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Citizenship test: registration, appointment and costs
You do not register with the BAMF directly but with a test centre near you. Taking part costs 25 euros. Here is how.
- Fee
- 25 euros
- Registration
- at a test centre
- Appointment
- within 12 weeks of registering at the latest
- Bring along
- ID with photo
Four steps to the test
- Find a test centre. Test centres are, for example, adult education centres (Volkshochschulen) and other integration course providers. The BAMF keeps a list for each federal state (linked below). Your naturalisation authority can also name test centres near you.
- Register and pay. You register with the test centre using the form “Teilnehmermeldebogen”. You pay the fee of 25 euros at the same time — the test centre decides how.
- Wait for your appointment. The test centre arranges the date with you and must let you take the test within twelve weeks of registering. It registers every test with the BAMF at least three weeks in advance — so short-notice places are rare.
- On the day of the test. Bring an official identity document with a photo. Only the test sheet and a pen are allowed on the desk; mobile phones, notes and dictionaries are not permitted. You have 60 minutes for 33 questions.
Test centres by federal state
The BAMF lists (open on bamf.de, in German):
- Baden-Württemberg
- Bayern
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- Bremen
- Hamburg
- Hessen
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Niedersachsen
- Nordrhein-Westfalen
- Rheinland-Pfalz
- Saarland
- Sachsen
- Sachsen-Anhalt
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Thüringen
Make good use of the waiting time
It usually takes a few weeks until your appointment — enough time to learn all questions calmly. With ten to twenty minutes a day, the 300 general questions and the ten questions on your federal state are very manageable.
Frequently asked questions about registration
How much does the citizenship test cost?
Taking part costs 25 euros. The test centre collects the fee when you register. If you retake the test, you register again and pay again.
Where do I register for the citizenship test?
At a BAMF test centre, for example an adult education centre (Volkshochschule) or another integration course provider. The BAMF publishes a list of test centres for each federal state; your naturalisation authority can advise you as well.
How long do I have to wait for an appointment?
The test centre arranges the date with you. Under the BAMF examination rules it must let you take part within twelve weeks of registering. Because the test centre has to register every test with the BAMF at least three weeks in advance, it pays to book early.
What do I need to bring to the test?
An official identity document with a photo, for example your passport. Mobile phones, notes and dictionaries are not allowed during the test.
Can I take the citizenship test online?
No. The test is taken in writing, under supervision, at a test centre. You can, however, practise all questions online — for example here.
Weiter: Ergebnis und Bescheinigung · So läuft der Test ab
Sources
- BAMF: Einbürgerung in Deutschland (page dated 12.10.2026, in German)
- BAMF: Prüfungsordnung für den Einbürgerungstest (examination rules, as of 28 July 2008, in German)
Summary by this website, not legal advice. Only information from your naturalisation authority, the test centre and the BAMF is binding.