Germany is reforming its citizenship law, streamlining the procedure to get German nationality. Dual citizenship will also become an option.

The German government has presented its new citizenship law this Wednesday (23.08.2023). The legislation proposed by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser will make dual citizenship easier as well as naturalization for non-EU citizens.<

The new citizenship plans boil down to these changes:

  • Immigrants legally living in Germany will be allowed to apply for citizenship after five years, rather than the current eight; and if they have special achievements this can go down to only three years

  • Children born in Germany of at least one parent who has been living legally in the country for five or more years will automatically get German citizenship;

  • Immigrants above the age of 67 will be able to do an oral instead of a written German language test

  • Multiple citizenships will be allowed

People living entirely on state support will not be eligible for German citizenship. German citizenship will be denied to people who have committed antisemitic, racist, xenophobic or other defamatory offenses that are seen to be “unreconcilable with commitment to the free democratic basic order.”

The new legislation will be debated in parliament and could come into effect in the fall.<

        • BadEngineering@kbin.social
          212·
          1 year ago

          That’s a really dumb reason. People can be 2 different things at once. My mom is Canadian born but my grandfather was in the US airforce. Bam instant dual citizenship.

          • Chariotwheel@kbin.social
            133·
            1 year ago

            There are.

            However, I am looking to the Turkish election and how many people with Turkish citienship living in European countries voted, because they benefit uniquely from the Erdogan result. They can earn regularly in Germany and then have much more spending power in Turkey while also not needing to live in the bad conditions that brings with it. So, they’re not really caring for how local projects do, because they don’t matter to them.

            This is not a shot against Turkey, it’s a shot against people being able to influence a country they’re not living in and them not being subjected to negative consequences locally.

            This is something that’s weighing on my mind. I am technically an immigrant as well (I was born in Germany, but not with German citizenship) and I keep thinking if it would even make sense for me to be able to influence a country I haven’t visited in 25 years.

            • TanakaAsuka@sh.itjust.works
              101·
              1 year ago

              OK and what are they? Having dual nationality makes it easier to travel. For example there are countries where travel or visiting for more than a short period is very difficult for non citizens, if you emigrate from said countries but you need to return for an extended period (such as family illness) you need to keep citizenship to be able to do so legally.

    • Nobsi@feddit.de
      183·
      1 year ago

      Can you give a reason that goes further than that of a 5 Year old?

      • mackpack@feddit.de
        21·
        1 year ago

        At least the current implementation of dual citizenship seems to only come with advantages, but not any drawbacks for the person holding the dual citizenship. And it that’s the case one must ask why Germany (or any country for that matter) is seemingly incentivizing people to acquire a dual citizenship.

        Also from what I understand dual citizenship essentially only comes with disadvantages to the country or countries permitting their citizens from holding dual citizenship. If that’s the case, why should a country allow its citizens to hold dual citizenship?

        I’d be really curious to hear why a country should allow dual citizenship outside of possible attracting a small number of people who would not attempt to acquire that country’s citizenship if it meant they’d have to renounce their previous citizenship.

        • gravitasium
          72·
          1 year ago

          Many dual citizens pay double taxes in some way or another.

          Also, some countries are vindictive towards those who renounce their citizenship and make it very hard for such persons to enter, which is a pretty big deal for anyone leaving friends and family behind.

          Other countries don’t allow for revoking citizenship whatsoever.

          One reason to allow dual citizenship is to encourage immigration, especially of in-demand professionals who would otherwise be quite deterred by a one way ticket.

        • Nobsi@feddit.de
          3·
          1 year ago

          This is just the 5 year old argument with more words.
          What’s the reason dual citicenship is bad?
          Its’s bad because they have one more citizenship? Why is it bad?

      • electrogamerman@feddit.de
        511·
        1 year ago

        Im not OP, but I read one reason the ither day that made sense to me.

        Those with double nationality will never fully commit to Germany, because if they fuck up, they can always go back to their og countries.

        In case contrary, if they had only german citizenship, then its commit or commit. I mean they can probably alwys go back to their og countries, but at least it would be not so easy without double citizenship.

        • Iam_Cat@feddit.de
          81·
          1 year ago

          What do you mean with “fuck up”?. Also, having only their original citizenship didn’t prevent them from leaving their original countries, why would having two have any effect on mobility? I think people are more likely to stay if they can participate in society (voting) than if they are feeling constantly as foreign.

          • electrogamerman@feddit.de
            14·
            1 year ago

            I think people are more likely to stay if they can participate in society (voting) than if they are feeling constantly as foreign.

            This has nothing to do with my reply.

        • gravitasium
          42·
          1 year ago

          I don’t agree with the thinking behind this, but note this cuts both ways - international agreements have many provisions to prevent statelessness.

          So the state can now strip a dual citizen of their German citizenship, whereas before once someone chose German citizenship both the state and person are stuck with each other.

        • Wirrvogel@feddit.deEnglish
          52·
          1 year ago

          No one “is” their citizenship or we would not have Reichsbürger that all have only one citizenship and shit on it.

          Also only naming Turkish people when it comes to dual citizenship but not having anything against, let’s say Americans with both says more about you than dual citizenship says about people who want it/already have it.

          And after Germany denying to be an immigration country for 80 years it is time that we as a country make clear “yes we want you as a citizen”. That many people haven’t committed to Germany, especially ones with Turkish roots stems a lot from us not having wanted them here for a very long time and expecting their parents or grand parents to go back. That’s why solely German speaking countries have the word “Gastarbeiter” (guest worker), there is no such word in other countries.

          That in Europe “immigrant” is such a bad word that some have invented the word “expat”, so they can live in a different country than they were born in and have citizenship in, but can distinguish themselves from pesky immigrants.

          I am very sure you have never talked to someone with dual citizenship, right? You just make up who they are and what they want and why they want dual citizenship in your mind. This is not the threat you think it is.