German naturalisations 2025: a record 332,500, and what it means for you
Redaktion · 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
In short
In 2025, 332,500 people became German citizens, 14 percent more than in 2024 and more than ever since statistics began in 2000. There were 467,400 applications and 371,100 completed procedures. On average, those naturalised had lived in Germany for 12.4 years. Only about 1,500 people still used the shortened route.
The 2025 figures
| 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Naturalisations | 332,500 (2024: 292,000, up 14%) |
| New applications | 467,400 |
| Completed procedures | 371,100: 90% naturalised, 5% withdrawn, 3% rejected |
| Average length of residence | 12.4 years (2024: 11.8) |
| Most common former nationality | Syrian: 65,600 (20%) |
| Next | Turkish: 34,100 (10%), Russian: 19,700 (6%), both up 51% |
| Shortened naturalisation | about 1,500 people, under 1% |
Why so many?
The Federal Statistical Office names the 2024 reform of nationality law as one reason: since then you may keep your previous citizenship. Naturalisations of people with Turkish and Russian nationality each rose by more than half. On average they had lived in Germany for a long time: 24.1 years for those with Turkish nationality, 14.1 years for Russian.
More applications than decisions
In 2025, 467,400 new applications came in, while 371,100 procedures were completed. So clearly more applications were filed than decided. For you this means: expect a wait, and submit a complete application. A missing language certificate or citizenship test delays the procedure further.
The shortcut hardly matters any more
Only about 1,500 people, under 1 percent, were naturalised after a shortened residence period in 2025. Naturalisation after three years was abolished altogether on 30 October 2025. For almost everyone the path is five years' residence, B1 and the citizenship test; details are in German citizenship requirements 2026.
What you can do now
- Gather documents early. With this many applications, a complete file helps most.
- Prove B1. Which certificates count and how many DTZ points you need: German B1 test for citizenship.
- Pass the citizenship test. 17 of 33 questions must be correct. Practise with the official catalogue questions and your federal state: citizenship test.
- Check the exemptions. If illness, age or real effort without success stand in the way of B1, see German citizenship without B1.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were naturalised in Germany in 2025?
332,500 according to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office, 14 percent more than in 2024 and more than ever since statistics began in 2000.
How long had naturalised people lived in Germany on average?
12.4 years in 2025. Those with Syrian nationality 7.9 years, those with Turkish nationality 24.1 years.
How many citizenship applications were there in 2025?
467,400 new applications. 371,100 procedures were completed, 90 percent of them with naturalisation.
Sources
- Federal Statistical Office (Destatis): 332,500 naturalisations in 2025, press release no. 186 of 3 June 2026, checked 9 October 2026
- asyl.net: changes to the Nationality Act in force on 30.10.2025, checked 9 October 2026
