German citizenship: naturalization rules “almost ready”

People should get German citizenship earlier and more easily. The traffic light agreed in the coalition agreement. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has now confirmed that the reform is progressing.

The reform of citizenship law agreed in the coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP is one step further. A draft law is “almost ready” and will be sent to the other ministries shortly, said a spokesman for Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.

German passport after five or three years

Above all, people who have already lived in this country for several years should be able to become German citizens more easily. Instead of eight years, as is currently the case, it should be possible to obtain citizenship after five years of residence in Germany.

In the case of “special integration achievements”, this should even be possible after three years – for example if immigrants have shown special academic or professional achievements or voluntary commitment or have particularly good language skills.

Children of foreign parents born in Germany should automatically receive German citizenship if one parent has already had “his lawful habitual residence” in Germany for five years. So far, this has only been the case after eight years.

Lower barriers for people aged 67 and over

For seniors who are older than 67 years old, Faeser wants to delete the formal language certificates previously required. Instead, the “ability to communicate verbally” should be sufficient in the future. The previously required knowledge test about Germany should also be omitted for this group.

Having multiple citizenships is set to become much easier with the reform. According to the draft bill of the ARD Capital Studio present.

Criticism from the CDU and CSU

The parliamentary director of the Union faction in the Bundestag, Thorsten Frei (CDU), criticized the planned changes. “The German passport must not become junk,” he told the newspaper. The deputy leader of the parliamentary group, Andrea Lindholz (CSU), explained: “Foreigners in Germany are thus deprived of a great incentive to integrate.”