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Law & Justice

file an action for failure to act

A lawsuit may be filed in administrative court if a government agency has not decided on an application or appeal within a reasonable period of time.

Wo wohnen Sie?

Damit wir file an action for failure to act mit dem zuständigen Verwaltungsgericht in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.

Oder Großstadt wählen:

Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für file an action for failure to act.

Processing: approx. 8 monthsSuccess rate: 60.0 %
Last reviewed: August 02, 2026

Quick answer

  1. 1

    Documents you need

    Proof of application · Personalausweis oder Reisepass

  2. 2

    Responsible authority

    The authority of your main residence

  3. 3

    How to do it

    In person or by post at the office

  4. 4

    Costs

    10–80 € je nach Urkunde/Verfahren

Find the responsible authority

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Wait at least 3 months

    Three months have passed since the application or appeal was filed, and no decision has been issued.

  2. 2

    File a lawsuit with the competent administrative court

    In writing or for the record of the court clerk's office.

  3. 3

    Court ruling

    The court may order the agency to issue a decision.

Responsible authority

The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →

The essentials before applying

Who is eligible?

Individuals whose applications or appeals have not been decided upon by the authorities without sufficient cause.

Income limit

Processing time

Nationwide: approx. approx. 8 months

Success rate

approx. 60.0 % (estimate)

Most common mistakes

  • Lawsuit filed before the three-month deadline expired
  • Failure to comply with the competent court

Common reasons for rejection

  • The 3-month period has not yet expired
  • There is sufficient cause for the delay

Alternatives

  • Check related services in the application assistant
  • Use social counselling before applying

If rejected

Read the decision carefully: often submitting missing documents or reapplying helps more than an objection.

Questions & Answers

Wie lange dauert Untätigkeitsklage erheben?

In der Regel ca. 240 Werktage – je nach Behörde und Auslastung.

Freshness & source

Maintenance
Continuously reviewed & updated
Source
Bundesamt für Justiz
Data quality
100 %

Read more

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