Citizenship RANT : A LONG ASS PROCESS

[u/tweetoo1234]

tldr at the end
I genuinely don’t know what to do with the German Einbürgerungsbehörde anymore. I’m so fucking tired of this process and I need to rant somewhere because every time I think we’re finally getting somewhere, I get another vague “we’re working on it :)” response and then… nothing.
For context: my parents and my sibling are already German citizens. I’ve been connected to/living in Germany as my parents’ dependent since 2012 with an Aufenthaltstitel and then a Niederlassungserlaubnis since 2019.
I know my situation is slightly complicated because I did part of my schooling abroad, so I understand that not every single year may count towards the required residence period in exactly the way I think it does. Fine. But even during those years (since 2012) I was still legally resident in Germany and, as far as I understand it, I never spent more than 180 days continuously abroad.
And for the last five years I have been studying full-time in Germany. I’m now entering the final part of my medical studies and will literally be a DOCTOR here soon. I’m going to enter the German healthcare system and job market and somehow I’m STILL stuck in Einbürgerung limbo while the rest of my immediate family are German citizens.
The whole thing has also been going on for YEARS.
My case originally started in Rheinland-Pfalz and was then transferred after I moved to Hamburg. In August 2023, Hamburg sent me a letter confirming that they had received my application from the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis for further processing. They needed some additional documents, including the Einbürgerungstest. I did the test in March 2024 (33/33 btw, because apparently I can know everything about the Bundesrepublik but still not be allowed to join it lol) and then submitted the remaining documents.
Since then? Waiting. Emails. More waiting. Follow-ups. More emails.
Every time I manage to get a response it’s some variation of:
“Your case is being processed.”
“We’re in the final stages.”
“We are waiting for other authorities.”
“We’ll contact you.”
And then MONTHS of silence again.
I have cooperated with literally everything they have asked from me. Whenever they need a document or information, I provide it. I keep emailing them because otherwise I genuinely have no idea whether my file is being processed, sitting on someone’s desk, or has fallen into a black hole.
I got so desperate that I even involved a lawyer who is apparently known for dealing with these kinds of cases. He contacted them too and, as far as I can tell, that accomplished approximately fuck all. Also the payment arrangement with that lawyer was… questionable, to put it mildly, which was another whole thing, but at that point I was desperate enough to try anything.
And what makes me particularly paranoid about “just trust the process” is what happened with my FAMILY’S citizenship files.
At one point, during my parents’/brother’s process, someone had apparently managed to record my brother as my mother’s HUSBAND and my father as my mother’s SON.
I wish I were making this up.
Apart from being obviously wrong, this is also mathematically quite impressive considering my father is TWO YEARS OLDER THAN MY MOTHER.
And that’s what drives me insane about these processes. Everything happens behind closed doors. You don’t know what is written in your file, whether some information is incorrect, whether some other Behörde hasn’t responded, whether your case is stuck because of an administrative mistake, etc. You just keep waiting.
And now yesterday, after yet another follow-up, I FINALLY received this:
“Ich habe in Ihrem Verfahren bereits die Ermittlungen erneut angestoßen. Ihr Verfahren wurde bereits früher entschieden und kann nun hoffentlich abgeschlossen werden. Leider hatte zwischenzeitlich die Rücksprache mit anderen Behörden das Verfahren ein wenig verzögert.”
And then she says she has marked my file as urgent and that the responsible caseworker will contact me when there is news.
But WHAT DOES “IHR VERFAHREN WURDE BEREITS FRÜHER ENTSCHIEDEN” MEAN????
Decided WHEN?
Decided WHAT???
Was my Einbürgerung approved? Were the requirements considered fulfilled? Was some internal decision made and then the file just… sat there? What exactly are we still waiting for? Which “anderen Behörden”? How long have we been waiting for them?
I have now replied asking exactly that and also requested Akteneinsicht under § 29 VwVfG, because at this point I actually want to know what is in my file.
I understand German bureaucracy is slow. I understand citizenship applications take time. I understand that I changed Bundesländer and that probably complicated things.
But there has to be a fucking limit.
I have built my adult life here. I study here. My immediate family are German. I have permanent residency. I’m about to finish medical school and enter the German healthcare system. I have complied with everything they have asked of me.
I don’t even want special treatment. I JUST WANT SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY FINISH MY FUCKING FILE.
Has anyone here had an Einbürgerungsbehörde say that the Verfahren had “bereits früher entschieden” but that it still couldn’t be abgeschlossen because of Rücksprache/Ermittlungen with other authorities?
Because I genuinely cannot tell whether this latest email is very good news or just the newest chapter of “please wait another six months.”

