The processing time of citizenship applications has been accelerated thanks to the digitalisation of the naturalisation procedure, which was implemented at the beginning of the year, EU Helpers reports.

In the past, citizenship applicants filing an application in Berlin were prepared to wait for long periods of time.

However, once the State Office for Immigration (LEA) digitalised the application process at the beginning of the year, applicants have been receiving responses on their applications faster.

According to I Am Expat Germany, data show that since the beginning of the year until July 14, 2024, LEA naturalised a total of 6,534 people in Berlin. Of the total number, 5,900 of them were naturalised since April 1, 2024 alone.

Such numbers mean that in the last three months alone, Berlin processed almost as many applications as it did during nine months in 2023.

This suggests that the processing time for citizenship applications has been accelerated thrice compared to last year.

Berlin Will Process Up to 20,000 Citizenship Applications by the End of Year

If LEA continues at the same speed, it is expected that it will reach the target of 20,000 citizenship applications processed in Berlin by the end of 2024.

From January 1 until mid-July, LEA received 24,000 naturalisation applications. On average, the authority processed 139 applications in a day in the second week of July.

While the processing time has been accelerated for everyone in Berlin, Lea noted that applications that were submitted before 2024 are taking longer.

Thus, those who are waiting for an answer to their old application might try to submit a new digital application to receive a response more quickly. However, the new digital application costs €255.

Foreigners Can Now Obtain German Citizenship More Quickly

Germany’s new citizenship law that modernises the rules for obtaining a German passport entered into force on June 27, 2024, making it possible for foreigners residing in the country to obtain citizenship more quickly without having to give up their previous citizenship.

Under the new law, foreigners are now eligible to obtain German citizenship after five years of residing in the country instead of the previous eight years.

Moreover, the new law now also allows multiple citizenship, meaning that naturalisation applicants no longer have to give up their previous citizenship when they become legal citizens of Germany.