The German Federal Statistical Office announced an increase in the number of Syrians obtaining German citizenship.

Today, Tuesday, May 28, Reuters quoted the office as saying that 200,100 people obtained German citizenship in 2023, with Syrians comprising 38% of that number.

This percentage and the number of naturalized individuals indicate an “unprecedented” increase since records began in 2000, according to Reuters.

The naturalization processes are linked to the influx of Syrian asylum seekers between 2014 and 2016.

The agency quoted economists saying that integrating younger refugees and migrants into German society helps address the issue of population aging and its impact on the German economy.

Syrians acquired German citizenship after meeting naturalization requirements, including language skills and a minimum period of residence.

On May 21, a statistic from the statistical office in the states of Brandenburg and Berlin revealed an increase in the number of Syrians who obtained German citizenship in the two states.

According to the figures released by the statistical offices in the two states, the number of Syrians who obtained German citizenship in Brandenburg in 2023 reached 2,488 people, nearly double the number of naturalized individuals from the previous year.

In Berlin, the number of people obtaining German citizenship increased slightly with an additional 166 people compared to 2022, with 9,041 Syrians obtaining German citizenship in 2023, reflecting a 1.9% increase. Syrians constituted the largest group of naturalized individuals in both states during the year.

German citizenship

On January 19, the German Bundestag adopted a law that relaxes and simplifies the conditions for obtaining German citizenship after being voted on by Bundestag members, with a majority of 382 votes in favor, 234 against, and 23 abstentions.

It is now possible to apply for German citizenship after five years of residence instead of eight years. The law also allows more people to obtain dual citizenship.

Except in certain cases, when applying for citizenship, the person must support themselves and their dependents without relying on social assistance (SGB XII) or basic jobseekers’ allowance (SGB II).

The naturalization law excludes individuals in polygamous marriages or those who exhibit behaviors that disregard gender equality rights enshrined in the Basic Law. One of the fundamental conditions for obtaining German citizenship is adherence to the free democratic basic order stipulated in the law.

On March 26, the German authorities decided to review the procedures for granting citizenship to new citizens and to add questions related to Israel, according to what the German newspaper Der Spiegel reported from German Interior Minister German Bundestag.