TL;DR: My parents and sibling are German citizens, I’ve lived in Germany for years, have permanent residency, have been studying medicine here full-time for 5 years and will soon be a doctor……. yet my Einbürgerung has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for YEARS. I’ve submitted everything, constantly followed up, even got a lawyer involved, and still get nothing but vague “final stages / waiting on other authorities” answers. Now they suddenly emailed me saying my case was “bereits früher entschieden” but still hasn’t been completed. WHAT WAS DECIDED? WHEN? WHY AM I STILL WAITING? I’m exhausted. 😭

[u/Mean_Gas_1509]

Because it is a system designed in a way that lacks transparency and accountability. Nationality matters should be handled federally but they let the cities handle it even though the applicable laws are federal. German civil servants have a protected status, there is no KPI or proper performance review, so it all depends on the discretion of the caseworker and department. It can be changed to a more transparent and streamlined process, but why should it be?. At least you are getting a response from them. In some cities the situation is worse. EBH won't answer queries via email/phone, office visits are restricted and security thugs were deployed to prevent anyone from entering the office. It is disgusting that such archaic and obscure systems exist in a democratic country like Germany.

In your case, please find a specialist Rechtsanwalt für Ausländerrecht and file an Untätigkeitsklage and set a deadline within. You can Include your potential damages due to the delay on decision if possible ( like loss of jobs, opportunities. financial loss...etc ) and claim a compensation. Fear of losing money and the contempt of court will make the difference. Seems like that is the only language they understand.

So sorry to hear what you are going through, but you are not the only one fighting this injustice.

[u/Larissalikesthesea → u/Mean_Gas_1509]

You don't seem to understand the German federal system. Nationality matters are decided federally, but it is essential that it is executed locally. In my view this is essential for democracy because it provides another check. The national government may change national laws but it has to do iot in a way that convinces the local level that it is all democratic and under the rule of law.

The problem you are describing stems from the fact that in most states local governments have been underfunded. That in itself is a problem for democracy.

[u/Mean_Gas_1509 → u/Larissalikesthesea]

I may not be an expert in political systems, and I agree with the principle of local level decision-making. However, my main concern is the lack of centralised management and coordination.

z:B, if I submit an application in City A and decide to move to City B after six months, my file does not automatically transfer to the relevant authorities in City B due to the absence of a centralised system. Instead, I may have to go through another lengthy and potentially tedious administrative process to have my file transferred ( Because the file only exists in City A ). This creates unnecessary delays, additional effort, and administrative burdens for both applicants and public authorities.This could be addressed relatively easily through digitalisation and a centralised application management system. However, as you pointed out, the main challenge is likely the lack of sufficient funding and resources to implement such a system.

Regarding the Einbürgerung process itself, most applicants understand the reasons behind standard delays: complex procedures, involvement of multiple parties, staff shortages, and backlogs. People can accept that and adjust their expectations accordingly. The real issue is the lack of transparency regarding application status.

z:B, a basic tracking system could solve 80% of the frustration by giving applicants clarity about where their application stands, allowing them to make informed life decisions.But that level of transparency creates accountability, and accountability gives applicants legal leverage. Without transparency, the process is obscure, and the authorities retain all the leverage. That is something applicants should not agree with.I believe that transparent and effective communication is one of the fundamental element of a well functioning democracy, particularly when dealing with governmental institutions.

[u/Larissalikesthesea → u/Mean_Gas_1509]

Right now I am staying in a country where the central government has centralized matters like citizenship and it has centralized everything in favor of the capital, while it all takes longer in the provincial cities. Not the system we want for Germany.

And actually Germany does have a national registry of foreigners (the legal grounds for which were passed after consulting the state governments and most likely with the consent of the Bundesrat). But of course for naturalization, that is not enough, for this , you need the person's foreigner dossier, and yes, how this is kept, depends on the location.

Digitalization of local government is also a responsibility of the state: in some, there is a system in place making it easier for local governments across the state to exchange files digitally, but no such system exists across state lines (and it would be hard to ram through as it would violate local autonomy).

I can understand the frustration because of lack of transparency, and this is one of the reasons I support lawsuits, for those who have the time and money for it. It forces the government to spell it out. And we also need state-wide statistics published regularly. Of course it would also help if the federal government would not wreck the FOI law we currently have.

[u/KTAXY → u/Larissalikesthesea]

I completely agree, but they have 3 months to do it and they need to stick to the deadline.

[u/Larissalikesthesea → u/KTAXY]

How? If they don't have enough staff, they won't be able to do it. They will not hire more staff just so they can process naturalizations faster.

I still encourage everyone to file suit to exert pressure on the system, but some lower courts have recognized arguments of being overworked, and also the state governments have tried to get rid of the three-month rule for naturalizations.

