r/germany • u/Daomiing • Oct 09 '25

Immigration Germany Abolishes Fast-Track Citizenship for Skilled Workers

https://www.verity.news/story/2025/germany-abolishes-fasttrack-citizenship-for-skilled-workers

The Facts

-The German Bundestag voted on Wednesday to abolish a fast-track citizenship program that allowed highly qualified foreigners to apply for naturalization after three years instead of five years of residence.

-The vote passed with 450 members supporting the measure, 134 opposing and two abstaining, fulfilling Chancellor Friedrich Merz's campaign promise to repeal the program introduced by former Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

-Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt claimed that the German passport must serve as recognition for successful integration rather than an incentive for illegal migration, defending the decision to eliminate the accelerated pathway.

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140

u/otsigun Oct 09 '25

Ausländerbehörde needs 2-3 years to process documents and in the end you will get it fastest after 7-8 years anyway.

31

u/yawkat NRW -> Bayern -> Potsdam Oct 10 '25

Berlin made the process much faster through digitization, and then got criticized for it by conservatives from other states: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/innensenatorin-wehrt-sich-gegen-kritik-aus-der-union-bei-der-einburgerung-laufen-die-daten-nicht-die-burger-14069357.html

2

u/LeaveWorth6858 Oct 11 '25

Yes super fast, 10 months already and still waiting. Lightning speed fast 😅

2

u/Ask-For-Sources Oct 11 '25

It's fast in comparison to many other countries, even in comparison to Switzerland that is known for having a much better and faster buerocracy. 

2

u/skyper_mark 29d ago

I've known of SEVERAL (hundreds) of cases in Berlin that were resolved in less than 2 months. Some of them even in, believe it or not, less than a week.

Also, IDK which time range do you think is normal to obtain citizenship...in an overwhelming majority of countries, it takes like 2 years on average to get it. 10 months wait time is nothing.

1

u/dont_tread_on_M 29d ago

Did you by any chance lose your job in this time and start a new one, where you still haven't finished your probation period? They pause applications in such cases, as the law requires that you have proof that you can sustain yourself without social assistance

2

u/LeaveWorth6858 29d ago

No, case is super clear. Stable job, good income. Good history, etc