Germany’s new immigration law, which makes it possible to obtain German citizenship in five years instead of eight and generally allows applicants to retain their citizenship of their country of origin, was long overdue, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“Germany has a historic opportunity as a successful immigration country,” Scholz said Monday during a naturalization ceremony in the port city of Bremen.
The reform would enable Germany to attract sufficient workers and remain a growth country in the future, he said.
The center-left coalition’s law, in force since June, allows citizenship after just three years of residence if the applicant can demonstrate exceptional integration achievements. These include good performance at school or work, language skills or volunteer work.
Scholz was pleased that more and more immigrants are applying for German passports. “Everyone who lives here permanently, works here and values and honors our democracy should be able to become a German citizen,” Scholz said as he congratulated 11 people from Guinea, Syria, Colombia, Jordan, Ethiopia, Mexico, Ghana, Russia and Ukraine who received their naturalization certificates during the ceremony at Bremen City Hall.
In Germany’s smallest state, the demand for German citizenship has increased sharply in recent times.
According to authorities, nearly 2,300 people applied for naturalization in 2020, compared to nearly 5,800 in 2023.
The new immigration law has increased interest even further: Bremen expects to receive around 10,000 applications this year.
