The German government is set to abolish its recently introduced three-year fast-track citizenship programme for skilled migrants, a major reform that had only come into effect in June 2024. The move follows sustained criticism from conservative parties who labelled the scheme “turbo naturalisation.”
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The programme had allowed highly integrated migrants—those who achieved C1-level proficiency in the German language and demonstrated voluntary service or notable societal contributions—to apply for German citizenship after just three years of residency. This was a significant reduction from the previous minimum requirement of eight years, later shortened to five.
However, the centre-right CDU and CSU parties have consistently opposed the fast-track rule, arguing that three years is not enough time to earn German nationality.
While the government plans to repeal the three-year path, it is likely to shelve a more controversial proposal: revoking German citizenship from dual nationals involved in terrorism, antisemitism, or extremist activities. Critics have warned such measures risk disproportionately targeting foreigners and new citizens.
Since June 2024, Germany has permitted dual citizenship for the first time, allowing migrants to retain their original nationality when becoming German—a reversal of decades-long policy.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a key proponent of the liberalised naturalisation reforms, defended the broader changes, saying:
“Finally, we recognize the life stories and achievements of many people in our country who immigrated a long time ago and have helped our country to move forward. The message is very clear: You belong to Germany!”
The shift in naturalisation policies has led to a significant increase in new German citizens. According to Destatis, Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, 200,095 people were naturalised in 2023—an all-time high.
- Syrian nationals topped the list, with 75,485 gaining citizenship, representing 37.7% of all new naturalisations.
- Turkish and Iraqi nationals followed, with 10,735 and 10,710 new citizens respectively.
- 13,235 of the new citizens were formerly citizens of African nations, with Moroccans leading that group.
- 58,165 came from EU countries, while 26,855 had previously held citizenship from other European nations, notably Kosovo.
The German government’s reversal on the fast-track scheme marks a recalibration of its migration and integration strategy, balancing growing naturalisation numbers with political pressures around national identity, security, and social cohesion.
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