Like other foreign nationals, refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection can apply for German citizenship subject to a number of conditions. Most of these conditions apply to all foreign nationals who wish to become German citizens:
- Residency condition:
- Until 26 June 2024, applicants had to have stayed legally in Germany for 8 years without interruptions. The duration of a former asylum procedure could be included in this waiting period if the applicants had been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection status. The residence period could be reduced to 7 years if applicants had attended an integration course successfully, and it could be reduced to 6 years if applicants had integrated particularly well into society, which was the case if the applicant’s level of German exceeded the B1 certificate, if the applicant had obtained outstanding educational or professional degrees in Germany or if the applicant was involved in voluntary work in Germany;[1]
- On 27 June 2024, the Act to Modernise Nationality Law (Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts) entered into force. To apply for German citizenship, applicants now only need to have been legally ordinarily residing in Germany for five years instead of 8 years. This period can be further reduced to 3 years in cases of exceptional integration, such as achieving a German proficiency level of C1 or higher, obtaining outstanding educational or professional qualifications in Germany, or engaging in significant voluntary work. The duration of a former asylum procedure continues to count toward this waiting period if applicants have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection.[2]
- Applicants must be able to cover the cost of living for themselves and their families;
- Applicants must have sufficient German language skills (level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);
- Applicants must pass a ‘naturalisation test’ to prove that they have sufficient knowledge of Germany’s legal and social system, as well as living conditions in Germany; and
- Applicants must not have committed criminal offences. All actions and omissions which are sanctioned by the German Criminal Code are considered grounds for denial if the person has been convicted. Some minor criminal charges might under certain circumstances not be held against the applicant for naturalisation.[3] Criminal offences that have been committed abroad are also considered if the action or omission is equally sanctioned in the German Criminal Code and if the verdict was reached by due process and if the charges of the foreign country are proportionate.[4]
Already prior to the modernisation of the citizenship law, refugees (specifically, any person that has a travel document in accordance with Article 28 of the Agreement of July 28, 1951 on the Legal Status of Refugees) were, in contrast to other foreign nationals, not required to give up their former nationality.[5] Since 27 June 2024, dual citizenship is now generally permitted, meaning applicants are no longer required to renounce their previous nationality when becoming German citizens.
Fees for naturalisation are € 255 for an adult person and € 51 for children (if together with a parent).[6]
In 2023 200,095 persons received German citizenship compared to 168,775 in 2022,[7] but available statistics do not differentiate between residence and/or protection statuses.[8] While 2023 marked a 19% increase compared to the previous year and the highest number recorded since 2000, preliminary figures from individual federal states indicate a continued upward trend for 2024. This trend suggests that the total number of naturalisations in Germany in 2024 will likely exceed that of the previous year. The number of former Syrian nationals among the persons granted citizenship in 2023 was 75,485 (a 56% increase compared to 2022) which might stem from the fact that those who fled the Syrian war in 2015 or 2016 now fulfil the criteria of 6 or more years of legal stay in Germany. The number of naturalisations of Ukrainian nationals increased by 300 (+6%) in 2023, reaching 5,900. This follows a near-tripling from 1,900 to 5,600 between 2021 and 2022 in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine. In 2023, Ukrainian naturalisations accounted for 3% of all naturalisations in Germany. 10,735 Turkish, 10,710 Iraqi, 2,575 Romanian and 6,520 Afghan nationals were naturalised in 2023.
[1] Section 10 (3) Nationality Act.
[2] Federal Government, ‘Schnellere Einbürgerungen unter strengeren Voraussetzungen‘, 27 June 2024, available in German here.
[3] Section 12a (1) Nationality Act.
[4] Hailbronner et al., Staatsangehörigkeitsrecht, Beckscher Kurz-Kommentar, 7th Edition, 2022, Section 10 Nationality Act, para. 108f.
[5] Section 12 (1)(Nr. 6) Nationality Act.
[6] Section 38 Nationality Act.
[7] Information provided by the BAMF, 10 May 2024.
[8] Federal Statistical Office, ‘200 100 Einbürgerungen im Jahr 2023’, 28 May 2024, available in German here.