German naturalizations reach record high in 2025

A record 332,500 people received German citizenship last year, according to official data released on Wednesday, which revealed a massive increase in naturalized US citizens.

The number of new naturalizations was up by 14%, exceeding the previous nationwide record of nearly 292,000 naturalizations in 2024, the Federal Statistical Office said, citing preliminary figures.

“Never since the statistics were first compiled in 2000 have more than 300,000 people been naturalized in a single year,” the office said in a statement.

Syrians made up the largest share of the 2025 figure, accounting for 20% of naturalizations, slightly down from 21% a year earlier.

Germany took in record numbers of Syrian refugees during the country's civil war that broke out in 2011 under former ruler Bashar al-Assad. Many of those arrivals have since applied for citizenship.

About 10% of those naturalized in 2025 were Turkish citizens, followed by Russians at 6%.

"However, for both nationalities, the number of naturalizations rose by more than half compared with the previous year," the office, also known as Destatis, said.

The number of US citizens receiving German citizenship rose particularly sharply, with 6,600 naturalized in 2025, an increase of 100% compared to the previous year.

A total of 8,800 Bosnians were also naturalized, an increase of 126%, while the number of Albanians rose by 97% to 6,100.

Germany reformed its citizenship law in mid-2024, making naturalization easier.

Under the changes, people acquiring German citizenship are generally allowed to retain their previous nationality. The minimum residency requirement was also reduced from eight years to five years.