Foreigners would soon be able to obtain German citizenship much more easily - some even in three years. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has now confirmed that the reform, agreed in the coalition agreement, is progressing.
About nine million people who do not have German citizenship live in Germany. Many of them could already be naturalized if they wanted to, but others do not yet meet the requirements for a German passport.
The reform of the German Citizenship Law, agreed in the coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, went one step further. The draft law is "almost finished" and will soon be sent to other ministries, said a spokesman for federal interior minister Nancy Feser.
First of all, people who have been living in this country for many years should become German citizens more easily. Instead of eight years, as now, citizenship could be obtained already after five years of residence in Germany.
In the case of "special integration contributions", this should be possible even after three years - for example, if the immigrants have shown a special academic, professional or voluntary engagement or have a particularly good command of the language.
Children of foreigners born in Germany should be automatically entitled to German citizenship, if one of the parents has a "permanent residence address" in Germany for the past five years. Until now, that rule was valid only after eight years.
