Germany slashes citizenship residency rules from 8 to 3 years to boost naturalizations
The duration that foreign nationals must reside in Germany before applying for citizenship will drop from eight to five years, and as low as three years for some, in new plans approved by the country’s federal government on Wednesday.
Under the plans, the standard time period a foreign national must spend living and working in Germany before applying for citizenship will be reduced from eight years down to five. However, applicants who can prove a high level of integration in the country, by showing advanced language proficiency, for example, will be able to obtain citizenship after just three years.
These rules will apply to those of good standing, and applicants with criminal records that are “irreconcilable with commitment to the free democratic basic order” will be barred.
Foreign nationals who have relied on the German welfare state will not be eligible for citizenship until they have proven to be financially self-sufficient, and failed asylum seekers who remain in the country due to deportation bans back to their country of origin will also not be eligible.
Additionally, the draft law will also facilitate the formal recognition of dual citizenship in Germany, meaning that applicants wishing to apply for German citizenship will no longer be required to relinquish their initial citizenship when obtaining a German passport.