2. These points are particularly important in citizenship law.

In citizenship law, by far the most frequent problem is a very long waiting time and difficult communication with the authorities. This often leads to numerous subsequent problems (especially changes in the applicants' circumstances during the proceedings). The authorities simply do not prioritize processing citizenship applications. This is partly due to political reasons, but also because the authorities are overburdened. In some cases, the case workers in the authorities are poorly trained or simply incompetent.

 

To overcome the problem of long processing times, applicants must maintain very clear and consistent communication . They must actively inquire: What documents might be missing? What information needs to be provided? What problems are currently arising in the application process? Only in this way can it be prevented that the authorities simply "let the application sit" or even outright ignore it. Additionally, documents should always be proactively kept up to date: For example, if you inquire at the beginning of the month about the progress of your application, it is advisable to also send updated payslips and proof of rent payments. The authorities will request these documents at some point anyway.

 

If the authorities (especially the Federal Office of Administration) allocate several years for processing citizenship applications, this can usually only be countered with the help of a lawyer . Legally, citizenship applications must be processed within three months. Otherwise, an action for failure to act can be filed (§ 75 VwGO). While it is conceded that processing applications precisely within three months is probably not administratively feasible, it can certainly be demanded that the application be processed proactively and continuously, and that the applicant be regularly informed of its status. The Federal Office of Administration also bears a corresponding burden of proof and substantiation in this regard.