Germany’s Bundestag repealed the fast-track citizenship scheme, which allowed highly skilled immigrants to apply for citizenship after three years of residency, restoring the standard five-year residency requirement. The repeal, driven by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative government, reflects shifting political priorities around integration and migration despite demographic challenges.
Germany ends fast-track citizenship programme
As reported by Johannes Müller of Al Jazeera, on 8 October 2025, Germany’s Bundestag voted decisively to eliminate the rapid naturalisation route that had allowed foreign nationals demonstrating exceptional integration to apply for citizenship after just three years of residency, significantly shorter than the usual five years. The fast-track scheme, introduced in 2024 under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s administration, attracted fewer than 1,000 applicants by the time of repeal, prompting political reconsideration.
The repeal fulfilled a campaign promise by Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU) stated during parliamentary proceedings,
“A German passport should come as recognition of a successful integration journey, not as a pull for illegal immigration.”
His emphasis on citizenship as an earned reward reflected the conservative government’s position on upholding integration standards.
Political consensus on repeal
Jan Becker of Deutsche Welle noted the repeal received strong parliamentary backing, with 450 votes in favour, 134 against, and two abstentions. Support came predominantly from the ruling CDU/CSU coalition and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), while the Greens and Left Party opposed the move. The SPD justified support for repeal by highlighting the scheme’s minimal use, stressing that other 2024 citizenship reforms — including reducing residency from eight to five years and improving dual citizenship rules — remain intact, maintaining a degree of liberalisation.
This bipartisan support signals a clear political shift in Germany’s migration policy while attempting to balance integration concerns with demographic realities.
Background on the fast-track citizenship initiative
Introduced as part of wider citizenship law reforms in 2024, the fast-track naturalisation option was designed to attract highly skilled immigrants by shortening the residency requirement from five to three years for applicants who met rigorous criteria. These conditions included advanced German language proficiency, financial independence, and evidence of effective societal integration, as highlighted by DW’s reporting.
Despite these lofty goals, the programme saw limited uptake. Public broadcaster ARD reported immigration offices processed only a few hundred applications under this scheme, reflecting both limited awareness and possibly stringent eligibility criteria.
Impact and perspectives on repeal
Some critics voiced concern the abolition of the fast-track scheme could deter highly skilled labour needed in Germany, a country facing labour shortages and an ageing population. However, as Matthias Keller of Reuters explains, supporters stressed the importance of a longer assessment period to ensure successful integration and prevent any possible abuse of citizenship rights.
Christian Neumann of Envoy Global emphasised that the repeal did not undo other important citizenship reforms and that the standard five-year residency pathway remains unchanged, preserving a modernised but cautious naturalisation process.
Legal implementation and timeline
Lisa Hoffmann of iamexpat.de detailed that the repeal came into effect on 30 October 2025, removing the three-year citizenship application option for new applicants from that date onwards. Future applicants must now comply with the standard five-year residency rule without exception.
Fragomen, a global immigration consultancy, framed this legislative change as a reflection of Germany’s evolving political environment, with a conservative-led Bundestag prioritising integration standards amid concerns about migration pressures.
Ongoing citizenship reforms
The government has maintained other reforms introduced by the previous Scholz administration, including easier access to dual nationality and a reduction in the residency requirement from eight to five years for naturalisation. The Guardian reports these measures as part of a complex migration strategy seeking to balance openness for integration-minded immigrants with stricter controls.
The SPD reiterated that while the fast-track was abolished, the overall citizenship process remains streamlined and aims to support effective integration and recognition of diverse migrant contributions to German society.