Changes to German nationality laws soon. What should you know?
Following the return of ministers from their summer break, Germany resumes its efforts to amend nationality laws. The proposed changes aim to streamline the procedures and requirements for obtaining German citizenship.
The new German nationality laws
- Citizenship Qualification: Current applicants for German citizenship are facing a dilemma. Despite the delays and bureaucratic hurdles, many of them prefer to wait until the new laws come into effect, allowing for the acquisition of multiple nationalities.
- Residence Duration: It is planned to reduce the required residence period from eight years to five years, thereby expanding the pool of eligible applicants.
- Legislation Voting: The draft nationality law has been published on the Ministry of Interior’s website, and it is anticipated to be voted on during the upcoming government meeting scheduled for either August 23rd or 30th.
- Parliamentary Approval: Following government approval, the draft law will be presented for a vote in the Bundestag, and voting is expected to commence on September 11th.
- Final Stage: After approval in the Bundestag, the law will be presented to the Bundesrat for the final vote. Expectations indicate that the final vote might take place on either September 29th or October 20th.
- Presidential Signature: Once the law is approved, it will be signed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
- Law Implementation: The law is expected to come into effect in the first quarter of 2024.
Finally, there are recommendations to wait until the amendments take effect before submitting citizenship applications, especially considering that some offices might require a significant amount of time to process the applications.
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