GERMANY ABOLISHES “EXPRESS CITIZENSHIP”: Obtaining papers more difficult even for family reunification!

The German government has abolished “express” citizenship acquisition, making it no longer so simple to come to Germany, even for family members.

Who does this affect and what has been decided? Here’s a summary from Deutsche Welle.

Family Reunification

The German government plans to suspend family reunification for two years for certain groups of refugees who have arrived in Germany. Exceptions would only be possible for humanitarian reasons, such as in cases of severe illness.

In a first step, the government adopted a proposed amendment to the law on Wednesday (May 28). It still needs to be decided by the Bundestag, the German parliament, where the ruling coalition parties (CDU/CSU and SPD) hold the majority. After that, the amendment must also be confirmed by the Bundesrat, the parliament of the federal states.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) wants the law to come into force before the parliamentary summer recess. After the cabinet meeting, he again emphasized that cities and municipalities are overwhelmed with the reception and integration of refugees.

“First: no arrival of family members – that immediately brings relief. Second: it is clear worldwide that this mechanism no longer works when a family member embarks on a journey – and that also brings relief,” said Dobrindt.

Acquisition of Citizenship

Accelerated citizenship acquisition after three years for particularly well-integrated immigrants will no longer be possible. The decision of the previous government (SPD, Greens, and FDP) will be abolished without replacement.

Officially Formulated Goal: Limiting Migration

The Residence Act will be rephrased. Legal regulations will no longer exclusively serve the management of migration. The new goal will be: “management and limitation of migration.”

Who Does This Affect?

Changes to the right to acquire citizenship apply to everyone who wishes to submit such an application. In the future, the conditions will be at least five years of continuous residence in Germany, good knowledge of the German language, and permanent employment. In 2024, more than 200,000 people acquired German citizenship – the most in the last 25 years.

The suspension of family reunification applies to persons with so-called “subsidiary protection.” These are refugees who do not meet the conditions of the Geneva Convention nor have the right to political asylum, but face serious danger in their home country – e.g., due to civil war.

Persons with subsidiary protection have fewer rights than those with refugee status. This was also ruled by the European Court of Human Rights. Approximately 388,000 people with this status currently live in Germany – mostly from Syria, but also from Afghanistan and Iraq.

What Were the Previous Rules for Family Reunification?

In 2011, some refugees in Germany were granted subsidiary protection status for the first time. At that time, their spouses and children could not join them. This changed at the beginning of 2015. After a large influx of refugees from Syria in the middle of that year, the German government again suspended family reunification.

Since 2018, there has been a quota under which a maximum of 1,000 immediate family members per month can obtain a visa for Germany. By law, the right to family reunification has never existed – the decision is made at discretion. The application must be submitted at a German diplomatic mission. In 2023 and 2024, approximately 12,000 visas were issued annually.

How Does the Government Justify Its Migration Policy?

The CDU and CSU want to reduce the number of people coming to Germany as refugees.

“We are open to legal migration into our labor market and society,” said Interior Minister Dobrindt in the Bundestag. But regarding so-called illegal or irregular migration – when people arrive without control – he stated that the limits of capacity have already been exceeded. Immediately upon taking office, Dobrindt introduced intensified border controls and ordered that even asylum seekers could be turned back. Now new measures are following. “Our goal is to remove the pull factors that encouraged people to come to Germany,” Dobrindt said after the cabinet meeting.

What Are the Criticisms of These Measures?

The Greens and the Left Party oppose the tightening of the law, while the far-right AfD considers the measures insufficient.

Klara Binger, a Left Party member of the Bundestag, speaks of the “beginning of a migratory ice age.” This, she says, will negatively change society and make equitable and solidary coexistence more difficult. She sees the “turnaround in migration policy” as an abandonment of humanity and human rights.

The organization Pro Asyl calls the suspension of family reunification a “law on family destruction.” This, they state, is a catastrophe for people who have fled war and persecution. Mothers, fathers, and children must continue to live in fear and danger, and families remain separated. Legal and safe escape routes are being closed.

Churches also reject the suspension of family reunification. It is “ethically highly questionable” and negatively affects integration, said Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Hesse in an interview. The Constitution, he reminds, places the family under special protection.

Is There Also Approval?

Although the Expert Council for Integration and Migration (SVR) criticizes the suspension of family reunification, it considers the planned abolition of citizenship acquisition after three years to be reasonable.

In their opinion, this corrects the impression that it is too easy to obtain German citizenship.

“Currently, the rule is that citizenship can be obtained faster than permanent residency. This is difficult to explain and does not correspond to the importance of the right to citizenship,” said SVR President Winfried Kluth to German media.