Saxony Faces Severe Delays in Naturalization Processing

Backlogs in major cities like Dresden, Leipzig, and Chemnitz extend waiting times to up to three years, straining resources and threatening regional competitiveness.

• Naturalization applications in Saxony now face delays of 18 months to three years, with Dresden alone handling a backlog of 3,800 cases.
• Legislative reforms allowing dual nationality have led to a surge in applications, exacerbating existing administrative challenges.
• Structural issues, including limited budgets and fragmented digital systems, hinder efforts to expand staffing and improve efficiency.
• Saxony’s Ausländerbeauftragter, Geert Mackenroth, has called the situation critical, noting a rise in inaction lawsuits and public frustration.
• Extended delays risk deterring foreign skilled workers, raising concerns about Saxony’s ability to address labor shortages and remain competitive.

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