The number of people acquiring German citizenship has reached a record high.

VTV.vn - In 2025, Germany is expected to record the highest number of people granted citizenship in the past 25 years.

(Photo: DW)

According to figures published by the weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag on May 23, at least 309,852 people were officially granted German passports in 2025, surpassing the 291,955 cases of the previous year and the highest number since the country began compiling naturalization data in 2000.

The data above was compiled from 14 of Germany's 16 states. The two eastern states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt have not yet released official figures, while Lower Saxony, Saarland, and Schleswig-Holstein have only provided preliminary data.

Experts believe that the sharp increase in the number of people acquiring German citizenship is mainly due to the fact that many migrants who arrived in the country during 2015-2016 have now met the minimum residency requirements under the new regulations. This was the period when Germany received a large number of refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, amidst the migration crisis in Europe.

One of the key factors driving this trend is Germany's amendment to its Citizenship Act, which officially came into effect in mid-2024. Under the new regulations, the mandatory residency period required to obtain citizenship has been shortened from eight years to five years. At the same time, Berlin also allows foreigners to essentially retain their original citizenship upon becoming German citizens, instead of being forced to renounce their previous citizenship as was previously the case.

These reforms are seen by the German federal government as aiming to increase the country's attractiveness to skilled workers, while also facilitating social integration for immigrant communities.

According to 2024 statistics, approximately 28% of those granted German citizenship are of Syrian origin, followed by Turkish citizens. These are also the two largest foreign communities in Germany today.

New regulations enacted in 2024 have made it easier for immigrants to obtain German citizenship. (Photo: Lutz P. Kayser/picture alliance)

However, the rate of increase in citizenship applications in 2025 has slowed significantly compared to the previous year. While 2024 saw a 46% increase compared to 2023, the increase in 2025 is only about 6%. Some localities report a slight decrease in the number of new citizenship applications. Nevertheless, German officials predict this trend may reverse in the near future as more Ukrainian refugees become eligible to apply for citizenship.

According to representatives of the Aurich regional government in northern Germany, the first wave of Ukrainians arriving in Germany after the conflict broke out in early 2022 will reach their five-year residency requirement by spring 2027. With the European Union's temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainian refugees set to expire in March 2027, many are likely to choose to apply for German citizenship to secure long-term legal status.

German officials believe that Ukrainian refugees currently enjoy more advantages compared to the wave of refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries in 2015-2016. Accordingly, Ukrainian citizens are allowed to enter the labor market almost immediately and enjoy full legal residency status under the EU protection mechanism.

However, experts also note that being granted temporary protection status does not automatically guarantee German citizenship. Applicants must still meet all the requirements regarding residency time, financial capacity, language proficiency, and level of social integration as stipulated by German law.

The sharp increase in the number of people acquiring German citizenship continues to fuel debates within Germany regarding immigration policy, social integration, and labor needs, as Europe's largest economy faces an aging population and a shortage of skilled labor.

While center-left parties and businesses advocate for easing citizenship requirements to attract international talent, many conservative and right-wing forces have expressed concerns about the increasing rate of immigration and the ability of foreigners to integrate into German society.

Despite differing opinions, the German federal government has stated that it will continue to maintain the citizenship reforms already approved, viewing them as part of a long-term strategy to modernize immigration policy and increase the competitiveness of the German economy in the context of increasing globalization and demographic changes.

Source: https://vtv.vn/so-nguoi-nhap-quoc-tich-duc-dat-muc-cao-ky-luc-100260525174947881.htm