# Question about application processing times for permanent residency and citizenship (Berlin vs. rest of Germany)



## TP94 (Aug 22, 2020)

I have been living in Berlin since October 2019 and working full-time non stop since January 2020. I have a question regarding how soon one can actually and legally start applying for citizenship (preparing and sending relevant documents, getting in contact with the relevant office etc. etc.), regardless of whether or not there will be any changes to the citizenship laws and the waiting time as rumored by the coalition government.

I have been told that I can get German citizenship after 6 years of work and residency in Germany which would be 2026 in my case. However, if no one can start applying after say for example 4 years of work and residency in Germany in preparation for the 6 year threshold AND if the processing time (in Berlin at least) takes 1 or 2 years then technically no one can get it after just 6 years rather they can only start the application process after 6 years. Is this correct? Same thing with residency permit, can you prepare for it in advance (say a year or a year and a half before) or do you actually have to wait AFTER the legal delay has passed in order to start the application process?

Berlin is notorious for long administrative delays and offices are heavily understaffed which is why I'm even prepared to move to another state and area of Germany if it means I can speed up my residency permit and citizenship application processes and start perhaps in 2024 or so. Are there any areas in Germany or states where the application process for residency permit and citizenship is much faster and less of a hassle? Any info, insight or help from fellow Berliners or just fellow expats on this would be nice.


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