Foreigners Face Extended Waits for German Citizenship Despite New Law

Despite the enactment of Germany’s new Citizenship Law on June 27, 2024, which was designed to streamline the process of naturalization, foreigners in Germany continue to experience prolonged waiting times.

According to Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), certain regions, such as Leipzig, report waiting periods that can extend to as long as 50 months—over four years—just to begin the naturalization application process.

Marc Elxnat, a representative of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, informed MDR that the demand for naturalization has risen considerably in recent months across both urban and rural areas. Elxnat noted that “while an average district in Germany used to handle about 250 applications a year, currently, the numbers reach 1,000 applications per year in some cases.”

Municipal Financial Constraints Add to Delays

Elxnat explained that Germany is making efforts to reduce these waiting periods, which can sometimes extend for multiple years. Measures include reallocating current staff and hiring additional employees to process the applications more quickly. However, he emphasized that “the municipal financial situation is, of course, such that we cannot hire unlimited staff. Of course, the municipal financial situation also means that we cannot employ unlimited staff.”

Further complicating the situation is the need for specialized training for the staff handling naturalization applications, as the new law has added complexities to the process. Elxnat acknowledged that this necessity further impacts the time it takes to address the rising volume of applications.

Record Number of Foreign Nationals Acquired German Citizenship in 2023

Interest in German citizenship remains high among foreign residents. Official data indicates that over 200,000 people were granted German citizenship in 2023 alone, marking the highest number since 2000. The largest groups among these new citizens were nationals of Syria, Iraq, Romania, and Afghanistan. According to a German government press release, “The high number of naturalisations of Syrians correlates with the high number of Syrian asylum seekers who migrated [to Germany] between 2014 and 2016.”

New Nationality Law Aims to Simplify Process

Germany’s new Nationality Law, introduced in June, seeks to make naturalization more accessible. Among other provisions, the updated law allows individuals to acquire German citizenship without initially renouncing their original nationality. Additionally, it aims to shorten the required residency period for citizenship eligibility to five years.

While the law’s intention is to facilitate citizenship for more residents, the surge in applications and limited municipal resources have created logistical challenges that continue to delay the process, leaving many applicants facing extended waiting times. 

By fLEXI tEAM