19/01/2024
The German parliament has made a significant move by approving new legislation that simplifies the citizenship acquisition process and abolishes previous restrictions on dual citizenship. Under this new law, the residency requirement for citizenship eligibility is now reduced to five years, or three years for individuals demonstrating "special integration accomplishments." This is a notable decrease from the earlier eight or six years requirement. Furthermore, the law grants automatic citizenship to German-born children if one of their parents has legally resided in Germany for at least five years, down from the previous eight-year requirement.
The removal of restrictions on holding dual citizenship marks a major shift in Germany's citizenship policies. Previously, individuals from non-EU countries and Switzerland were generally required to renounce their original nationality upon receiving German citizenship, with few exceptions. This reform aligns Germany's approach more closely with countries that have liberal immigration policies, such as the United States and Canada, and is seen by the government as a strategy to enhance immigrant integration and attract skilled workers. However, the legislation has faced criticism from the main center-right opposition bloc, which argues that it could potentially diminish the value of German citizenship.
