Under certain conditions, Ukrainian refugees will be able to obtain a German passport as early as 2025.
The German parliament adopted a law to simplify the procedure for acquiring German citizenship. Thus, Berlin seeks to attract more legal immigrants to solve the problem of a shortage of qualified workers, writes the Financial Times.
Under the law, passed by a vote of 382 to 234, foreigners will be able to apply for citizenship after five years of legal residence in Germany. Until now, this required living in the country for eight years. And those who have made special efforts to integrate, such as learning German or volunteering, will be able to apply for citizenship in just three years.
This law also repeals the ban on dual citizenship for representatives of countries that are not members of the EU.
“We must make an offer to qualified people from all over the world, as the United States and Canada do. We must show our appreciation for the people who come to this country and contribute to the preservation of our society,” said Interior Secretary Nancy Feiser.
As the FT notes, the adoption of this law distinguishes Germany from other European countries, which, on the contrary, strengthen the naturalization criteria for foreigners. For example, the French parliament last month passed a law under which children born in France of immigrant parents will no longer automatically receive citizenship, but will have to apply for it at the age of 16-18.
True, at the same time as simplifying the procedure for acquiring citizenship, Germany also simplified the rules for the deportation of foreigners who are in the country illegally.
The most hospitable countries in the world
As wrote, Sweden is first on the list of European Union member countries where it is easiest to obtain citizenship. Next on the list of countries that most easily grant citizenship to people from non-EU countries are the Netherlands, Portugal and Iceland.
We also told you that New Zealand allowed Ukrainian refugees to stay forever. A temporary “Ukrainian” special visa can now be converted into a permanent residence permit.
