Overview
- From January 1 to December 14, 37,877 people were naturalized in Berlin, with the immigration office projecting 39,000 to 39,500 for the full year.
- The total follows 21,811 naturalizations in 2024 and roughly 9,000 in 2023, amounting to a more than fourfold rise over two years.
- Responsibility shifted from district offices to the Landesamt für Einwanderung in January 2024, where targeted backlog processing and digital workflows accelerated decisions.
- A June 2024 reform shortened the standard residency requirement for citizenship from eight to five years, expanding eligibility.
- LEA Director Engelhard Mazanke cited 1,039 failure-to-act lawsuits in the first eleven months, said checks were not relaxed, narrowly missed his 40,000 target, and expects figures to stabilize in 2026.