"This long waiting period was significantly shortened by the center-left government that came into office in 2021 and decided that naturalization should generally be possible after 5 years, in the case of special integration success, after 3 years.Dual citizenship was added as an option for all. But there were preconditions: To receive a German passport quickly, people had to earn sufficient income, speak German well and engage in society, for example be volunteering with the fire department."
"During a debate in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag,in June he applauded the migrants who were striving for German citizenship: "Of course, naturalization is a significant factor for the cohesion in a country," he began his speech. But then he condemned the "turbo" naturalization as a wrong incentive and said it was a pull factor for more immigration."
"Jannes Jacobsen from the Berlin-based German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) expects, the latest reform of the citizenship law to change very little: "The essence of the previous reform was shortening the waiting time to 5 years, and the new coalition is keeping that,"he said. An essential condition for obtaining a German passport is a person's ability to pay for their living without state support."
Prior to June 2024, naturalization normally required at least eight years of residence. A 2021 center-left government reduced the general waiting period to five years and introduced a three-year 'turbo' path for exceptional integration, while allowing dual citizenship and requiring sufficient income, strong German language skills, and civic engagement such as volunteer work. Germany's new center-right government, in office since May 2025, abolished the three-year fast-track but kept the five-year rule and retained dual citizenship. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt argued the fast-track created a misleading pull factor for immigration. Researchers expect limited practical effect; financial self-sufficiency remains essential.
Read at www.dw.com
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