Germany tightens migration and citizenship policy

2025-10-09 14:53:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government has made it a top priority to drastically curb irregular migration since taking office in May. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrint has also taken on the role of a driving force for faster implementation of stricter laws at European Union level that would allow for faster deportations of those who are not entitled to protection.

But it is not only potential future immigrants who are expected to face stricter measures, but also foreigners already living in Germany. The new CDU/CSU and SPD government included in its coalition agreement the abolition of the accelerated process for obtaining German citizenship that the previous government had approved only a year earlier. This law was supposed to allow applications for German citizenship after five years of regular residence, instead of eight, as was the case before.

The then government of Olaf Scholz believed that by facilitating naturalization, it would attract much-needed foreign experts. Obtaining citizenship was also made easier for first-generation members of so-called guest workers, who until then had been unable to obtain a German passport due to insufficient knowledge of the German language.

According to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrint, "turbo-naturalization" is the wrong path. According to him, the German passport should be at the end, not the beginning, of the integration process. Therefore, the abolition of the fast-track acquisition of German citizenship within three years is expected.

What are the reactions to the changes?
Opinions are divided. The President of the Council for Integration and Migration, Winfried Kluth, sees this step as reasonable, as it corrects the impression that German citizenship can be obtained very easily.

On the other hand, migration researcher Herbert Brieker from the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research warns that withdrawing the measure could reduce the interest of highly qualified people to come to Germany.

To apply for accelerated citizenship after three years, applicants must demonstrate special achievements in integration - for example at school, at work or through voluntary work. They must also be able to finance their own living expenses and those of their family and prove a higher level of German language skills.

For citizenship after five years, the requirements are lighter, for example in terms of language, but they still have to cover their living expenses and meet other conditions.

How many people were naturalized faster?
Reliable overall figures for Germany are not yet available. According to media surveys in the states and major cities, the figures are very low.

Although there was a record number of citizenship grants last year, some states reported only single-digit numbers of "turbo-naturalizations," others reported double-digit numbers, and only Berlin recorded triple-digit numbers. Overall, the share of rapid naturalizations was probably less than one percent.

But the media has also reported abuses. Another problem is that the application does not have to be submitted in person, but the entire process can also be completed online.

Reform of the EU asylum system
Another major project in the process of restricting migration is the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). This reform provides for the same procedures at the external borders of the European Union, with the aim of allowing migrants to be deported directly from there if necessary.

It also foresees the possibility of returning asylum seekers to so-called safe third countries, where their applications will then be examined. In addition, the so-called Dublin procedure, which determines which member state is responsible for processing asylum applications, should be changed. Many criticize the current system as inefficient. Member states have until June 2026 to implement the reform.

How does implementation look in Germany?
In early September, the German government began the process of reforming EU laws into German law. The government approved the draft law drafted by Interior Minister Dobrint, which must now enter into force.

However, Dobrint has repeatedly stressed that he does not want to stop there, but wants to strengthen the reform. He discussed this with some of his fellow EU ministers last Saturday in Munich, at the second extraordinary summit in just a few months.

One of the main themes is the so-called "connecting element": it stipulates that migrants must have some kind of connection with a third country to which they must return or where their asylum procedure will be carried out.

The CDU, CSU and SPD want to remove this requirement, according to the coalition agreement. Other EU member states are also advocating for this.

What is the situation at the European level?
The European Commission proposed in May that the connection of asylum seekers to third countries should no longer be mandatory. According to the proposal, simply passing through a "safe third country" could be sufficient.

In addition, migration agreements with other countries may allow deportation to the countries with which the agreement has been signed, provided that the examination of the asylum application is guaranteed.

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union still have to vote on these changes. The same applies to the new Common European Return System, which the Commission proposed in March to make deportations more efficient and faster./ DW