Eligibility
To be eligible for German citizenship by naturalisation you need to have legally lived in Germany as your main residence for at least five years (reduced from eight). During this period you should have a permanent residence permit and be financially self‑sufficient.
You must demonstrate integration into German society, accept the democratic constitutional order and have no serious criminal record. Applicants are expected to speak German to at least B1 level and to pass the naturalisation test unless exempt. Dual citizenship is generally permitted under recent reforms, so you are no longer required to renounce your previous nationality.