Since June 2024, Indians can hold both Indian and German passports. Here is the complete path.
Updated 13 August 2026
Need 5 years Aufenthaltstitel (or 3 years with exceptional integration). Count from first residence permit issue date — not from Blue Card date.
Options: Goethe B1, telc B1, ÖSD B1. Exam: ~3 hours. Study time from zero: 150–200 hours. With Duolingo + evening class: achievable in 9–12 months.
33 multiple-choice questions. Need 17/33 correct. Free study guide on BAMF website. Available in most major German cities — book via BAMF.de.
Passport, all residence permits held, 3 years' Steuerbescheide, current employment proof, Anmeldung, B1 certificate, Einbürgerungstest certificate, birth certificate (original + certified German translation; the authority may ask for verification through the German mission, as Indian apostilles are not accepted).
Processing: 6–24 months (Berlin and Munich longest). Fee: €255/adult. You can keep your Indian passport — dual citizenship fully allowed since June 2024.
In larger cities many officials speak basic English. All official forms are in German — use translation apps or bring a German-speaking colleague.
Contact the office immediately. Honest mistakes are handled reasonably — German officials distinguish between errors and fraud.
Plan early — German bureaucracy takes 4–12 weeks for most processes.
Always bring more documents than stated — over-preparation is always better.
Google Translate camera mode helps with German forms.
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