The German citizenship test (Einbürgerungstest), explained in English

The Einbürgerungstest shows you know Germany’s legal and social order. The paper has 33 questions, 60 minutes, and a pass mark of 17. The fee is €25. You study 310 questions for your state. The whole BAMF catalogue has 460.

Sample questions from the BAMF catalogue are in the German guide. This page is the English version.

If you apply for German citizenship, you normally prove knowledge of the legal and social order with this test. The BAMF naturalisation page says so. You sit it at a BAMF test centre or a state centre. A German school-leaving certificate can replace the test. Illness, disability, or age can also be a reason for an exemption. Your office decides. This page is not legal advice.

The rules are in the Einbürgerungstest regulation. You cannot take the test online. Practice can be online. The test is on paper.

Searchers often look for the “Leben in Deutschland test” in English. It is the final test of the orientation course inside an integration course. It uses the same catalogue and the same form: 33 questions, 60 minutes. You pass that course test with 15 correct answers. Naturalisation needs at least 17. A Leben in Deutschland result of 17 or more also counts for citizenship. Together with B1 German (DTZ), a pass gives the integration-course certificate. Source: the BAMF final-exam page.

If German is not your first language, learn the German wording of each question. A translation can help you understand a topic. It will not be on the paper. The BAMF catalogue PDF and the free BAMF online test centre are in German. There is no separate “2026 catalogue”. Use the catalogue BAMF publishes.

Our count, not an official timetable: state questions come up more often (3 of 10, against 30 of 300). Learn the 10 state questions first. A four-week plan we suggest is in the German article on passing the test.

We cannot book a seat. Ask your naturalisation office which centres are near you. BAMF lists centres by state on its naturalisation page. You agree the date with the centre. For Leben in Deutschland, book through your course provider.

The test fee is €25. Naturalisation costs €255 per person, and €51 for a minor child naturalised with their parents. The office can lower the fee or allow instalments. Bring a photo ID and a black or blue ballpoint, and hand in your phone and smartwatch. That is the BAMF information sheet.

BAMF sends a certificate. It still counts if you move. On 12 October 2026 the BAMF page said it was marking tests sat up to 22 July 2026. Under 17 correct answers, you can take the test again.

The usual residence requirement is five years. A 2024 reform, in force from 27 June 2024, cut eight years to five and allows multiple citizenship in general. Naturalisation after three years for special integration was abolished on 30 October 2025. BAMF also lists B1 German, supporting yourself without Bürgergeld or SGB XII, no conviction, a commitment to the democratic order and to Germany’s historical responsibility, a clarified identity, and a suitable residence title. Your office checks them. See the federal government note.

Start with the free BAMF online test centre: your state’s questions, the right answer after each one, and a sample questionnaire. The PDF is free too. The app adds a 33-question timer, marked questions, topic statistics, and offline study. The test centre stays the official free option.

That is the name in the US App Store. In the German store the same app is “Einbürgerungstest 2026 - Quiz”. Seller: Evgeny Goncharov. It runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac (iOS 17+). The download is free. Premium is a subscription only, with no one-time price: €2.99 a month or €19.99 a year, each with a 7-day free trial. Premium unlocks the full catalogue.

Checked on 16 October 2026 against BAMF sources. Not official. Not affiliated with the BAMF.

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