Since 2024, the State Office for Immigration (LEA) in Berlin has been responsible for processing citizenship applications (see VISAUGARD blog article on the change of responsibility for naturalization in Berlin ). This change of responsibility brings with it many innovations. In this article, we highlight the most important changes and provide an overview of the current situation.
Citizenship Berlin: Digital Processes in Focus
The State Office for Naturalization (LEA) in Berlin has taken over the naturalization procedures from the Berlin district offices. In the first week after the change of responsibility, over 1,300 digital applications were submitted and more than 10,000 so-calledquick checks were carried out, replacing the previously obligatory consultation. In contrast to the district offices, the LEA is clearly relying on digital procedures in order to increase efficiency and standardize processing.
New citizenship Berlin 2025
One advantage of the change of jurisdiction is the uniform application of the legal provisions and the more generous interpretation of the Nationality Act. The main improvements in naturalization in Berlin include:
No more initial interviews: The district offices had only issued the application forms after an initial interview, but at the LEA the application can be submitted online without a prior interview.
Birth certificates are no longer required: The online form no longer requires the previously mandatory submission of birth certificates.
English-language documents accepted: Unlike the district offices, the LEA generally accepts English-language documents without translation.
Online payment of the naturalization fee: The fee for naturalization can now be paid via Paypal at the LEA in Berlin.
Processing times and old applications: large backlog
However, despite the positive changes, one of the most pressing issues for naturalization in Berlin in 2025 is the processing time. The State Office for Immigration (LEA) has taken over around 40,000 old applications from the district offices, some of which have remained unprocessed for more than four years. In addition, there are new applications, the number of which has increased sharply due to the planned change in the law (facilitating multiple citizenship and shorter periods of residence). It is therefore currently difficult to make a reliable forecast about the processing times. However, experts for naturalization in Berlin report that new (unproblematic) naturalization procedures are sometimes completed in just a few weeks. The LEA emphasizes, however, that both old and new applications are processed in parallel and on an equal footing in order to complete the procedures as efficiently as possible.
Actions for Failure to Act Citizenship Berlin
Due to the long processing times, many applicants have already filed complaints of inaction in the past. The LEA has taken over these complaints from the district offices and is now processing them at full speed. At the same time, the authority points out that inquiries about the status of the case cannot currently be answered because resources are fully focused on processing the applications.
For queries and additional documents, the LEA recommends using the digital contact form or the beA only. You are expressly asked not to submit any new applications for procedures that have already been submitted, as this will delay processing. However, naturalization lawyers in Berlin report that naturalization procedures can sometimes be significantly accelerated with the help of an action for failure to act. Although the Berlin Administrative Court's processing time for actions for failure to act in citizenship matters is up to 9 months, it does happen in some cases that the State Office for Immigration (LEA) offers immediate naturalization in court if all requirements are met.
Conclusion
The transition of the citizenship procedures to the LEA marks an important step towards digitalization and increased efficiency. Nevertheless, there are still numerous challenges in 2025, particularly due to the backlog of old applications and the high number of new applications. It remains to be seen whether the desired efficiency gains will lead to shorter processing times. We will keep you up to date on developments.
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