Germany’s experimental ‘fast-track’ route to citizenship—often dubbed the ‘turbo’ or ‘rocket’ option—was switched off at midnight on 1 November 2025, closing a chapter that lasted barely 16 months.
The accelerated track had been introduced in June 2024 by the former “traffic-light” coalition as part of the biggest overhaul of Germany’s Nationality Act since 1999. Eligible foreigners who could prove exceptional integration—C-1 German, strong earnings or academic success, and community service—were allowed to naturalise after only three years of residence instead of the new standard of five. Fewer than 1,000 people filed under the scheme, according to interior-ministry data, and almost half of the applications were still pending when the new CDU/CSU-SPD coalition voted on 8 October to abolish the provision.
![Germany’s ‘Turbo’ Citizenship Track Officially Shut Down on 1 November 2025]()
Supporters of the repeal argued the three-year option undermined the value of citizenship and fuelled populist criticism that Germany was giving away passports “on the cheap.” The government insisted that keeping the five-year pathway and liberalised dual-citizenship rules strikes a better balance between attracting talent and ensuring long-term integration.
For employers running localisation-to-citizenship programmes, the key takeaway is that the five-year residency rule is now the fastest route available. HR teams should update timeline charts, onboarding materials and mobility budgets that assumed a three-year horizon. Individuals who filed before 30 October will still be processed under the old rule, but new filings after 1 November must demonstrate five full years of lawful residence.
Practical tip: companies sponsoring highly skilled staff should now focus on maintaining uninterrupted residence status—especially Blue Card holders relocating within the EU—so that the five-year clock is not reset. Dual citizenship remains possible, meaning staff do not have to renounce their original nationality when (and if) they qualify for a German passport.
The accelerated track had been introduced in June 2024 by the former “traffic-light” coalition as part of the biggest overhaul of Germany’s Nationality Act since 1999. Eligible foreigners who could prove exceptional integration—C-1 German, strong earnings or academic success, and community service—were allowed to naturalise after only three years of residence instead of the new standard of five. Fewer than 1,000 people filed under the scheme, according to interior-ministry data, and almost half of the applications were still pending when the new CDU/CSU-SPD coalition voted on 8 October to abolish the provision.
Supporters of the repeal argued the three-year option undermined the value of citizenship and fuelled populist criticism that Germany was giving away passports “on the cheap.” The government insisted that keeping the five-year pathway and liberalised dual-citizenship rules strikes a better balance between attracting talent and ensuring long-term integration.
For employers running localisation-to-citizenship programmes, the key takeaway is that the five-year residency rule is now the fastest route available. HR teams should update timeline charts, onboarding materials and mobility budgets that assumed a three-year horizon. Individuals who filed before 30 October will still be processed under the old rule, but new filings after 1 November must demonstrate five full years of lawful residence.
Practical tip: companies sponsoring highly skilled staff should now focus on maintaining uninterrupted residence status—especially Blue Card holders relocating within the EU—so that the five-year clock is not reset. Dual citizenship remains possible, meaning staff do not have to renounce their original nationality when (and if) they qualify for a German passport.
