A reformed citizenship law in Germany that makes it easier to obtain a second passport has sparked a wave of new naturalization cases.
In Berlin alone, around 4,000 applications were submitted in June. That represents an average of 133 per day, said an official from the responsible local authority.
There are no numbers available yet for July. However, the Berlin office had already received more than 5,000 applications in the three-week period from June 27 to July 21, an average of around 200 per day.
The new law came into force on June 27th. Statistics suggest that thousands of people were looking to gain an advantage in what can often be a time-consuming endeavor.
In Germany, naturalization authorities in each of the 16 states are responsible for processing applications. Berlin is one of the three city-states.
In Bavaria, the state Interior Ministry said an average of more than 5,600 applications per month were lodged in the state from January to May. In June, the number soared to 8,400.
The state of Saxony said processing times in 2023 varied between three and 18 months. It is expected to be even longer this year due to the high volume.
How the new law works
The naturalization reform put forward by Germany’s center-left tripartite coalition government allows people to become German while retaining their original citizenship.
People can now apply for citizenship after living in Germany for five years, instead of the previous requirement of eight years, as long as they meet all conditions.
Children born in Germany to foreign parents will also receive German citizenship if one of the parents legally resides in Germany for five years instead of eight.
If candidates demonstrate “special integration achievements” through particularly good performance at school, work or civic involvement, they can be naturalized after just three years.
An important aspect of the new rule is that people who obtain German citizenship will not have to renounce the citizenship of their country of origin, previously only possible for residents of other EU countries in Germany.
Likewise, Germans wishing to become citizens of another country will no longer need special authorization from the German authorities. Previously, without authorization, they would have lost their German citizenship if they acquired another.
