Criticism from the Union
Foreigners can now be naturalized more quickly
February 2, 2024, 12:46 p.m
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The Federal Council has cleared the way for the reform of nationality law. Migrants can now become naturalized in Germany after just five years. They can also keep their foreign passport.
The Federal Council has approved the reform of nationality law and has decided not to refer the matter to the Mediation Committee. This means people can become naturalized in Germany more quickly and also keep their foreign passport. The Bundestag passed the reform of citizenship law two weeks ago.
The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, promoted the reform in the Federal Council. In contrast, Baden-Württemberg’s Interior Minister Thomas Strobl, as deputy to the Prime Minister, declared that the plans were taking the wrong path. In the future, naturalization will be possible after five years instead of the current eight, and even after three years for “special integration achievements” – these could be particularly good performance at school or work or civic engagement.
In the future, children of foreign parents will receive German citizenship at birth if one parent has lived legally in this country for five years – previously this was the case after eight years. In addition, people who become German can retain their previous citizenship in the future. This is already possible in some cases, for example for citizens of other EU states. The exception now becomes the rule. Germans who would like to become citizens of another country no longer need special permission from the German authorities.
Without this permit, you lost your German citizenship when you acquired another one. Anyone who came to the Federal Republic as a guest worker or to the GDR as a contract worker only has to prove oral knowledge of German in order to be naturalized and no longer has to take a naturalization test. Anyone who wants a German passport must be able to support themselves and those of their dependent relatives. Those who were dependent on social assistance or basic security through no fault of their own were previously subject to an exception – but in the future this will only apply to certain groups and cases.