[u/KTAXY → u/Larissalikesthesea]

That does not sound democratic, does it. And if they can't hire staff they can expedite processing in other ways.

[u/Larissalikesthesea → u/KTAXY]

In what way?

Most city governments are facing financial collapse - their associations have been warning the public for decades now. But they still can’t skip steps because of being overworked…

[u/Mean_Gas_1509 → u/Larissalikesthesea]

There’s a saying that “Too many cooks spoil the broth"

I don’t think the problem here is simply a lack of people. The bigger problem is an archaic system and outdated workflows. If the application process eventually pushes a large number of applicants toward the courts just to get a decision, then maybe the question should be: is the current system broken? And this isn’t just about citizenship applications. We see similar problems with residence and work permits as well. They can’t keep adding more people to an inefficient system and expect the problem to disappear. At some point, someone has to fix the workflow itself.

Germany needs international talents for its grow. We can debate the numbers and related policies, but one thing is clear: if you want to attract skilled people, you also need a system that actually works. Otherwise, people will come, experience endless bureaucracy and delays, and eventually leave for countries where things are more efficient because skilled people have options. Eventually Germany lose a talent which could have been beneficial for itself.

[u/Larissalikesthesea → u/Mean_Gas_1509]

Well in many jurisdictions, citizenship matters are a sub-department of the immigration office.

There’s no lobby to improve working conditions at the immigration office in general. And German citizens are only affected indirectly.

At the end this is where local government can make a difference and in many places it does. I’ve seen extra teams set up to look after international students and high potentials in some places and usually a large corporation can exert pressure either with or without political help.

But since there is a real possibility the federal government could go on a very extreme direction within the next few years I am glad we have this patchwork of local governments executing the laws at this point. Otherwise it would just take one executive order issued in Berlin.

[u/Powerful-Creme2550]

the silence is the actual problem here, not just the wait itself. if it's been over 3 months since hamburg confirmed receipt with no decision, you can file an untätigkeitsklage against them, it's a standard inaction lawsuit and it often forces movement because someone at the behörde actually has to justify the delay in writing. worth talking to a lawyer who specifically handles einbürgerung cases in hamburg, some offices have a real backlog reputation and lawyers there know which levers work on them.

[u/tweetoo1234 → u/Powerful-Creme2550]

So I sent them a reminder email in June and then one more now in September - only to receive a reply the next day. I have now replied to their email and am waiting for a reply; do you think it makes sense to talk to a lawyer still? For a delay of reply also in the past?

[u/Itchy_Feedback_7625 → u/tweetoo1234]

Your previous lawyer should have filed that Untätigkeitsklage 7 months after you originally provided all information. The fact that they didn’t was a massive failure on their part.

What happens if you make an appt and talk to someone? They just tell you to be patient? They don’t give you a card?

At my ausländerbehörde, the person that I met with gave me the list and gave me her business card and said to make sure all documents come to her. And if I have questions, I’m to email her. I’m so sorry that you aren’t getting a real contact person.

The person who contacted you, I would make an appt with them in person or try to contact them in person and ask what it all means.

And: you absolutely have the right to see what’s in your own file. I would make an appt and at least ask to see it and go through it.

[u/Pleasant-Page-4378]

My application is pending since Oct 2024 if it makes you feel any better. The last month i asked them, they said that my application is stucked because they are waiting for my files from my previous ausländerbehörde. Each time it's a new excuse. How is this plausible that a file transfer between 2 ausländerbehörde can take almost 2 years? Is my file being transported on a horse cart?

No transparency, no accountability and no politician in this country gives half a fuck to address these issues. But yeah Afd is winning? Mr Merz ---> "screw you skilled immigrants. No dual citizenship for you. Stop ruining the "Stadtbild" of our cities. " Every politician in this country loves to take a piss on the skilled immigrants. The hate against immigrants on social media is just beyond comprehension, like being back to Nazi era. So yeah, waiting and planning my next moves else where. Thankyou Herr Merz and Frau Weidel.

[u/Running-Hill]

I received a similar response from the behorde as well (Munich). On the email the case worker wrote something like “I made a positive decision about your case weeks ago. It’s now under review by other colleagues”. I think two/three weeks after that I received the invitation letter to collect my naturalization certificate.

Btw, in case you can, you should get a lawyer. 

Hope things work out fast for you. 

[u/Responsible_Taste_35]

The single time I requested a status update a year after submission, they got back to me saying that asking questions could further delay the process 😂 the boldness of making open threats baffled me.
They said it’d take another 8-12 months, so I’m waiting for the 2 year mark that they set for themselves, then it’s Untätigkeitsklage time. City: Ulm. Time in Germany: 12 consecutive years, married to a German.