50 Bianchini condition that he: (1) has not been sentenced for an unlawful act and is not subject to any court order; (2) has accommodation and can support himself and his dependents.79 The only preferential conditions for stateless persons consist in qualifying for discretionary naturalization after a period of six years of lawful residence, and in having the administration considering difficulties in obtaining documents.80 The exact meaning of the requirements to naturalize has been object of frequent litigation. Regarding the condition of ‘legal residence’, the prin­ ciple most commonly applied by the courts is that it is not necessary to be in possession of an unlimited residence permit, although the Duldung will not normally be sufficient.81 Another common problem appears to be the ‘sufficient knowledge of the German language’.82 In fact, this involves being able to pass the oral and written language examinations leading to the Zertifikat Deutsch (equivalent of level B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).83 For stateless persons, it may also be 79 80 81 82 83 §8 StAG in der im Bundesgesetzblatt Teil III, Gliederungsnummer 102-1, veröffentlichten bereinigten Fassung, das zuletzt durch Artikel 2 des Gesetzes vom 1.06.2012 (BGBl I 2012, 1224) geändert worden ist. Whether requirements corresponding to section 10 are also applicable with respect to a discretionary naturalization under section 8 of the nationality law is unclear since there is no explicit provision to that extent in the law. Hailbronner (n 78) 11. However, it seems obvious that the more the requirements of section 10 are met, the more likely the authorities will exercise discretion in favor of an application. StAR-VwV § 8.1.3. Die Bundesregierung, ‘Die Ermessenseinbürgerung’ <http://www .bundesregierung.de/Content/DE/ StatischeSeiten/Breg/IB/Einbuergerung/ee-ermessen seinbuergerung.html; jsessionid=360DA78CE09B 21A90B96A481F8FD4F17 .s4t1?nn=400132> accessed 29 July 2013. It should be noted that for children of stateless people, who were born in Germany, there exists a special entitlement to citizenship. §2 StaatenlMindÜbkAG vom 29.06.1977 (BGBl I 1977, 1101), das durch Artikel 3 § 4 des Gesetzes vom 15.07.1999 (BGBl I 1999, 1618) geändert worden ist. When a stateless person makes an application after 6 years of lawful residence instead of 8, he does not have a right to naturalize but can ask the authorities to exercise discretion and deviate from the general rule. VG Berlin, 9.05.1988, InfAuslR 1988, 225; OVG Berlin, 18.04.1991, InfAuslR 1991, 228. See also BVerwG, 28.09.1993, InfAuslR 1994, 35; BVerwG, 29.09.1995, InfAuslR 1996, 19; BVerwG, Urteil v 19.10.2011 - 5 C 28.10; BVerwG, 16.07.1996, DVBl 1997, 177. Holger Hoffmann (n 79) 202. §10(4) StAG in der im Bundesgesetzblatt Teil III, Gliederungsnummer 102-1, veröffentlichten bereinigten Fassung, das zuletzt durch Artikel 2 des Gesetzes vom 1.06.2012 (BGBl I 2012, 1224) geändert worden ist. The requirement of adequate knowledge of life in tilburg law review 19 (2014) 35-51