Legal changes at a glance

With the GEAS Adaptation Act and the GEAS Adaptation Follow-up Act, Germany has transposed the reform of the Common European Asylum System into national law. For new arrivals, a screening procedure now applies before the actual application; in addition, the border procedures were newly regulated and replace the previous airport procedure. The hearing in the asylum procedure and rules on family asylum were also adjusted. The essential new rules apply EU-wide uniformly since 12.06.2026.

Source: GEAS Adaptation Act and GEAS Adaptation Follow-up Act, promulgated 28.04.2026, essential rules in force since 12.06.2026

The controls at the German land borders, introduced gradually since autumn 2023, were extended by the Federal Ministry of the Interior for a further six months, from 16.03.2026 to 15.09.2026. It is the fourth extension in a row; the EU Commission was informed accordingly, as prescribed for temporary border controls in the Schengen area. For travellers, this continues to mean random checks at the affected border crossings.

Source: Announcement of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, February 2026, extension of internal border controls until 15.09.2026

The opportunity residence right under § 104c AufenthG, which enabled long-tolerated persons to obtain a residence permit for 18 months to fulfil the requirements for a right to stay, could be applied for one last time until 31.12.2025. Residence permits already granted under § 104c remain valid; holders can apply until 30.06.2027 for a switch to a longer-term residence title under § 25a or § 25b AufenthG.

Source: § 104c AufenthG in the version since 31.12.2025 (transitional rule until 30.06.2027)

The § 10 Abs. 3 StAG introduced in 2024, which allowed naturalization already after three years in the case of special integration achievements and German skills at C1 level, was deleted again by the Sixth Act Amending the Nationality Act. For the naturalization by entitlement under § 10 StAG, a minimum residence period of five years now applies uniformly. The other requirements (among others a secured livelihood, sufficient language skills, the naturalization test) remain unchanged.

Source: Sixth Act Amending the Nationality Act, in force since 30.10.2025

Family reunification with persons with subsidiary protection status (not affected: recognized refugees and persons entitled to asylum) will not be granted up to and including 23.07.2027. Previously, reunification was limited to a quota of 1.000 visas per month, which according to the legislator had been continuously exhausted since June 2023.

Source: Act Suspending Family Reunification with Subsidiary Protection Beneficiaries, in force since 24.07.2025

The Fifth Ordinance Amending the Integration Course Ordinance streamlined the course system. Free repeat lessons are now only possible for literacy courses and special language-pedagogical support needs; travel costs are only reimbursed in exceptional cases. Special course formats such as parent, women's and youth integration courses were discontinued as of May 2025. The Federal Ministry of the Interior justifies the reform with an acceleration of integration procedures.

Source: Fifth Ordinance Amending the Integration Course Ordinance, BGBl. I 2024 Nr. 393, in force since 07.12.2024

On 06.12.2024, the Federal and State Governments decided to accept, as a rule, English-language documents in recognition procedures in future. For health professions (among others doctors, dentists, pharmacists), a direct knowledge examination as the standard procedure is also to supplement the document examination that was previously customary; the corresponding law is to enter into force on 01.11.2026 (subject to the approval of the Bundesrat).

Source: Decision of the Federal and State Governments of 06.12.2024; Act to Accelerate Recognition Procedures in Health Professions (planned entry into force 01.11.2026)

With the Second Ordinance Amending the Naturalization Test Ordinance, the catalogue of questions of the naturalization test “Living in Germany” was revised as of 01.07.2024. Several questions were exchanged or supplemented, with a thematic focus on Jewish life in Germany, Israel's right to exist and antisemitism. All test sheets created since 01.07.2024 automatically use the new catalogue of questions.

Source: Second Ordinance Amending the Naturalization Test Ordinance, BGBl. I 2024 Nr. 211, in force since 01.07.2024

With the Act on the Modernization of Nationality Law, the regular minimum residence period for naturalization was lowered from eight to five years. The principle of avoiding multiple nationality was abandoned: naturalization has since generally no longer required giving up the previous nationality. The other substantive requirements of § 10 StAG (livelihood, language skills, naturalization test, no serious criminal offences) remained unchanged.

Source: Act on the Modernization of Nationality Law (StARModG), in force since 27.06.2024

With the Nationality Modernization Act, § 10 Abs. 3 StAG created for the first time the possibility of being naturalized already after three instead of five years in the case of special integration achievements and German skills at C1 level. This so-called turbo naturalization was a discretionary rule without a legal entitlement and, according to official figures, affected only a small part of naturalizations. It was abolished again as early as 30.10.2025.

