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Germany to end three-year 'turbo track' for citizenship

Imogen Goodman
Imogen Goodman - news@thelocal.de
Germany to end three-year 'turbo track' for citizenship
A passport stands on a table in an apartment. Services offered by Pass[t] Genau may help some applicants to speed up the naturalisation process. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Hannes P Albert

In their new coalition pact unveiled on Wednesday, Germany's CDU/CSU and SPD say they will end the three-year track for citizenship applicants with special integration.

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According to CDU leader Friedrich Merz, the rapid path to citizenship will be scrapped by the incoming government. 

However, the five-year residence requirement - which was cut from the previous eight last year in June - will continue to remain in place.

"The so-called 'turbo naturalisation' after three years won't be taking place anymore," said Merz. "Naturalisation will only be possible after five years."

The three-year track for well-integrated migrants was introduced last year as part of a sweeping reform of Germany's citizenship rules.

It enables immigrants with at least C1 German and "special achievements" in work, education or society to apply for naturalisation after just three years in the country. 

Introduced by the former traffic-light coalition, the centre-right CDU and CSU have repeatedly slammed the policy as a "devaluation" of German ctizienship and argued that it allows people to naturalise before they have properly integrated.   

However, they appear to have folded to pressure from the SPD to keep the right to dual nationality in place. 

READ ALSO: Germany's dual citizenship law to remain under future CDU/SPD coalition

Meanwhile, foreigners who are married to German citizens will still be able to naturalise after three years of residence in the country, provided they have been married for at least two. 

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Tougher line on migration

In the run-up to the federal elections, Merz's conservatives put migration front and centre in their campaign, promising a major shift in the country's immigration policy. 

On Wednesday, the CDU leader said his government would "largely end irregular migration", promising tight border controls and a "repatriation offensive" targeting those in the country illegally.

"There will be controls at national borders and we will also turn away asylum seekers," he announced. 

However, the new coalition partners have also emphasised Germany's dire need to attract more skilled workers into the country. 

READ ALSO: Are signficantly more skilled workers moving to Germany?

To this end, the incoming government wants to set up a new 'Work and Stay Agency' that will support international residents looking to migrate into the labour market. 

It is unclear when the new agency will be established. 

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