Naturalization despite citizen's allowance or social welfare

Basic requirement

For naturalization, it is usually necessary that you can support yourself and your family without state assistance such as citizens' benefits or social welfare. You are expected to have integrated economically in Germany.

Important new regulation: The time of application is decisive

The legal rules for securing a livelihood have changed. It is therefore very important when you submitted your application for naturalization.

Applications submitted by August 23, 2023

An earlier, often more advantageous regulation applies to all naturalization applications submitted before this date. According to this regulation, the receipt of citizen's allowance or social assistance is not an obstacle to naturalization if you are not responsible for the receipt of benefits.

What does "not to be represented" mean?

"Not responsible" means that you are dependent on the benefits for reasons for which you cannot be held responsible.

These include, for example:

• the loss of your job due to operational or economic reasons, even though you have made sufficient efforts to find a new job.
• health reasons that restrict your ability to work.
• the receipt of state benefits during a period of schooling, training or study.

Even if you are unable to work or can only work part-time due to caring for children or relatives in need of care, you are generally not responsible for receiving benefits. Our law firm can check whether these advantageous regulations apply in your case.

Applications submitted after August 23, 2023

For applications submitted after this deadline, the general exception of "not having to apply" no longer applies. Instead, there are now some clearly defined exceptions that allow naturalization despite receiving benefits.

Exception for the "guest worker generation"

If you entered Germany as a so-called guest worker before June 30, 1974 or as a contract worker in the former GDR before June 13, 1990, you can be naturalized even if you are receiving a citizen's allowance or social assistance. This also applies to spouses who joined you at the same time. However, this is also subject to the condition that you are not responsible for the receipt of benefits.

Exception for full-time employment

There is another exception if you have worked full-time for at least 20 months in the last 24 months. In this case, it does not affect your naturalization if your income still has to be topped up with a citizen's allowance.

Exception for spouses or life partners

If you live as a spouse or registered partner with a person who fulfills the requirement of full-time employment and you also have a minor child living with you in the household, you can also be naturalized despite receiving benefits.

Possibility of exception in case of particular hardship

Even if the above-mentioned requirements are not met, in certain cases it is possible to waive the requirement to be able to support yourself independently. This is the case with so-called discretionary naturalization if there is particular hardship.

What is a particular hardness?

Particular hardship can be assumed, for example, if:

• you have already been granted naturalization and have subsequently lost your job through no fault of your own.
• You are disabled or can only work to a limited extent as a carer or single parent.
• you are an older person and have lived in Germany for a very long time.

In such cases, the authority may decide on a case-by-case basis to waive the requirement to secure a livelihood.

What counts as income and what does not?

Your entire income and assets are taken into account to assess your ability to support yourself.

Income does not include:

• Child benefit and child supplement
• Parental allowance
• Parental allowance
• Benefits from the training grant (BAföG)
• Housing benefit

You can therefore receive these benefits without this standing in the way of your naturalization.

Consideration of the spouse's income

If you are married or in a registered civil partnership, it is sufficient if you are able to support your family together as a couple. Your partner's income is therefore fully taken into account.