German government wants to make it easier to obtain citizenship
A new German government bill aims to reform the current regulations on obtaining citizenship to facilitate the process and attract skilled workers
The German Government approved this Wednesday a legal reform that facilitates obtaining German citizenship for immigrants who are integrated in the country and at the same time seeks to increase the arrival of foreign qualified workers.
The law not only lowers the requirements to become a German citizen, but also allows for multiple nationality. However, naturalization will continue to be subject to economic and democratic integration requirements.
“We want people who have been part of our society for a long time to be able to help shape our country democratically,” said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, the Social Democrat. “Because our democracy thrives on everyone’s participation.”
At the same time, he said, the reform strengthens competitiveness. “We will only attract the best brains in the world if in the near future they can be fully integrated into our society, with all democratic rights.”
Currently, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, 14 % of the inhabitants of Germany do not have a German passport, just over twelve million. This includes around 5.3 million who have lived in Germany for at least ten years. Faeser sees in this a problem of participation: “If a part of the population that has its home and is rooted here cannot participate in the political decision-making processes, then that is not good for our democracy.”
Immigrants with more than five years of residence in Germany benefit from the reform of the law
Under this reform, immigrants will be able to acquire citizenship after five years of residence in Germany. Until now, they had to live in the country for eight years. If they do well at school or at work, they are fluent in the language or have done volunteer work, naturalization should be possible after just three years.
Whoever wants to become a national must at the same time commit to the values of a free society. Therefore, people who have committed crimes for anti-Semitic or racist reasons are expressly excluded. A prerequisite is also being able to earn a living without receiving social benefits. Also, anyone who wants a German passport will not necessarily have to give up their old one in the future. The so-called multiple nationality will be allowed in the case integration and knowledge of German is proven.
All children born in Germany to foreign parents may receive a German passport if at least one parent has legally lived in Germany for more than five years. Until now, a limit of eight years was applied. In addition, children may retain the nationality of their parents. The rules for people who came to Germany as workers up to the 1970s or as contract workers in the GDR up to 1990 are also going to be simplified.
Following the decision of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet, the bill will be referred to the Bundestag, the lower house of Parliament, without whose consent it cannot enter into force. Faeser said that in the best of cases, the reform could enter into force in January 2024.
Source: dpa
(Reference image source: Annika Wischnewsky, Unsplash)
Visit our news channel on Google News and follow us to get accurate, interesting information and stay up to date with everything. You can also see our daily content on Twitter and Instagram
