Germany
Why Are German Article 116 Applications Delayed? The BVA's October 2026 Notice
On October 19, 2026, the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) announced temporary delays in naturalization for the purpose of redress under Article 116 of Germany's Basic Law. Source: BVA notice, Oct 19, 2026
What the BVA said
- It is reviewing its procedures and checks for Article 116 naturalizations, in close coordination with the relevant investigative authorities.
- The review was prompted by reports of criminal forgery and fraud, and the goal is to further safeguard the process.
- As a result, there will be temporary delays in reviewing applications and in German missions abroad handing out documents.
- Proceedings under Section 15 of the Nationality Act (StAG) are not affected.
What the notice doesn't say
The notice gives no end date and no estimate of how long the delays will last. Source: BVA notice It doesn't mention citizenship certificate (Feststellung) applications or any other procedure besides Article 116 and Section 15.
Article 116 or Section 15?
Article 116(2) is for people whose German citizenship was taken away by the Nazi regime, and their descendants. Section 15 covers people who lost or couldn't acquire German citizenship because of Nazi persecution in other ways. See our guides to Article 116(2) and Section 15 for details.
If you've already applied
When the BVA registers an application, it sends an acknowledgment with a file number (Aktenzeichen), which you should quote in every letter to it. Source: BVA We couldn't find any official guidance on whether applicants need to do anything because of this review; the notice doesn't ask applicants to take any action. Source: BVA notice