Failure to act lawsuit for naturalization in Berlin
If you are waiting for your naturalization (Einbürgerung) in Berlin, you often need patience - a lot of it. Below you can learn how we currently (December 2025) assess the situation at the LEA. And how Thema-erledigt.de can help you finally make progress with your naturalization.
More general information can be found on our page about the failure to act lawsuit for naturalization.
Processing times at the LEA
With the changes to citizenship law, many new naturalization applications were filed. Already in early 2024, the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) had a backlog of around 40,000 applications, meaning that wait times remain extremely long despite increased capacity.
On the official Berlin service page, applicants are explicitly asked to refrain from inquiries. Those who do inquire typically receive general information along with a request for patience. However, processing your application is not an act of goodwill but a legal obligation of the authority.
Meanwhile, the so-called "fast-track naturalization" after three years is about to be abolished again. Other changes are under discussion. A failure to act lawsuit (Untätigkeitsklage) can already be filed after 3 months if the Berlin authority has not made a decision without valid reason. The costs are reimbursed if the court finds the authority was unjustifiably inactive.
Failure to act lawsuit in Berlin
Briefly describe your situation and we will forward your matter to an experienced attorney specializing in this topic. They can answer all open questions regarding your individual case and file the lawsuit at the Berlin administrative court upon request. Thema-erledigt.de itself does not provide legal advice.
The attorney will respond with the next steps as quickly as possible.