German Citizenship Test Study Guide 2026

About the naturalisation test

Most adults who want to become German citizens must show basic knowledge of the legal and social order and of living conditions in Germany. The usual proof is the naturalisation test (Einbürgerungstest), run by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).

Feature	Details
Number of questions	33 (30 general, 3 about your federal state)
Answer format	4 options, 1 correct
Time limit	60 minutes
Pass mark	At least 17 correct answers
Fee	25 euros (as listed by the BAMF)
Where	At a test centre (Prüfstelle); bring valid photo ID
Official questions	Catalogue of 310: 300 general, 10 per federal state

If you score below 17, you can take the test again. The BAMF sends you a certificate with your result, which you give to your naturalisation office (Einbürgerungsbehörde).

You do not need the test if you have a German school-leaving certificate, or if illness, disability or age prevents you from meeting the requirement. A pass of 17 or more in the 'Leben in Deutschland' test at the end of an integration course also counts.

The Basic Law and basic rights

Germany's constitution is the Basic Law (Grundgesetz). It was signed and announced in Bonn on 23 May 1949. Every other law must agree with it. The first part lists the basic rights (Grundrechte), which protect people against the state.

Article	What it protects
1	Human dignity must not be violated
2	Free development of your personality; life and physical safety
3	Equality before the law; equal rights for women and men; no discrimination because of sex, origin, language, faith, political views or disability
4	Freedom of faith and conscience
5	Freedom of expression and of the press; no censorship
6	Marriage and family; parents' right and duty to raise their children
7	School system under state supervision; religious education
8	Freedom of peaceful assembly without weapons
9	Freedom of association, including trade unions
10	Privacy of letters, post and telecommunications
12	Free choice of job and training
13	The home is inviolable; searches normally need a judge
16a	Asylum for people who are politically persecuted
17	Anyone may send a petition to parliament

Some rights are for everyone in Germany (for example dignity, faith and expression). Others, such as freedom of assembly and free choice of job, are written in the Basic Law as rights of Germans.

Religion and the state

There is no state church. People may follow any religion or none. Religious education is a regular subject in most public schools, but parents decide whether their child takes part.

Rights that cannot be removed

Article 79 forbids any change to the Basic Law that would touch the principles in Articles 1 and 20, such as human dignity, democracy and the federal structure. The death penalty is abolished (Article 102).

Democracy, rule of law and the welfare state

Article 20 describes Germany as a democratic and social federal state. Its main ideas are:

Democracy: all state power comes from the people, who use it in elections and votes.
Separation of powers: law-making (parliaments), the executive (governments and administration) and the courts are kept apart.
Rule of law (Rechtsstaat): the state is bound by law, and independent courts can check its actions. If an office breaks your rights, you can go to court (Article 19).
Welfare state (Sozialstaat): the state works for social security and fairness.
Federal state: power is shared between the federation and the 16 federal states.

Political parties

Parties help people form political opinions. Their internal structure must be democratic, and they must report where their money comes from. Only the Federal Constitutional Court can ban a party as unconstitutional.

Government and opposition

The parties that form the government usually have a majority in parliament. The opposition checks and criticises the government and presents other ideas. A free press and peaceful protest are also part of a working democracy.

How the federal state works

Body	Who or what it is	Key facts
Bundestag	Federal parliament, elected by the people	Makes federal laws and checks the government; elected every 4 years; maximum 630 members
Bundesrat	Members of the 16 state governments	The states take part in federal law-making through it
Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler)	Head of the federal government	Elected by the Bundestag on the President's proposal; sets policy guidelines
Federal ministers	Lead their own ministries	Appointed by the President on the Chancellor's proposal
Federal President (Bundespräsident)	Head of state	Elected by the Federal Convention for 5 years; can be re-elected once in a row
Federal Constitutional Court	Guardian of the Basic Law, in Karlsruhe	16 judges; half elected by the Bundestag, half by the Bundesrat

The Federal Convention (Bundesversammlung) meets only to elect the President. It is made up of all members of the Bundestag and the same number of members chosen by the state parliaments.

The Bundestag can remove a Chancellor only by electing a new one with a majority of its members. This is called a constructive vote of no confidence (Article 67). It stops a government from falling without a replacement.

Elections

Elections to the Bundestag are general, direct, free, equal and secret (Article 38). German citizens can vote from age 18. Secret means nobody may find out how you voted, not even your family or employer.

Two votes

First vote (Erststimme): you choose a person to represent your local constituency. There are 299 constituencies.
Second vote (Zweitstimme): you choose a party list. These votes decide how many seats each party gets.

A party normally needs at least 5% of the second votes nationwide, or wins in at least three constituencies, to enter the Bundestag. Parties of national minorities are exempt. Under the current election law, the Bundestag has at most 630 members.

Local elections

Citizens of other EU countries who live in Germany may vote and stand for office in local (municipal and district) elections.

Federal states and local government

Germany has 16 federal states (Länder). Each has its own constitution, parliament and government. Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen are city-states. Berlin is the capital, and the federal flag is black, red and gold (Article 22).

The states hold all powers that the Basic Law does not give to the federation. Schools, universities and the police are mainly state matters. Where federal and state law conflict, federal law takes precedence (Article 31).

Towns and municipalities have the right to manage their own local affairs within the law (Article 28), for example local roads, nurseries and waste collection.

History: dictatorship, war and a new start

Date	Event
30 January 1933	Adolf Hitler becomes Reich Chancellor; the Nazis soon destroy democracy
9 November 1938	November pogroms: synagogues burned, Jewish shops and homes attacked
1 September 1939	Germany attacks Poland; the Second World War begins
8 May 1945	Germany surrenders; the war in Europe ends
After 1945	Germany is divided into four occupation zones (USA, UK, France, Soviet Union)
23 May 1949	The Basic Law is signed and announced in Bonn
1949	Two states are founded: the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR

Under National Socialism, about six million European Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Sinti and Roma, people with disabilities, political opponents and many others were also persecuted and killed.

Because of this history, applicants for naturalisation must commit to Germany's special responsibility for the Nazi crimes. This includes protecting Jewish life, peaceful coexistence between peoples, and the ban on wars of aggression.

History: division and reunification

From 1949 to 1990 Germany was divided. The Federal Republic (West Germany), with its seat of government in Bonn, was a parliamentary democracy. The German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the east was a one-party dictatorship led by the SED (Socialist Unity Party).

Date	Event
13 August 1961	The GDR begins building the Berlin Wall
Autumn 1989	Peaceful protests, including the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig
9 November 1989	The Wall opens after 28 years
3 October 1990	Reunification; now the Day of German Unity, a national holiday

Germany in Europe

In 1957 West Germany and five other countries signed the Treaties of Rome, the start of what is now the European Union. Today the EU has 27 member states. Germany uses the euro.

EU citizens can live and work in other EU countries and vote in local elections where they live.

Everyday life, family and naturalisation

Register with the residents' office (Meldebehörde) within two weeks of moving into a new home.
Marriage is open to two people of different or the same sex, from age 18.
Children have a right to an upbringing without violence; physical punishment is not allowed.
The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) protects people against discrimination because of ethnic origin, sex, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity.

Main requirements for naturalisation

Normally five years of ordinary, lawful residence
German at level B1
Proof of knowledge, usually the naturalisation test
Ability to support yourself and your family without Bürgergeld or social assistance
No criminal conviction
Commitment to the free democratic basic order and to Germany's historical responsibility
A suitable right of residence; from age 16 you can apply yourself

Since 27 June 2024, most applicants may keep their previous citizenship. Your naturalisation office checks each case and can explain exceptions.