Dual Citizenship in Germany: What Changed in 2024

For years, getting a German passport meant giving up your old one. Almost no exceptions. That changed in June 2024. Germany now generally allows multiple citizenship.

This is the biggest reform to German nationality law in decades. Here is what changed — and what it means for you.

The Core Change: Multiple Citizenship Is Now Allowed

The revised Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, StAG) took effect on June 27, 2024. The key change: you no longer have to give up your original citizenship to become German (§ 10 StAG).

Before 2024, Germany required you to renounce your old passport in most cases. There were narrow exceptions, but not many. Now the default is reversed. You can become German and remain, for example, Turkish, Italian, or Vietnamese at the same time.

Example: Fatma has lived in Germany for six years. Before 2024, she had to choose: Turkish or German passport. Since 2024, she can keep both.

Shorter Residency Requirement

The standard residency period dropped from 8 years to 5 years (§ 10 Abs. 1 StAG). You can apply up to three years sooner than before.

The 3-Year Fast Track

If you have made special contributions to German society, you may qualify after just 3 years. This is called besondere Integrationsleistungen — special integration achievements.

This can include:

• Active volunteer work in associations or community organisations
• Outstanding professional or academic performance
• Strong civic or social engagement

Children Born in Germany

Children born in Germany to foreign parents can now acquire German citizenship more easily. At least one parent must have lived legally in Germany for 5 years before the birth. The previous requirement was 8 years (§ 4 Abs. 3 StAG).

What Requirements Still Apply?

The 2024 reform made naturalization easier. But many requirements remain unchanged. You still need to:

• Legal residence: At least 5 years in Germany
• Language: German at B1 level or higher
• Financial independence: You must support yourself without relying on social welfare
• Clean record: No serious criminal convictions
• Commitment to the Basic Law: You must affirm the free democratic basic order of Germany (§ 10 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 StAG)

On financial independence: most employed people in Germany work for a company or a government agency. Regular employment usually satisfies this condition.

Special Rules for Former Guest Workers

The 2024 reform introduced a dedicated provision for former guest workers (Gastarbeiter). Many came from Turkey, Greece, Italy, or Morocco during the 1960s and 1970s. They and their descendants can now naturalize under easier conditions. A formal written language test may be waived if they can demonstrate language skills in a conversation.

What the Citizenship Test Asks About German Society

To become a German citizen, you must pass the citizenship test. It has 33 questions drawn from a pool of 460. The questions cover German law, history, society, and values.

Some important topics the test covers:

Basic rights: Article 1 of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) guarantees the inviolability of human dignity. This principle is the foundation of the entire German legal order.

Work and employment: Most people in Germany are employed by a company or a government agency. The test asks you about how the German labour market is structured.

Social security: Germany funds its social security system through contributions (Sozialabgaben) paid by employees and employers together. Health insurance (Krankenversicherung) is one of the main tools that creates social security in Germany. Nursing care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) is also part of the social insurance system (Sozialversicherung).

Knowing these topics helps you in the test — and in everyday life in Germany.

Overview: The Most Important Changes at a Glance

Topic	Before 2024	From June 2024
Multiple citizenship	Usually not allowed	Generally allowed
Standard residency	8 years	5 years
Fast track (special cases)	Not available	3 years
Children born in Germany	Parent needs 8 years	Parent needs 5 years

Your Next Steps

If you want to apply for German citizenship:

1. Check how many years you have lived legally in Germany.
2. Confirm that your German is at B1 level or higher.
3. Prepare for the citizenship test.
4. Contact your local naturalization authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde).

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Are you ready for the test? Practice all 460 questions with explanations in your language — including questions about basic rights, social security, and German society.

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This article is for information only, not legal advice.