Simplifying the process of obtaining citizenship in Germany: New rules and opportunities

The German government has adopted an important bill aimed at simplifying the citizenship procedure. First of all, this reform is aimed at reducing the timeframe and easing the conditions for obtaining citizenship of the Federal Republic of Germany.

According to the new law, which is yet to be confirmed by the Bundestag, it will be possible to obtain German citizenship after only 5 years of residence in the country, compared to the old period of 8 years. In addition, with "special integration achievements" such as excellent language skills, volunteer work, or high professional achievements, the naturalization process may become available after 3 years of residence, instead of the previous 6 years.

This reform also does not require applicants for citizenship to renounce their other citizenships, which may be important for many migrants.

An important step is also the requirement that applicants provide for themselves and their family members independently, as well as not depend on social benefits from the state.

The new law also excludes from the possibility of naturalization those who came to Germany as guest workers or contract workers.

The main goal of this reform is to make Germany more attractive to skilled workers and to encourage better integration of migrants into society.

Children born in Germany to foreign parents will also be eligible for German citizenship. They can also retain their parents' nationality if at least one of the parents has been legally residing in Germany for more than 5 years and has an unlimited right of residence.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of the Interior, about 14% of the German population does not have German citizenship, which amounts to just over 12 million people. At the same time, about 5.3 million of them have been living in Germany for at least ten years. In 2022, 168,545 people applied for German citizenship, which is 3.1% of the total number of people who have lived here for at least ten years.