Berlin’s push to streamline citizenship processing is paying off: preliminary figures show between 39,000 and 39,500 people were naturalised in the capital in 2025, almost twice the 21,811 recorded in 2024 and more than four times the 9,000 granted in 2023.
The surge follows the January 2024 launch of the Landesamt für Einbürgerungen, a dedicated state citizenship office that replaced patchwork processing by Berlin’s 12 districts. Director Engelhard Mazanke credits digital workflows and weekend oath ceremonies for cutting average processing time from 24 to 12 months.
Naturalisation has become a cornerstone of Germany’s talent-retention strategy. Under amended nationality law, many applicants no longer need to renounce their original passport, and required length of residence will fall from eight to five years once the 2026 reform package passes the Bundesrat later this quarter.
![Berlin doubles naturalisations in 2025 after creation of one-stop citizenship agency]()
Whether you’re an individual applicant or an HR team shepherding staff toward German citizenship, VisaHQ can take the administrative weight off your shoulders. From checking eligibility and assembling documentation to booking appointments and tracking progress, the firm’s experts keep you ahead of shifting regulations—see the full suite of services at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
For employers, faster citizenship means easier global mobility: dual nationals can take on overseas assignments without jeopardising their right to live in Germany, and spouses of new Germans gain immediate access to the labour market.
Mazanke expects 2026 numbers to stabilise at 40,000 but warns that staffing levels must keep pace with demand. Companies sponsoring key employees for naturalisation should book test and oath appointments early, as prime slots fill months in advance.
The surge follows the January 2024 launch of the Landesamt für Einbürgerungen, a dedicated state citizenship office that replaced patchwork processing by Berlin’s 12 districts. Director Engelhard Mazanke credits digital workflows and weekend oath ceremonies for cutting average processing time from 24 to 12 months.
Naturalisation has become a cornerstone of Germany’s talent-retention strategy. Under amended nationality law, many applicants no longer need to renounce their original passport, and required length of residence will fall from eight to five years once the 2026 reform package passes the Bundesrat later this quarter.
Whether you’re an individual applicant or an HR team shepherding staff toward German citizenship, VisaHQ can take the administrative weight off your shoulders. From checking eligibility and assembling documentation to booking appointments and tracking progress, the firm’s experts keep you ahead of shifting regulations—see the full suite of services at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
For employers, faster citizenship means easier global mobility: dual nationals can take on overseas assignments without jeopardising their right to live in Germany, and spouses of new Germans gain immediate access to the labour market.
Mazanke expects 2026 numbers to stabilise at 40,000 but warns that staffing levels must keep pace with demand. Companies sponsoring key employees for naturalisation should book test and oath appointments early, as prime slots fill months in advance.
