In 2024, the number of Berlin residents taking legal action over citizenship delays skyrocketed. A total of 1,662 individuals filed “inactivity lawsuits”, so called „Untätigkeitsklagen“ against German immigration authorities–a staggering 313 percent increase from the 402 cases in 2023. These lawsuits allow applicants who have waited more than three months without a decision to challenge the system in court.
The surge in legal complaints comes amid severe processing backlogs, with approximately 40,000 applications still pending. In an effort to streamline naturalisation, Berlin’s government opened a centralised processing centre at the Landesamt für Einwanderung LEA in January 2024. However, this transition created new frustrations, as many applicants who had submitted paper applications years earlier found their cases deprioritised in favour of newer online applications. Those asked to re-submit online faced additional fees of 255 euros—a move critics call deeply unfair.
The delays highlight broader concerns about democratic representation, as nearly a quarter of Berlin’s 3.8 million residents remain non-citizens. Fortunately for those taking legal action, administrative courts do not accept staff shortages or high application volumes as valid justifications for excessive waiting times. Successful complaints often lead to faster processing and reimbursement of legal costs.