59 menit yang lalu
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - At least 309,852 people obtained a German passport in 2025, beating the 291,955 naturalizations the previous year, the weekly Welt am Sonntag has reported.
Germany has seen a rise in the number of people seeking German citizenship since it made it possible in mid-2024 for people to have passports from multiple countries and reduced the required time of residence to five years from eight.
What did the report say about German citizenship numbers?
The statistics come from 14 of Germany's 16 federal states, with data still lacking from the eastern states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt, according to Welt am Sonntag.
The western states of Lower Saxony, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein had also not provided complete data, it said, although almost all cities and districts in these states had done so.
In some cases, the numbers are based on preliminary data, the paper said.
Expected boom in numbers of Ukrainians seeking citizenship
Several municipalities reported that naturalization numbers were currently going down, but some said they were preparing for a new rise next year when the many Ukrainians who fled to Germany amid the war in their country reach the required residency duration.
A spokesman for the northern Aurich region told the paper that as the first big wave of Ukrainian refugees came in early 2022, many will have been in the country for five years by spring 2027.
As the collective protection status for Ukrainian refugees expires in March 2027, he said, "many will probably use the reduced five-year requirement to gain citizenship" so that their legal status is secured.
He said that Ukrainian refugees, in contrast with the many asylum seekers, mostly refugees from the Syrian civil war, who came to Germany in 2015/2016, had profited "from considerable structural advantages."
These included the permission to immediately find employment and receive full residency status.
Biggest rise in naturalizations in 2024
The number of German passports issued in 2024 represented a rise of 46% compared with the year before.
The year-on-year increase in 2025 was just 6%, according to the figures from the newspaper.
In 2024, 28% of those who received German citizenship came from Syria, followed by people from Turkey.
Read: Germany Ready for NATO Leadership Role, Minister Says
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Malaysia to Mandate ID-Based Age Checks for Social Media
1 hari lalu
Malaysia is now requiring social media users to verify their age using official documents, including an ID card or passport.
2026 Global Ranking of the Most Powerful Passports
18 hari lalu
The global ranking of the most powerful passports in the world remains to be led by Singapore, granting access to 192 destinations without a visa.
US to Produce Passports Featuring Trump's Image
24 hari lalu
Trump's image will appear on limited-edition passports marking the US's 250th anniversary, the latest effort to feature him on official documents.
Australia Has the World's Most Expensive Passport in 2026
12 Maret 2026
The Australian passport is claimed to have a high level of technological sophistication, supported by strict anti-fraud measures.
LPDP Alumni Controversy: British Passport Post Triggers Blacklisting Threat
24 Februari 2026
A post by an Indonesian influencer Dwi Sasetyaningtyas showing off her child's British passport went viral online.
Malaysia Passport: 2nd in SE Asia, 9th Globally Surpassing US
23 Januari 2026
Malaysia's passport ranks 9th globally in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, surpassing the US. Find out why.
Singapore Holds World's Strongest Passport, US Drops to 10th
18 Januari 2026
Singapore became the country with the world's most powerful passport in 2026, according to the Henley Passport Index
The Strongest Passport in the World for 2026 Revealed
15 Januari 2026
As 2026 unfolds, the year's edition of the strongest passport ranking is officially here. Claiming the top spot is none other than mighty Singapore
Malaysia's Passport Grows Stronger, Ranking Above the United States
16 Desember 2025
Malaysia's passport now sits at 10th place, surpassing the United States at 11th.
7 Critical Passport Checks Before Your International Trip
5 Desember 2025
Check out seven crucial aspects of your passport you must verify before booking your international travel.
English (US) · 
Indonesian (ID) ·