Obtaining a German citizenship becomes easier: All about the new changes

Foreigners residing in Germany can now obtain German citizenship more quickly and without having to renounce their original nationality, according to a report by Schengen Visa News.

Germany’s new citizenship law that aims to modernise the current rules for obtaining a German passport has come into force.

In line with the new citizenship law, more people are eligible to become citizens of Germany, with the naturalisation figures expected to significantly increase in 2024, Schengen.News reports.


As the Minister of Interior of Germany, Nancy Faeser, said, all foreigners living in Germany who share the same values and meet all requirements can now obtain German citizenship more quickly.

However, she stressed that there will also now no longer be tolerance for foreigners showing anti-semitic, racist, or any other malicious behaviours.

What are the key changes?
Germany’s new citizenship law comprises ten essential points, each carrying its own significance. Here are some of the key aspects of Germany’s new citizenship law:

Scope to hold Multiple citizenships
The new citizenship law permits foreign residents in Germany applying for citizenship to retain multiple citizenships. This means that applicants for naturalization will not be required to renounce their previous citizenship when they acquire German citizenship, the report says.

Accelerated procedure:
Under the new law, naturalization applicants can now obtain German citizenship more swiftly. The accelerated procedure allows foreigners to apply for citizenship after five years of legal residency in Germany, down from the previous requirement of eight years, the report says.

“For foreigners who are married to German citizens, the waiting period to apply for German citizenship is reduced to four years.”

“As for people who are fully integrated into German society, show outstanding job performance, are involved in voluntary work, support themselves financially, and speak German at a high proficiency level, the naturalisation period has been reduced to only three years.”

New rules for children of foreign parents:
Children born in Germany to foreign parents can now acquire German citizenship while retaining their parents' citizenship, provided that at least one parent has legally resided in Germany for more than five years and holds an unrestricted right of residence, as opposed to the previous requirement of eight years.

Changes in German Citizenship Test:
The naturalisation test now covers additional topics including anti-Semitism, Israel, and the Jewish community in Germany.

Recognition for “Guest Worker” Generation
“In line with the new citizenship law, the guest workers generation, which mainly includes nationals of Türkiye who moved in the 1960s to West Germany to work in industry, are no longer required to take the citizenship test,” the report says.

Foreigners in this category seeking German citizenship now only need to demonstrate proficient German language skills.

The relaxation of regulations for guest workers aims to acknowledge their long-term contributions to Germany.