The award of honorary citizenship is the highest distinction that a municipality or city can bestow on personalities. The following people are currently honorary citizens of the city of Lingen (Ems):

• Ursula Ramelow, former First and Second Mayor, former Lord Mayor
• Karl-Heinz Vehring, former City Director
• Bishop Dr. Martin Kruse

Honorary citizenship terminates with the death of the honorary citizen. The following people who have already died are former honorary citizens of the city of Lingen (Ems):

• Bernard Grünberg, Jewish fellow citizen (✝2021) 
• Ruth Foster, Jewish fellow citizen (✝2014)
• Schwester M. Firminia, Sister of the Franciscan Sisters St. Mauritz and active in the St. Bonifatius Hospital (✝1979)
• Dr. Engelbert Lindgen, pediatrician and initiator for the establishment of Kinderhilfe Lingen e.V. (today's Christophorus-Werk) (✝1983)
• Robert Koop, former Mayor (✝1981)
• Bishop Wilhelm Berning (✝1955)
• Konstantin Freiherr von Quadt, Landdrost (✝1881)