Germany Sets Citizenship Record for Fifth Straight Year

Germany Is Naturalising More People Than Ever Before — What Expats Need to Know

Germany has hit a new milestone in citizenship: preliminary data suggest that just under 310,000 people were granted German nationality in 2025, making it the fifth year running that the country has surpassed its own annual record. For the millions of international residents already living and working in Germany, this trend — and the political debate swirling around it — has direct consequences for their long-term plans.

A Decade of Rising Numbers, Driven by Two Key Shifts

The climb in naturalisations did not happen overnight. In 2020, around 128,900 people obtained German citizenship. Numbers dipped slightly the following year before rising sharply from 2022 onward. By 2023, more than 200,000 people had been naturalised in a single year, and the pace has continued to accelerate.

Two developments help explain the surge. First, a large cohort of Syrian nationals who arrived in Germany around 2015 became eligible for citizenship in 2023 after meeting what was then an eight-year residency requirement. Second — and arguably more significant for current and future applicants — the then-governing coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP overhauled Germany's citizenship law in 2024. That reform cut the standard residency requirement from eight years to five and opened up the right to hold dual nationality to people of all nationalities, not just EU citizens.

According to preliminary figures compiled by the newspaper Welt am Sonntag from naturalisation offices in 14 of Germany's 16 federal states, 309,852 people were naturalised in 2025, up from 291,955 the previous year. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) has not yet published official 2025 figures.

The Political Tug-of-War Over Citizenship Rules

The record numbers have reignited a sharp political debate. When the CDU/CSU won the 2025 federal election and entered a coalition with the SPD, the two parties agreed on a compromise: the core elements of the 2024 reform — including dual citizenship and the five-year residency path — would remain in place, but a "fast-track" route that allowed naturalisation after just three years for applicants demonstrating exceptional integration was scrapped in October 2025.

However, some CDU politicians are pushing to go further. Alexander Throm of the CDU has publicly called on his party to restore the original eight-year waiting period and to tighten the rules for people who came to Germany with protected status, such as recognised refugees. Under current rules, any person who has legally resided in Germany for five or more years — regardless of whether they hold a temporary or permanent residence permit — can apply for citizenship. Throm argues that time spent in Germany under a temporary protection status should not count toward the five-year threshold until a permanent residence permit is obtained.

Opponents of further restrictions disagree strongly. Clara Bünger, a Bundestag member for The Left Party, argued in comments to The Local that demanding longer waiting periods simply because more people are applying amounts to punishing a policy success with additional red tape. She contended that a longer waiting period does not strengthen integration — it simply prolongs inequality. A recent motion from the far-right AfD to roll back the 2024 reform entirely failed in the Bundestag after the governing CDU/CSU declined to support it.

What It Means for You

For expats living in Germany, the current rules represent a meaningful opportunity that did not exist just a few years ago. The five-year residency path and the right to retain your original passport are now established in law, and they survived the most recent round of coalition negotiations. However, the political climate makes it wise to act sooner rather than later if you are approaching eligibility.

If you arrived in Germany as a refugee or on a temporary protection status, you should pay close attention to how the debate over Schutzstatus and permanent residency develops. A change in that area could affect which years count toward your qualifying period.

For all other long-term residents: if you have lived in Germany legally for close to five years, it is worth starting to gather the necessary documents — language certificates, proof of financial self-sufficiency, clean criminal record — well in advance of your application, as naturalisation offices in many cities face significant backlogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep my original passport if I naturalise as a German citizen?

Yes, under the rules introduced in the 2024 reform and still in force today, dual citizenship is permitted for people of all nationalities, not only EU citizens. This means naturalising as German does not automatically require you to give up your existing passport.

How long do I need to live in Germany before I can apply for citizenship?

The standard requirement is five years of legal residence. Some specific circumstances — such as the now-abolished fast-track route — previously allowed shorter timelines, but that option is no longer available. The five-year rule applies regardless of whether you hold a temporary or permanent residence permit, though this aspect is currently subject to political debate for people with protected or refugee status.

Conclusion

Germany's fifth consecutive naturalisation record reflects both a structural shift in who is eligible and a genuine appetite among long-term residents to formalise their ties to the country. While the core rules put in place in 2024 remain intact for now, ongoing political pressure means the landscape could still evolve. Expats who are close to meeting the residency threshold have good reason to begin their preparations early and monitor legislative developments closely.

Source: iamexpat