The new coalition said it will happen: [https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/german-expat-news/germany-allow-dual-citizenship-under-new-coalition-agreement](https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/german-expat-news/germany-allow-dual-citizenship-under-new-coalition-agreement)

> **This could be shortened to seven years by completing an** [**integration course**](https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/integration-certification-germany/german-integration-course-integrationskurs)**, or six years by achieving** [**level B1 in the German language**](https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/integration-certification-germany/german-language-certification)**.** 

If this happens I could already qualify for citizenship. However, my current employment ends in 2 months and I’m considering moving because I have a good opportunity short term. However, I’m afraid I would regret it because I might want to come back to live and work in Germany or Europe in the future, so it would be great to get dual citizenship.

If I move with the [EU long term residence permit](https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/MobilitaetEU/MobilitaetLangfristigerAufenthalt/mobilitaet-langfristigeraufenthalt-node.html) and come back in a year or two, will my time here already restart at zero?

How likely do you think it is that dual citizenship will happen before summer? What about this year? I know that no one knows for sure and that trusting politicians is never a great idea but I’m thinking about my future and the prospect of dual citizenship is my main reason to stay here longer.

11 comments

  1. Before summer totally unrealistic, this year also unlikely. Maybe next year but I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes even longer

  2. So does this mean one could only hold two citizenships and not more? I’m a British-Australian dual national, but would like to add German in there too, would this still be possible?

  4. You had the start of an answer today when Olaf Scholz was in front of the Bundestag… From what I read he talked about many subjects but not this one. I would be very surprised if this comes into discussions this year… but who knows?

  5. I’m hoping it’d become real in the next 3 YEARS. But I’m not getting my hopes that high. As others mentioned it’s in the agreement, but it’s a line in many many pages and I don’t think it’s a top priority of the current government.

  6. I dunno how good that is. It would give criminals alot of freedom. Do shit in Germany, manage to escape to your Vountry, and they will not extradite you back to Germany. Happens constantly in my country. A policeman shot a guy, escaped to Croatia and didn’t get extradited. Is living free.

  9. Nobody knows.

    I best guess it will go into effect January 1st 2023.

    > If I move with the EU long term residence permit and come back in a year or two, will my time here already restart at zero?

    nobody knows since they could change it. But under the current law it will not start at zero but it will just continue to count exactly from where it was when you left Germany, unless you already had been in Germany for more than 5 years in which case you start with 5 years.

    § 12b (2) Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz: “Hat der Ausländer sich länger als sechs Monate im Ausland aufgehalten (…) kann die frühere Aufenthaltszeit im Inland bis zu fünf Jahren auf die für die Einbürgerung erforderliche Aufenthaltsdauer angerechnet werden.”

    However, you lose your German EU long-term residence permit

    – if you are for 12 months outside of the EU or in Denmark or Ireland

    – if you previously had a Blue Card: after 24 months outside of the EU or in Denmark or Ireland

    – after 6 years in other EU countries (other than Denmark and Ireland)

    – if you get an EU long-term residence permit in another country

    https://www.berlin.de/einwanderung/aufenthalt/erloeschen-von-aufenthaltstiteln/

    If you lose your German EU long-term residence permit then you have to apply again for a regular Aufenthaltserlaubnis or Blue Card in order to be allowed to move back to Germany.

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