What will change with the new law?
When the reform comes into force, the regulation according to which particularly well-integrated migrants can be naturalized after just three years of residence will no longer apply.
From now on, the five-year deadline applies again for everyone. This means that
- Naturalization is only possible after five years of legal residence.
- Dual citizenship remains permitted.
- There are no transitional regulations for current applications.
This means that applications submitted under the old three-year rule(Naturalization) will also be assessed according to the new legal situation in future. Anyone who has not yet met the five-year deadline must expect their application to be rejected.
Why was Naturalization naturalization abolished?
The German government states that Naturalization should only take place once integration has been truly successful - i.e. not at the beginning, but at the end of the integration process. Three years is too short to settle in Germany permanently, to master the language confidently and to fully internalize the values of society.
Another reason is the so-called "distance requirement". This states that there must be a clear time gap between a permanent residence permit (Settlement permit) and citizenship.
A Settlement permit is usually only issued after five years and under certain conditions - for example, with 60 months of pension contributions. However, according to the government, anyone who was able to obtain a German passport after just three years had more rights too quickly than someone with permanent residency.
The new law is intended to correct this imbalance.
Background: How did Naturalization naturalization come about?
Naturalization naturalization was part of the major reform of citizenship law in 2024, which was decided by the then traffic light government. The aim was to facilitateNaturalization and enable particularly committed and well-integrated people to obtain a German passport more quickly.
The requirements for Naturalization after three years were:
- Three years of legal residence in Germany
- Very good knowledge of German (C1 level)
- Exceptional integration achievements, such as professional/school success or many years of voluntary work
- All other requirements that apply to regular naturalization.
With this regulation, the government at the time wanted to show that integration is worthwhile and can be accelerated through special services.
However, shortly after the change of government at the beginning of 2025 , Naturalization came under fire. The new CDU/CSU and SPD government deemed the three-year period to be too short and decided to abolish it.
Conclusion
When the new law comes into force , the standard five-year period for all naturalizations will apply again. Dual citizenship remains permitted, only the special regulation for particularly well-integrated persons no longer applies.
For current applications, this means that they will be reviewed in accordance with the new legal situation with immediate effect. Anyone who has not yet fulfilled the required five years must expect a rejection.
