for alleged "mass naturalizations." Interior politicians like Alexander Dobrindt are calling for a more restrictive approach – and are apparently being listened to by parts of the administration.

Will an action for failure to act soon only be possible after 12 months?

The situation could now worsen further for applicants in Berlin . Currently, those affected can file a court action after three months of inactivity to expedite the process (a so-called inactivity lawsuit ). However, the federal government is apparently planning to extend this deadline to twelve months . If this becomes law, a massive extension of the naturalization process is to be expected. The option to file a lawsuit is an important means of exerting pressure – if it is removed for an entire year, it will further delay many procedures.

Conclusion: Pessimistic prospects for naturalization

Anyone applying now should not expect to be naturalized in 2025, as the State Office for Immigration is struggling with a backlog of approximately 40,000 applications for naturalization and is being hampered by the CDU-led state and federal governments. A realistic processing time of six to twelve months is expected – but there are no guarantees. If the deadline for filing an appeal is actually extended, proceedings could again stretch to several years. This also applies to unproblematic cases.