Berlin Citizenship Process with Blue Card

Just posting my experience as it may be helpful to others. This is all in Berlin.

I have applied for all visas in Germany on my American passport, although I do hold another rather less privileged passport.

I have lived in Germany twice: I did a Master's here in political science, graduating in 2016, and then moved back in January of 2021 on a Blue Card. I got the Goethe C1 language certificate in 2016.

I applied for permanent residency at the 21-month mark of my Blue Card. Although I was told that the Einbürgerungs exam is not needed if you hold a German political science degree, I took it to apply for PR anyways because €25 and better safe than sorry. I had an interview for PR and it was granted.

I applied for citizenship after the online Quick Check test told me I could in July of 2024. I disclosed my second passport at this time. I was unsure about the "special integration skills" conditions, but I have since been told that the Blue Card is frequently viewed as particular professional achievements. I received a follow-up email in December asking me to upload more recent paychecks, a short document explaining any financial obligations I may have, and a signed copy of the FDGO, which I did immediately.

On February 28 I received another email with an Einladung zur Einbürgerung one week later at Sellerstr in Wedding. I immediately took a half day of vacation from work. I was unsure if this would involve a further interview, so I reviewed the Constitution and practiced some talking points in case they asked me about Ukraine or Israel, but it was clear once I got there that it was simply a swearing-in ceremony. I think this is all that that location is used for.

Prior to the appointment, I made an appointment with the Bürgeramt to apply for a passport (€70 + €32 express) and a Personalausweis (€37, although you don't need an appointment for this).

I was able to bring my partner in with me to the appointment. They asked me for my read but unsigned, printed-out FDGO, and then had me sign it in front of them. They took my Aufenthaltstitel. They explained some technical details to me, gave me some papers to read on my own time, and then asked me to read a sentence swearing allegiance to the Constitution out loud, and then they told me that with the receipt of the citizenship certificate (Einbürgerungsurkunde) I was now a German citizen and handed it to me. My partner took a picture of me in front of the flags and we left! The whole thing took around 12 minutes and was extremely punctual and the woman was very nice.

PS: US citizens are in the S4 Abteilung of the Ausländerbehörde. Your specific situation and timeline will depend hugely on your section so take all of this with a grain of salt if you are not S4!