Germany’s citizenship rules could soon be relaxed... in 3 to 5 years

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, in Doha, Qatar, November 23, 2022.

The government reportedly wants to speed up the naturalization process to make it easier for migrants to become German citizens. Easier dual citizenship is also on the cards.

Germany's coalition government is working on making it easier for migrants to become German citizens, according to local reports.

Faced with the demographic crisis, the German government presented a reform project aimed at simplifying access to German nationality for immigrants. The right denounces “sold off passports”. It is a bill that is far from achieving consensus. The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, unveiled this weekend the premises of a reform project which aims to change the lines of nationality law in the country.

The goal ? Facilitate the integration of immigrants in a Germany penalized by the lack of labor by naturalizing them more quickly. In particular, the lack of MINT professionals : Mathematics, Internet, Natural science, Technology. "People of immigrant origin in Germany must be able to participate in the democratic organization of our country", hammered Nancy Faeser in a column published Sunday, November 27 in the newspaper Tagesspiegel, stressing that " they are part of our society".

Germany needs better rules for the naturalization of all these great women and men. Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor

Immigration reform measures suggested

According to the report, children born in Germany to foreign parents would automatically be granted citizenship if one parent has had "legal habitual residence" in Germany for five years.

Ministers from Germany's 16 states have previously called on the federal government to speed up the process of children born to foreigners living in Germany becoming German citizens.

People older than 67 would also no longer be required to take a written language test, the "ability to communicate orally" would be sufficient to grant citizenship.

The Local, citing ministry sources, reported that migrants in Germany would also be allowed to hold dual citizenship, which is currently only allowed for EU and Swiss citizens.

Germany revamps immigration rules.

A course of action which triggered the kibosh of the opposition, and which revives tensions around the question of German national identity. “They have lived and worked here for decades” The aim is to modernize the integration of foreign people working in Germany, “a country of multifaceted immigration – and has been since the 1960s”. “They have lived and worked here for decades. They are engaged in volunteer missions.Their children and grandchildren were born in Germany, go to kindergarten and school here,” pleads the minister.

The law was proposed when the government coalition, made up of the Social Democrats (SPD), Liberals (FDP) and Greens, was formed a year ago. The Minister proposes a reduction in the time limit for applying for naturalization. Immigrants to Germany currently need eight years in the country to apply for citizenship. The law would reduce this waiting period to five, or even three years if the individual has a perfect command of the language or has done voluntary work. Their academic or professional success is also taken into account. The idea is to offer nationality to people who can demonstrate integration deemed to be perfectly successful.

Ministers from Germany’s 16 states have previously called on the federal government to speed up the process of children born to foreigners living in Germany becoming German citizens. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser noted that reducing the waiting time to obtain citizenship is “an incentive for integration.” The goal is to reflect reality, Faeser said. “We are a diverse and modern immigration country, and I think the legislation should reflect that.”

The view held by the opposition, however, is rather different. Christian Democratic Union parliamentarian Thorsten Frei told Bild magazine, “the German passport must not become junk.” Christian Social Union politician Andrea Lindholz was worried that foreigners in Germany would be “deprived of a great incentive to integrate.”

Last year’s coalition agreement promotes making people eligible for German citizenship after five years, or three in case of “special integration achievements,” instead of the current six to eight years.

(By citinavi team)