Germany’s controversial “turbo citizenship” pathway, which allowed exceptionally well-integrated foreign residents to apply for a German passport after just three years, ended at midnight on 30 October 2025. The amendment – adopted by the Bundestag on 8 October and now in force – restores a uniform five-year minimum residence period for naturalisation. Although the fast-track scheme was only launched in June 2024, it attracted barely 1,000 applicants and became a political lightning-rod during February’s election campaign.
Background: The accelerated pathway was introduced by the previous Scholz government as part of a broader liberalisation that also reduced the standard residence requirement from eight to five years and lifted most restrictions on dual citizenship. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s incoming coalition argued, however, that the three-year option diverted scarce administrative resources and sent “the wrong incentive” at a time when irregular migration numbers were rising. Business associations had welcomed the faster route as a talent-retention tool, but critics claimed it created a two-tier system and was too complex to administer.
Practical impact: All pending fast-track applications that were not fully adjudicated by 30 October will be converted into regular five-year cases. Employers planning to use accelerated citizenship as part of international assignment packages must now revisit timelines for Germanisation benefits such as EU-wide mobility rights. Immigration counsel recommend updating relocation policies immediately and informing affected assignees of the longer horizon. Dual citizenship after five years remains possible, so global mobility teams should still highlight that advantage when recruiting talent.
Looking ahead: The Interior Ministry has pledged to clear the current 73,000-case naturalisation backlog within 18 months by redeploying staff and digitising workflows. It also confirmed that other elements of the 2024 reform – notably automatic citizenship for children born in Germany to long-term resident parents – remain untouched. Analysts expect naturalisation numbers to dip temporarily in 2026 before rebounding as five-year applicants from the large 2021-migration cohort become eligible.
For multinational companies, the message is clear: Germany is still on a liberalising trajectory overall, but the ultra-fast track is gone. Mobility managers should recalibrate assignment lengths, budget for extended residence-permit renewals, and adjust retention narratives accordingly.
Background: The accelerated pathway was introduced by the previous Scholz government as part of a broader liberalisation that also reduced the standard residence requirement from eight to five years and lifted most restrictions on dual citizenship. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s incoming coalition argued, however, that the three-year option diverted scarce administrative resources and sent “the wrong incentive” at a time when irregular migration numbers were rising. Business associations had welcomed the faster route as a talent-retention tool, but critics claimed it created a two-tier system and was too complex to administer.
Practical impact: All pending fast-track applications that were not fully adjudicated by 30 October will be converted into regular five-year cases. Employers planning to use accelerated citizenship as part of international assignment packages must now revisit timelines for Germanisation benefits such as EU-wide mobility rights. Immigration counsel recommend updating relocation policies immediately and informing affected assignees of the longer horizon. Dual citizenship after five years remains possible, so global mobility teams should still highlight that advantage when recruiting talent.
Looking ahead: The Interior Ministry has pledged to clear the current 73,000-case naturalisation backlog within 18 months by redeploying staff and digitising workflows. It also confirmed that other elements of the 2024 reform – notably automatic citizenship for children born in Germany to long-term resident parents – remain untouched. Analysts expect naturalisation numbers to dip temporarily in 2026 before rebounding as five-year applicants from the large 2021-migration cohort become eligible.
For multinational companies, the message is clear: Germany is still on a liberalising trajectory overall, but the ultra-fast track is gone. Mobility managers should recalibrate assignment lengths, budget for extended residence-permit renewals, and adjust retention narratives accordingly.
