German Citizenship becomes easier with new law from June 27

Highlights: The new citizenship law is to ease the German citizenship process

• Germany has introduced changes to the citizenship law effective from June 27, 2024.
• The new citizenship law aims to quicken the process of obtaining German Citizenship.
• Naturalization figures are expected to increase significantly with the new citizenship law.
• German immigrants are now eligible for multiple Citizenship under the new law.

 

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New German Citizenship Law

The German government has introduced a new citizenship law that will help foreign residents obtain German citizenship faster. The new citizenship law is effective from June 27, 2024, and is aimed at modernizing the rules of acquiring a German passport.

 

Immigrants are no longer required to renounce their nationality as the new law allows them to have multiple Citizenship. The new law also aims to increase naturalization figures as more immigrants become eligible for German Citizenship.

 

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Key changes under the new citizenship law

The following are the new changes introduced to the German Citizenship law:

 

• Multiple citizenship policy: Under the new law, foreign residents in Germany can retain their original Citizenship while applying for Citizenship in Germany. The new law allows naturalization applicants to get German Citizenship more easily.
• Eased requirements: Immigrants can now apply for German Citizenship after being a legal resident in Germany for 5 years instead of the previous requirement of 8 years. Foreign residents married to German citizens can apply for German Citizenship after 4 years of legal residence. Immigrants who have been fully accustomed to German society, are associated with voluntary work, demonstrate excellent job performance, are proficient in the German language, and can support themselves financially can obtain German Citizenship with 3 years of legal residence.
• New laws for children born to foreign parents: Children of foreign parents can now get German Citizenship and also retain their parent's original Citizenship. However, one of the parents must have an unrestrained right of residence and should have been a legal resident in Germany for more than 5 years instead of the earlier requirement of 8 years.
• Changes in German citizenship test: Topics such as Israel, anti-Semitism and the Jewish community in Germany have been added to the naturalisation test.
• Recognition for “Guest Worker” Generation: Under the new law, the "Guest worker generation" are exempted from the citizenship test requirement. The guest worker generation comprises Turkish nationals who migrated to West Germany in the 1960s to take up employment there. They are only required to prove their proficiency in the German language to qualify for Citizenship.

 

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