Last year, Germany saw an exceptional rise in the number of people acquiring German citizenship — a trend reflected not just in headlines, but in official figures from cities and national statistics alike. While 2024 already set a historic high with about 292,000 individuals granted German citizenship, preliminary local data for 2025 suggest this momentum has continued and even accelerated in many major urban centers.
National Context: A Historic Baseline
Before breaking down city-by-city developments in Germany, it’s important to understand the national backdrop. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt), around 291,955 people were naturalized in Germany in 2024, marking the highest number since records began in 2000.
As for 2025, comprehensive federal data has not yet been fully published at the time of writing. However, preliminary city reports, local authorities, and nius.de indicate that overall naturalizations are likely at or above the record levels seen in 2024 — continuing the upward trajectory driven by reforms to national citizenship laws, streamlined processes, and increased administrative capacity in many municipalities.
Berlin: The Epicenter of the Naturalization Boom
Berlin’s experience in 2025 stands out among all cities. With nearly 39,000 people receiving German citizenship, the capital’s numbers almost doubled compared with 2024 and were roughly four times higher than in 2023.
This dramatic rise reflects a deliberate policy shift: Berlin established a centralized citizenship office in 2024 with digital processing and expanded capacity that sharply accelerated naturalization procedures. The contrast with earlier years is pronounced — whereas roughly 9,000 people were naturalized in Berlin in 2023, the 2025 figure of nearly 39,000 represents exponential growth.
Mid-Sized Cities: Steady Gains and Rapid Growth
Other cities mirrored this surge, although the scale varied:
- Potsdam (Brandenburg) experienced sequential increases: 396 naturalizations in 2023 grew to 544 in 2024 and to 639 in 2025. This reflects a 61% increase since 2023, underscoring consistent upward movement in a mid-sized urban context.
- Essen (North Rhine-Westphalia) also reported substantial growth. Where 1,799 people were naturalized in 2023, Essen’s 2025 total reached approximately 3,400 — an 89% increase in two years. Such growth highlights how economic hubs outside the largest cities are also contributing to Germany’s nationwide surge.
- Freiburg (Baden-Württemberg) saw more than a double increase, rising from 346 naturalizations in 2024 to 735 in 2025 — a 112% growth rate. This sharp rise reflects both local administrative improvements and increased demand for citizenship in smaller metropolitan areas.
Long-Term Trends in Historic Cities
In several older university or cultural cities, the surge also stands out when compared to pre-pandemic levels:
- Heidelberg (Baden-Württemberg) showed a striking longer-term increase: from just 305 naturalizations in 2022 to 1,277 in 2025, a growth of over 230% relative to 2020. This suggests not only short-term momentum but sustained expansion over several years.
- Munich (Bavaria) recorded 7,549 naturalizations in 2025, representing a more modest 11.6% rise over 2024. Compared with other cities, Munich’s growth is steady but less dramatic — likely reflecting an already high baseline of naturalizations.
Smaller Capitals and Regional Patterns
Naturalization numbers in smaller capitals and city regions displayed mixed trends:
- Erfurt (Thuringia) more than doubled its naturalization count since 2023, with 386 in 2025 compared with 176 then — a 119% increase.
- Frankfurt am Main (Hesse) showed smaller growth, with 3,913 naturalizations in 2025 compared to 3,780 in 2024 — an increase of just over 3.5%.
- Bremen and Bremerhaven (Bremen) diverged: while Bremerhaven saw a slight increase from 791 to 835 naturalizations, Bremen itself recorded a decrease from 4,041 in 2024 to 2,615 in 2025 — a notable decline amid broader national growth.
German Citizenship Statistics 2000 to 2014
| Reference day 31 December | Naturalisations, total | Naturalisation potential realized | |
| Calculated for foreigners with at least10 years of residence in Germany | Calculated for foreigners with at least6 years of residence in Germany | ||
| Number | % | ||
| 31/12/2024 | 292,020 | 5.09 | 3.33 |
| 31/12/2023 | 200,095 | 3.62 | 2.36 |
| 31/12/2022 | 168,775 | 3.10 | 2.09 |
| 31/12/2021 | 131,595 | 2.45 | 1.85 |
| 31/12/2020 | 109,880 | 2.15 | 1.71 |
| 31/12/2019 | 128,905 | 2.54 | 2.08 |
| 31/12/2018 | 112,340 | 2.19 | 1.86 |
| 31/12/2017 | 112,211 | 2.22 | 1.92 |
| 31/12/2016 | 110,383 | 2.18 | 1.91 |
| 31/12/2015 | 107,317 | 2.15 | 1.88 |
| 31/12/2014 | 108,422 | 2.20 | 1.91 |
| 31/12/2013 | 112,353 | 2.30 | 1.99 |
| 31/12/2012 | 112,348 | 2.36 | 2.02 |
| 31/12/2011 | 106,897 | 2.28 | 1.92 |
| 31/12/2010 | 101,570 | 2.20 | 1.84 |
| 31/12/2009 | 96,122 | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| 31/12/2008 | 94,474 | 2.11 | 1.73 |
| 31/12/2007 | 113,030 | 2.57 | 2.11 |
| 31/12/2006 | 124,566 | 2.85 | 2.32 |
| 31/12/2005 | 117,241 | 2.79 | 2.26 |
| 31/12/2004 | 127,153 | 2.76 | 2.24 |
| 31/12/2003 | 140,731 | 3.17 | 2.52 |
| 31/12/2002 | 154,547 | 3.69 | 2.84 |
| 31/12/2001 | 178,098 | 4.43 | 3.32 |
| 31/12/2000 | 186,672 | 4.85 | 3.52 |
Why the Surge?
Two major forces are behind this phenomenon. First, legislative reforms to Germany’s nationality law made citizenship more accessible, including shorter residency requirements and broader acceptance of dual citizenship — changes that have encouraged many long-term residents to apply.
Secondly, local bureaucratic modernization — particularly digitization and centralization of processes in cities like Berlin — has dramatically reduced processing times and backlogs, allowing authorities to finalize more applications than in past years.