Germany Abolishes Fast-Track Citizenship Procedure 0 75

On October 8, the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag, voted to abolish the fast-track naturalization procedure for foreigners that was introduced a year earlier. This was reported by Zeit.

"Instead of three years, individuals covered by this rule will now have to legally reside in Germany for at least five years before they can obtain a German passport," the report stated.

The initiative was supported by 450 Bundestag members. The mechanism of so-called "turbo naturalization" was introduced in June 2024 under the government of Olaf Scholz, and it was available to spouses of German citizens and individuals with outstanding achievements.

Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized in support of the initiative that obtaining citizenship should conclude the integration process, not initiate it. "By abolishing 'turbo naturalization,' we are sending a clear signal to the public... The German passport should be a recognition of successful integration, not an incentive for illegal migration," the politician said.