The fall of Syria’s former dictator Bashar al-Assad has sparked a debate in Germany over the future of Syrian refugees, but official data does not suggest that Syrians are increasingly applying for German citizenship.
“We can’t observe any special trends” said a Cologne city spokesperson to the Bayern Media Group. Ingolstadt also reported no changes in regards to naturalization applications, travel documents, or residence extensions. Stuttgart echoed the same statement, saying that the time since the Assad regime’s fall is too short to have an impact on the number of citizenship applications or return declarations.
However, authorities point to an increasing interest in return options. About ten “clients” have inquired about return possibilities, said a Regensburg city spokesperson to the Bayern Media Group. Hamburg’s Migration Office also reported similar numbers, stating that in the period from December 9, 2024, to December 19, 2024, ten people sought consultation on emigration.
“Bild” newspaper, on the other hand, reported in its Friday edition that the number of applications for the German passport has increased significantly since the new Citizenship Act came into effect half a year ago, without providing a breakdown by origin.