Fraudulent language tests: naturalizations under fire!

Fraudulent language tests: naturalizations under fire!

An alarming phenomenon is circulating in Germany: attempts to fraud around language tests and naturalizations are increasing. A sensational case became known in Stuttgart two weeks ago in which a 32-year-old woman wanted to take a language test with a fake passport. The document was actually a 45-year-old Iraqi. The police were alerted when an attentive employee of the language center recognized the fake document. Since then, the fraudster has been in custody. Investigators suspect that she did not act out of altruism, but had paid for the fraud. The authorities in Baden-Württemberg are faced with the fact that such incidents are not an isolated case.

The fraud phenomenon around fake language tests and certificates is a complex problem with nationwide dimensions. In social networks such as Tikok, fraudsters offer their services and promise to take naturalization tests without school and without actual exams. This throws a worrying light on the integrity of our naturalization procedures.

Legal consequences and excessive demands of the authorities

The legal consequences of fraud cases are considerable. Professor Winfried Kluth from the University of Halle points out that confirmed fraud is a clear refuse to return for naturalizations that have already taken place. If a prerequisite is not met, each authority has the right to withdraw naturalization. Unfortunately, it shows that many immigration authorities are overwhelmed. A lack of staff and a lack of training courses for recognizing fake certificates make it difficult for employees to keep an overview.

In addition, readers criticize the inefficient structures of the authorities. Reports from “Stern” and “RTL” create another context. There, the lack of pressure to act within the head of the administration becomes clear, which leads to a crisis of trust in the rule of law. Many are calling for a reform of the naturalization process to prevent such incidents in the future.

A nationwide network

A complicated network was recently uncovered that offered fake language certificates and deputy tests. This included a 52-year-old driving school owner from Heilbronn, who, in collaboration with a 38-year-old Bulgarian and a 37-year-old Syrian, conducted a system that offered exams for up to 5,000 euros. In June 2025, eleven arrest warrants were executed, which illustrates the dimensions of the problem.

Another example is two brothers from the Rems-Murr district who have sold over 350 fake certificates. The criminal dimensions are also clear: several years of prison sentences and profits of over 300,000 euros speak for themselves. These machinations leave an immense distrust of the authenticity of language tests and their exams, which despite strict security precautions are increasingly being suspected of no longer being reliable.

The call for reforms

Readers are increasingly expressing anger and disappointment with the failed controls and bureaucracy that affect naturalization procedures. Many require personal language tests and demand drastic measures for fraudsters, including the opportunity to withdraw citizenship and carry out deportation.

These current events not only require a clear reaction from the responsible authorities, but also a critical examination of the existing systems that enable fraudsters to abuse our legal system. It is time to tackle these grievances and to regain confidence in our naturalization procedures.