Three-year fast-track citizenship abolished
Effective date: 30 October 2025 · Source: European Commission — Migration and Home Affairs ↗
Germany has scrapped the option to naturalise after just three years of residence. The standard minimum is back to five years — but dual citizenship and the reduced eight-to-five-year track stay in place.
What changed
The Bundestag voted on 8 October 2025 to remove § 10 Abs. 3 Satz 2 StAG (the three-year 'turbo' route for exceptional integration). The amendment entered into force on 30 October 2025. Applications that were explicitly based on the three-year rule are being put on hold or rejected.
Who is affected
- Highly integrated residents who hoped to naturalise after 3 years
- Anyone planning their German citizenship timeline
What to do
Plan for five years of qualifying residence. If you already applied under the three-year rule, seek legal advice — but expect the five-year threshold to apply at the time of decision. Everything else (B1 German, naturalisation test, secured livelihood, dual citizenship) is unchanged.
Affected guides
Last verified: 21 July 2026