Source: Act on the Modernization of Nationality Law (StARModG), § 10 Abs. 3 StAG, in force since 27.06.2024 (repealed as of 30.10.2025)

With the Nationality Modernization Act, it was clarified in § 10 StAG that antisemitically, racially or otherwise inhumanly motivated acts are incompatible with the guarantee of human dignity of the Basic Law. At the same time, naturalization applicants have since had to expressly commit to Germany's historical responsibility for the Nazi reign of injustice and to the protection of Jewish life. This commitment is designed as an independent substantive naturalization requirement.

Source: Act on the Modernization of Nationality Law (StARModG), § 10 Abs. 1 StAG, in force since 27.06.2024

Children of foreign parents who were born in Germany and automatically received both German nationality and the nationality of their parents previously had to decide for one of the two nationalities by the age of 21. With the Nationality Modernization Act, this so-called obligation to choose (Optionspflicht) is completely abolished, since the principle of avoiding multiple nationality was given up. Those affected keep both nationalities permanently.

Source: Act on the Modernization of Nationality Law (StARModG), in force since 27.06.2024

For persons who came to Germany between 1955 and 1974 under the recruitment agreements or as contract workers of the former GDR, the oral proof of sufficient everyday communication in German is sufficient since the Nationality Modernization Act. A written B1 proof is no longer required for this group of persons. Simplifications in the language proof have since also applied to persons over 67 years of age.

Source: Act on the Modernization of Nationality Law (StARModG), § 10 Abs. 4, 5 StAG, in force since 27.06.2024

The Western Balkans rule (§ 26 Abs. 2 BeschV) enables nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to obtain a residence title for employment with a concrete job offer — regardless of professional qualification. In the course of the skilled immigration reform, the previously limited rule was made permanent and the annual quota of the corresponding approvals by the Federal Employment Agency was doubled from 25.000 to 50.000.

Source: Ordinance on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration (amendment of the Employment Ordinance), § 26 Abs. 2 BeschV, in force since 01.06.2024

The reform of skilled immigration took place in stages: since November 2023, a lowered minimum salary has applied for the EU Blue Card (as of 2024: 45.300 € gross per year or 50 % of the income threshold for the general pension insurance, lower in shortage occupations). As of 01.06.2024, the opportunity card (Chancenkarte) was additionally introduced, a points-based procedure for the job search in Germany for persons with a foreign professional or university qualification. The exact salary thresholds are adjusted annually.

Source: Act on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration, staged entry into force from November 2023

With the Act Adapting Data Transmission Provisions in Immigration and Social Law, the payment card for asylum seekers was anchored in law in the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act. It is added to the existing cash and benefits-in-kind; the federal states continue to decide themselves whether and in what form they introduce the card. The regulation has no direct effect on the residence status itself.

Source: Act Adapting Data Transmission Provisions in Immigration and Social Law, BGBl. I 2024 Nr. 152, in force since 16.05.2024

With the second stage of the Skilled Immigration Act, the recognition partnership was introduced as of 01.03.2024. Employer and foreign skilled worker agree by contract that the recognition procedure for the foreign professional qualification will be carried out only after entry into Germany. For this time, the skilled worker receives a residence title of up to one year, extendable by up to two years.

Source: Skilled Immigration Act (2nd stage), § 16d Abs. 3 AufenthG, in force since 01.03.2024

The maximum duration of departure custody was extended from 10 to 28 days. The entry and search of dwellings at night in the context of a deportation was simplified; deportation dates no longer have to be announced except for families with children. At the same time, a right to legal representation was introduced in court proceedings on deportation detention and departure custody.

Source: Repatriation Improvement Act, in force since 27.02.2024

As of 18.11.2023, the first stage of the reform of the Skilled Immigration Act entered into force and at the same time transposed the revised EU directive on the EU Blue Card. The salary thresholds were lowered, access was extended to further occupational groups and, for the first time, IT specialists without a formal university degree but with relevant professional experience were included. In addition, the rules for switching within the EU, short business stays in other member states and the family reunification with holders of an EU Blue Card were facilitated.

Source: Act on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration (1st stage) transposing EU Directive 2021/1883, in force since 18.11.2023