What criminal acts could stop you from German citizenship?

As Germany's dual citizenship law was passed in Bundestag, many more people will hope to apply ʹ but the criminal-precedented foreigners may have problems.

Here are violations that hinder you from citizenship and those that are treated most gently, transmit albinfo.ch.

In 2023 a Frenchman who lived in Switzerland for some 40 years was denied a demand for Swiss citizenship because of a speeding ticket. Meanwhile, Danish laws could theoretically ban one from citizenship there for more speed on the highway. What about Germany?

Many long-time German residents preparing their applications for future changes about dual citizenship can ask just that question.

If you are one of them, you will be pleased to know that while minor offenses such as speed, walking with Jay and driving U-Bahn without tickets can bring you many dirty views, they are unlikely to affect the application for citizenship, according to theocal.de.

A criterion to apply for German citizenship is to respect German law. Applicants should declare their willingness to adhere to the principles of the German Base Law, including equality between men and women, and have no record of committing serious crimes.

What is considered serious? Looks like 90 days are a magic number.

In general, if you are convicted of a crime that has left you in prison for 90 days or more, you may forget German citizenship. If your offense is small, or even if you've served the prison sentence you're still okay to apply for German citizenship if your sentence was less than 90 days.

Did you get caught in a hurry? You're probably fine. You got a 100-day sentence for a bloody fight at the bar? No.

Repeated Works and Foreign Criminal Punishments

However, the 90-day rule is not always that difficult and fast. Some crimes, such as some drug offences, may have a sentence of less than 90 days. But authorities have some discretion to prevent repeated authors from naturalisation.

Moreover, it is not just beliefs in the German justice system that matter. During naturalization, Germany will also consider any foreign beliefs you may have.

Here, there are two things they will consider. First, is it the crime you committed abroad a criminal offense under German law? This is important because many political dissidents coming from other countries in Germany may have been arrested and convicted of peaceful protests or of speaking against the government. Under German law, these sentences will not be counted as they are not considered crimes under German law.

Second, if you were convicted of a crime abroad, was it proportional to the punishment you received? Someone sentenced to five years abroad if the crime they committed was to be sentenced to 30 days in Germany, there would still be a blow in German citizenship.

Hardest Rules About Hate Crimes

Following the October 7th attacks by the Hamas terrorist group and the subsequent shelling of Israel's Gaza, there has been a sharp increase in antisemitic and Islamic hate crimes in Germany.

Acknowledging this very busy atmosphere, the government has recently moved to strengthen rules about hate crimes in the new citizenship law.

In the words of the bill, which is expected to go into effect in May, <x0 anti-semitic, racist or otherwise widely motivated” are incompatible with the German Founding Law and will therefore prohibit the author from citizenship.

The bill also stipulates plans to improve the exchange of information between public prosecutors and citizenship offices to allow officials to investigate whether a move has had an antisemitic or racist motive behind it.

This means that otherwise more minor violations may be enough to block someone from becoming German if the work is considered to be motivated by views that are incompatible with the German constitution.

How long do convicted criminals remain inappropriate for German citizenship?

Germany holds a federal record of criminal penalties. The sentences remain registered there for up to 20 years from the day of the end of the sentence, although some of the most serious violent crimes are never hidden from the registry. As long as a criminal sentence of more than 90 days remains in the register, the convicted person generally has no right to German citizenship.

Sentences less than 90 days normally hide from the register after five years. Sentences from 90 days to one year are normally hidden from the register after ten years.

Should I declare my beliefs when applying for German citizenship?

Lies in the demand for German citizenship are in itself a criminal offence. Anyone found false to the application could expect fines or even a prison sentence of up to five years. Of course, such a condemnation itself would make someone inappropriate to apply for German citizenship.