• Germany amended its Citizenship Act on October 30, 2025, scrapping the three-year fast-track naturalisation option introduced in 2024
• All citizenship applicants must now live in Germany for at least five years before qualifying, with no exceptions for exceptional integration
• Chancellor Merz said Germany will make integration possible but also require it, pointing to language and shared values as key conditions

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Germany has abolished the fast-track route to citizenship that allowed some foreigners to naturalise after just three years of residence, replacing it with a uniform five-year minimum that applies to all applicants.

The Federal Cabinet approved the amendment to the Nationality Act, and the law took effect on October 30, 2025.

The change reverses a provision introduced under the 2024 citizenship reform, which had cut the standard residency requirement from eight years to five and created a shorter three-year pathway for people who demonstrated exceptional integration.

That shortened pathway no longer exists.

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What the new rules require

Under the revised law, every applicant must hold a valid residence permit and have lived in Germany for a minimum of five years before they can apply for citizenship. Meeting the residency threshold alone is not enough. Applicants must also show sufficient German language skills and prove they can support themselves financially without relying on state assistance.

The government said the changes are designed to reinforce the connection between naturalisation and sustainable integration, making it clear that citizenship reflects a genuine and lasting commitment to life in Germany rather than simply time spent in the country.

According to the European Commission's summary of the reform, the government wants naturalisation to be tied to proven linguistic, cultural, economic, and social engagement with German society.

Chancellor Merz on integration

Chancellor Friedrich Merz explained the thinking behind the reform in direct terms.

"We will make integration possible, but also require it. Because even and especially where people live together in freedom, there needs to be a common horizon of values and a common language," he said.

The government said the move is intended to strengthen social cohesion and set clearer expectations for immigrants seeking to become German citizens.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Germany had listed five jobs that are in high demand across the country.

Citizenship application fees for adults, children

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Germany had published the citizenship application fees for adults and children.

The fees are according to information published on the German government's official website.

The German government made clear that payment must be submitted to the relevant authority before an application can be processed.