The path to the German passport is expected to be simpler

2023-08-23 18:31:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The German federal government will implement two reforms. In this context, obtaining citizenship will be facilitated. In addition, the change of gender and name in the passport will be simplified.

With the reform of the citizenship law, the federal government wants to shorten the waiting period before obtaining citizenship. In the future, this will only be possible after five years, compared to the current eight years. Dual citizenship will also be possible in the future. Until now, in principle, you have to give up your citizenship before you can get German citizenship.

Obtaining German citizenship is expressly excluded for persons who have committed criminal offenses for anti-Semitic or racist motives. People who came to Germany in the 1970s as guest workers or to the GDR until 1990 as contract workers will be subject to lower language requirements. They also won't have to pass a citizenship test.

Faeser: Contribution to competitiveness

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) sees the planned simplification of citizenship rules as a contribution to increasing Germany's competitive power. "We are in the midst of a global race to attract the best talent," Faeser said. "But we will only get the best minds if they can become a full part of our society in the near future," she added.

The path to the German passport is expected to be simpler

Faeser: So far the quota for obtaining German citizenship is below average

Sipas të dhënave nga ministria e saj, deri tani rreth 14 për qind e popullsisë nuk ka pasaportë gjermane - pak më shumë se dymbëdhjetë milionë njerëz. Prej tyre, rreth 5.3 milionë kanë jetuar në Gjermani për të paktën dhjetë vjet. Edhe kjo tregon se ligji i shtetësisë duhet të modernizohet, shpjegoi Faeser. Në vitin 2022, për pasaportë gjermane aplikuan 168.545 persona, shifër që përfaqëson vetëm 3.1 për qind të shtetasve të huaj që kanë jetuar këtu për të paktën dhjetë vjet. Krahasuar me Bashkimin Evropian, kuota e marrjes së nënshtetësisë gjermane është nën mesataren.

Më pak pengesa për ndryshimin e gjinisë në pasaportë

The federal cabinet also wants to implement the so-called self-determination law. In the future, everyone in Germany will be able to determine their own gender and name and change them through a simple procedure at the civil registry office.

According to the Ministry of Family and Justice, the law applies to transgender, intersex and non-binary people. The self-determination law is criticized from time to time, especially by the CDU/CSU and the AfD.

Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) considered the bill a success of the ruling tripartite coalition and defended it against suspicion. He told the Berlin newspaper "Tagesspiegel" that the reform is about the freedom and dignity of transgender people. The state should no longer treat them as "sick"./DW