Hamburg Sees Surge in Naturalisation Applications Following New German Citizenship Law

Nearly 6,000 naturalisation applications have been submitted in Hamburg, Germany, since the country’s new naturalisation law came into effect on June 27, according to a spokesman for the Office for Migration. This represents double the number of applications compared to the same period last year.

The number of naturalisation applications, along with actual naturalisations, has been steadily increasing in recent years. In Hamburg, 6,268 applications were recorded in 2020, but by mid-September this year, that figure had jumped to approximately 13,658. The Office for Migration revealed that naturalisations in the city also grew significantly, rising from 4,500 in 2020 to 7,537 by 2023, with the number already reaching 6,281 by mid-September this year.

The main countries of origin for applicants include Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Türkiye.

To manage the rising volume of naturalisation applications, the Office for Migration has deployed additional staff. Additionally, applicants in Hamburg now have the option to submit their naturalisation applications online, along with the required documents. A spokesman for the Office for Migration explained the benefits of this digitalisation:

"Due to the extensive digitalisation of the naturalisation process, ideally only one trip to the office is required – namely to personally hand over the naturalisation certificate."

New Law Simplifies Path to German Citizenship

Germany’s government introduced a new citizenship law on June 27, 2024, aimed at making the acquisition of German nationality easier. The *Act to Modernise Nationality Law* now allows German citizens to apply for foreign nationality without the need to renounce their German citizenship, and it also reduces the residency period requirement for naturalisation to five years.

Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser emphasized the significance of the new law, stating:

"Anyone who shares our values and makes an effort can now get a German passport more quickly and no longer has to give up part of their identity by giving up their old nationality. But we have also made it just as clear: anyone who does not share our values cannot get a German passport."

Record High Number of Naturalisations Since 2000

Government statistics have revealed that last year, Germany naturalised a record 200,100 people, the highest number in a single year since 2000. These figures were published in May, just before the new citizenship law was introduced. The majority of those naturalised were nationals from Syria, Iraq, Romania, and Afghanistan.

By fLEXI tEAM