Germany has achieved a new milestone in 2024, recording its highest-ever number of new citizens in a single year. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 291,955 people were naturalised, marking a 46% increase from the previous year. This historic jump follows sweeping legal reforms aimed at making the path to citizenship more accessible for long-term residents.
What Drove the Surge?
The spike in naturalisations is largely attributed to nationals from Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Russia, and Afghanistan. Leading the numbers were 83,150 Syrians, accounting for nearly 28% of all new citizens. Significant increases were also observed among Turkish (22,525), Iraqi (13,545), Russian (12,980), and Afghan (10,085) nationals.
Among these groups, Russian nationals saw the most dramatic increase—more than six times the number recorded in 2023. Turkish naturalisations more than doubled, rising by nearly 11,800 people.
Notably, the data does not include a breakdown of Indian nationals, leaving unclear how many Indian-origin individuals were among the new citizens this year.
Reforms That Changed the Landscape
The unprecedented increase is tied directly to the Citizenship Law Modernisation Act, which came into effect on June 27, 2024. Key highlights of the reform include:
- Residency requirements reduced from eight years to five years, or three years for those with notable integration achievements.
- Dual nationality permitted in most cases, removing a long-standing barrier for many foreign residents.
- Broader eligibility led to more people qualifying under standard naturalisation rules rather than exceptional criteria.
These changes were aimed at better aligning German nationality law with the realities of a multicultural society, where many immigrants have deep-rooted ties to Germany but were previously excluded from citizenship due to legal restrictions.
Who Qualified and How?
A large majority of applicants—86%—were granted citizenship under Sections 10(1) and 10(2) of the German Nationality Act, which cover standard cases and family members of German citizens. Only 7% qualified under Section 10(3) for exceptional integration, a sharp drop from 22% in 2023. This shift reflects the broader access now available under the revised law.
In terms of naturalisation rates, stateless individuals led at 22%, followed by Syrians (9%), Iraqis (6%), and Russians (5%). Despite being one of Germany’s oldest and largest immigrant communities, only 2% of Turkish nationals in the country were naturalised in 2024.
How Long Do Immigrants Wait?
On average, immigrants waited 11.8 years before receiving citizenship. But this figure varied considerably:
- Syrians: 7.4 years
- Turkish nationals: 23.1 years
- Russians: 14.5 years
The shorter wait time for Syrians reflects both recent migration trends and proactive integration efforts, while the longer timelines for Turkish and Russian nationals point to structural and historical complexities in the German naturalisation system.
What It Means for the Future
This dramatic increase in citizenship reflects a pivotal shift in Germany’s approach to integration and diversity. The new laws signal a recognition of long-term migrants as integral parts of German society. With naturalisation made easier and dual citizenship permitted, the path is now clearer for millions more to officially become German.
While the data offers a sweeping overview of citizenship gains, the lack of specific numbers for Indian nationals leaves a gap in understanding the community’s role in this demographic shift. Nonetheless, the 2024 milestone is a strong indicator of changing times—and Germany’s commitment to evolving with them.
Source:https://trak.in/stories/germany-grants-citizenship-to-291955-migrants-in-12-months-under-new-laws/