According to preliminary figures released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 332,500 foreigners acquired German citizenship in 2025. This represents an increase of 14 percent, or 40,500 people, compared to the previous year, where 292,000 naturalizations were granted. This marks the fifth consecutive year of increasing numbers of naturalizations. Furthermore, more than 300,000 people have never been naturalized within a single year since the statistics began in 2000.
Syrian nationals were, as they have been since 2021, the most frequent group to acquire German citizenship in 2025; one in five naturalized individuals (20 percent or 65,600) previously held Syrian citizenship. However, the number of naturalized Syrians decreased by 21 percent compared to 2024 (83,200 naturalizations).
Turkish nationals followed in 2025, significantly behind Syrians (10 percent or 34,100), along with Russian nationals (6 percent or 19,700). Despite the lower proportion, the numbers for both Turkish and Russian citizens rose by more than half compared to the previous year (each increasing by 51 percent). Notable strong growth in comparison to 2024 was also seen among citizens of Bosnia (+126 percent on 8,800), the United States (+100 percent on 6,600), and Albania (+97 percent on 6,100).
In terms of types of naturalization, regular naturalization (Regelfalleinbürgerungen) was the most common form in 2025, accounting for 72 percent. This type typically requires a minimum residence period of five years. Marriage and parent-child naturalization also constituted a significant portion at 19 percent. Together, these two forms accounted for 91 percent of all naturalizations, up from 86 percent in 2024.
The third most common type was rehabilitation naturalization (Wiedergutmachungsfälle), involving individuals who were stripped of their citizenship during the National Socialist period, as well as their descendants. This number increased by 61 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 12,000, which corresponds to 4 percent of all naturalizations in 2025.
In 2025, 1,500 people achieved citizenship with a reduced minimum residence time due to special integration achievements-a fraction of one percent of the total. This is a considerable drop from the seven percent share (19,100 people) recorded in 2024. This decline is attributed to changes in the law. Under the Modernization of Nationality Law (StARModG), the required minimum residency for naturalization with special integration services could be reduced to as little as three years starting at the end of June 2024. This specific provision was subsequently removed from the Nationality Act by another legislative change at the end of October 2025.
Statisticians noted that the average residency period at the time of naturalization in 2025 was 12.4 years (up from 11.8 years in 2024). For individuals with Syrian citizenship, the average stay in Germany before naturalization was 7.9 years (up from 7.4 years in 2024). In contrast, the average residency time for individuals with Turkish and Russian citizenship was notably higher: 24.1 years and 14.1 years, respectively (compared to 23.1 years and 14.5 years in 2024). This trend continues a pattern observed in previous years, indicating that Syrian citizens often seek naturalization as soon as they meet the formal requirements.
The rise in naturalizations for Turkish and Russian citizens is likely linked to the new regulation under StARModG, which allows people to retain their previous citizenship while acquiring German citizenship. Previously, the principle of avoiding multiple nationalities was generally applied, meaning individuals could only retain their former citizenship if, for instance, the foreign state did not permit renunciation or if the person held a citizenship of an EU or Swiss member state.
For the year 2025, a total of 467,400 naturalization applications were recorded, according to preliminary findings. Among the newly submitted applications, individuals from Syria represented the largest group at 15 percent (69,700 applicants), matching their proportion in successful naturalizations. Turkish (11 percent or 53,300 applications) and Russian (5 percent or 24,100 applications) nationals also followed in this ranking.
Finally, out of the 371,100 naturalization procedures completed in 2025, preliminary results show that 90 percent were successfully concluded. In five percent of cases, applicants withdrew their applications. Furthermore, only about three percent of proceedings were rejected, while approximately three percent ended for other reasons, such as the applicant’s death or relocation abroad.
