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200,100 Foreigners got German Citizenship in 2023

  • Overall 200,100 Foreigners got German citizenship in 2023.
  • Approximately, 75,500 Syrian nationals were naturalized in 2023, a 56% increase from the previous year.
  • Turkish and Iraqi nationals each had 10,700 naturalizations, with Iraqi numbers up 57% and Turkish down 25%.
  • Region-wise, the Asian countries dominated the list by getting 117,141 Citizenship statuses.

German Citizenship Statistics 2023

The number of Nationality statuses boomed in Germany last year. The record-breaking overall 200,100 citizenship applications were successful. That is a 19 percent (31,000) increase compared to the previous year. And already in 2022, the issued citizenships were 28% more than in 2021.

So the overall trend is upwards. The German Department for Statistics DeStatis issued the database on 28 May 2024. These are the highest numbers recorded since the program was started back in 2000. Data of the German Citizenships awarded in the last 10 years:

YearCitizenships
Awarded		MalesFemales
2013108 42251,69256,730
2014107 31750,21757,100
2015110 38350,89559,488
2016112 21151,41860,793
2017112 34051 41860 793
2018128 90552 16560 175
2019109 88052 87557 005
2021131 59566 67564 920
2022168 77590 80077 975
2023200 095109 69090 405
Source: schengenvisa.news

Furthermore, these numbers might see a dramatic rise in 2024 and 2025 amid the newly (in force on 27 June 2024) introduced Citizenship Law of Germany which allows nationality requirement only for either 5 or 3 years (in extraordinary cases).

Province-wise Citizenship Awarded

Most of the citizenships were awarded by the Nordrhein-Westfalen province which counted to 51,185 followed by Bayern province 36,150.

ProvincesCitizenships awarded
Baden-Württemberg22,745
Bayern36,105
Berlin9,040
Brandenburg2,490
Bremen4,580
Hamburg7,540
Hessen15,115
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern1,625
Niedersachsen16,870
Nordrhein-Westfalen51,185
Rheinland-Pfalz10,825
Saarland2,350
Sachsen2,605
Sachsen-Anhalt2,095
Schleswig-Holstein6,915
Thüringen1,605
Citizenship from Abroad6,415

Country-wise Naturalization Statistics 2023 in Germany

Countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Türkiye have dominated the list. The high number of naturalizations of Syrians is therefore related to the high immigration of Syrians seeking protection between 2014 and 2016.

Syrian Nationals

About 75,500 Syrian nationals were naturalized in 2023 all over Germany. This has an increase of 27,100 (+56%) from the previous year. Not only in 2023, but also back in last year the numbers from Syria kept on rising. The significant previous increases can also be observed of 19,100 in 2022 (more than double) and 6,700 in 2021.

The average age recorded is 24.5 years of which 64% were men. The nationals of Syria who successfully got Citizenship status have lived in Germany for an average of 6.8 years before naturalization. Please note that according to the citizenship law, the total time of 8 years before the naturalization period is mandatory which can be lessened to 7 or 6 provided that the main applicant has a family in Germany or special integration (according to Section 10 Paragraph 3 Sentence 2 of the Nationality Act). This is why 28,000 (37%) of naturalized Syrians were spouses and minor children, naturalized without a minimum period of residence.

Turkish and Iraqi Nationals

Citizens of Türkiye and Iraq had 10,700 naturalizations in 2023. Iraqi naturalizations increased by 3,900 (+57%) from the previous year whereas the citizens of Türkiye were naturalized in fewer numbers (decreased by 3,500 which is -25%).

Romanian and Afghan Nationals

The number of citizenship grants increased for both countries. Naturalizations increased by 600 (+8%) to 7,600 for Romanian nationals and Afghan nationals it increased by 2,300 (+55%) to 6,500.

Ukrainian Nationals

The number of citizenship awards also increased for Ukrainian nationals. The numbers increased by 300 (+6%) to 5,900. The significant previous increase from 1,900 to 5,600 between 2021 and 2022 was due to the Russian attack on Ukraine. The same reason accounted for 3% of all naturalizations in 2023.

Country-wise Complete List of Citizenship Statistics 2023

RegionsCountriesNumber of Naturalizations
Total200,095
Europe58,165
EU countries31,310
Belgium130
Bulgaria2,315
Denmark100
Estonia45
Finland95
France745
Greece2,585
Ireland50
Italy4,000
Croatia1,530
Latvia515
Lithuania325
Luxembourg35
Malta5
Netherlands335
Austria140
Poland5,440
Portugal620
Romania7,575
Sweden140
Slovakia535
Slovenia180
Spain1,235
Czech Republic505
Hungary2,110
Cyprus25
United KingdomX
EEA countries/Switzerland215
Switzerland210
Other Europe26,635
Albania485
Belarus350
Bosnia and Herzegovina2,775
Kosovo2,740
Moldova2,180
Montenegro70
North Macedonia665
Russian Federation1,995
Serbia1,420
Turkey10,735
Ukraine5,910
United Kingdom1,310
Africa13,235
North Africa6,325
Egypt1,255
Algeria520
Libya330
Morocco2,520
Tunisia1,705
West Africa2,820
Ghana595
Guinea215
Nigeria1,270
Togo130
Central Africa1,385
Cameroon985
Congo, Democratic Republic175
East Africa2,335
Ethiopia285
Eritrea980
Kenya255
Somalia635
Southern Africa365
Angola105
South Africa155
AmericasCentral America and the Caribbean
North America2,070
United States (USA)2,000
Central America and Caribbean1,445
Dominican Republic190
Cuba280
Mexico680
South America2,790
Argentina235
Brazil1,380
Ecuador205
Colombia335
Peru175
Venezuela210
Asia117,145
Western Asia99,285
Armenia425
Georgia2,325
Iraq10,710
Iran6,420
Israel3,170
Jordan205
Lebanon1,140
Syria75,485
South and Southeast Asia9,290
India3,405
Pakistan2,295
Philippines340
Sri Lanka460
Thailand985
Vietnam905
East and Central Asia8,570
Afghanistan6,520
China665
Kazakhstan690
Australia and Oceania100
Australia80
Other characteristics5,150
Stateless3,595
British overseas territories5
Unclear and not specified1,545
For information:
EU candidate countries20,565
Territory of the former Yugoslavia7,375
Territory of the former Serbia and Montenegro4,225
Territory of the former Soviet Union11,710
Territory of the former Czechoslovakia1,045
Source: Destatis