Rise in Applications for German Passports by Israeli Citizens

The Israeli Move to Germany – The Numbers and Reasons

In the past year, there has been a significant increase in the number of applications from Israelis for a German passport. How does this reflect in the numbers? 5,670 applications for a German passport were submitted in 2022. A respectable number by all accounts, which jumped by nearly 40% the following year to about 9,129 applications. But it didn't stop there. In the first third of 2024, no less than 6,869 applications were submitted! This is an unusual rate of nearly 21,000 annual requests!

So what do those Israelis who have already applied know that you don't? Well, the surge in the number of Israelis applying for German citizenship has several reasons, with the main one being the relaxation of German citizenship laws implemented in 2021, which we will expand on shortly. Other reasons include the precarious security situation in the country and the economic pressure, as well as the extensive benefits and conditions awaiting anyone receiving citizenship in various life domains: education, housing, security, mobility across Europe, and more (further details on these conditions later).

In short, life in Germany is more comfortable and with fewer challenges compared to those in Israel. Naturally, this is a distinct attraction factor in the decision-making process of every Israeli.

Who Can Get a German Passport?

German law precisely defines who is eligible for a German passport. Until 2021, the application conditions included being a descendant of a German citizen. The problem was that many Jewish German citizens and many residents who were not citizens fled Germany because of the Nazi oppressor over the years. The new law expanded the conditions, and now German residents (who were not citizens) who lived in Germany before the rise of the Nazis to power on 30.01.1933 and fled the country between 1933-1945 entitle their descendants to German citizenship, as long as their descendants can prove the blood relation.

Furthermore, since 2021 descendants of a German mother, and not just a German father, are eligible to receive German citizenship, which was not possible in most cases before. Of course, these changes allow hundreds of thousands more Israelis to obtain the coveted passport.

Getting a German Passport – The Steps on the Way

There are several key steps on the way to the desired passport:

- Contacting a Law Firm Specializing in the Matter – While it is possible to obtain German citizenship on your own, it takes much longer as you do not have the appropriate connections with the archives and authorities in Germany, and it will be much more complicated to deal with all the bureaucracy.

- Submitting Documents, Evidence, and Forms – In the first stage, the law firm will be able to tell you if you meet the threshold conditions, and then the phase of gathering evidence and documents, as well as submitting the necessary forms, will begin. This is a process that usually takes several months or even more. Of course, your advance preparation with original documents proving your blood relation may shorten it, but in any case, the law firm will manage to obtain everything needed for you, without you having to exert much effort.

- Waiting for a Response – After submitting all the necessary documents and forms, all that remains is to wait. The expected time until receiving the passport is about two years on average. Patience is required, but the wait is worth it in the end.

So Why Should You Live in Germany?

We mentioned earlier some of the reasons that cause many to want a German passport and to become citizens in Germany, now we'll go into them a bit more deeply:

- Subsidized Academic Studies and Higher Education – Sometimes free, sometimes at prices 80-90 percent lower than those in Israel. There is no doubt, Germany encourages development and education.

- Full Social Benefits – Germany is a wealthy country and its welfare laws are very developed. There is broad support for citizens and a package of benefits for new residents, including recognition in the German national insurance of seniority accumulated while working outside Germany, which preserves years of accumulation for the purpose of receiving a pension in Germany that is significantly more generous than that provided by the Israeli National Insurance.

- Living and Working in the EU – A German passport allows you to make wonderful changes in your life and career without difficulty. In fact, any of the additional 26 EU countries will welcome you with open arms.

- Cheap Housing – Buying a home, renting short-term or long-term – all these are significantly cheaper in Germany compared to Israel and many other countries worldwide. Thus, you won't have to part with most of your salary every month just for housing.

- Cheap Cost of Living – So, milk and cottage cheese are cheaper in Germany, but not only them. Almost in every price comparison with Israel, you'll find it's cheaper there. From supermarket shopping to home goods and family cars and children's education.

- A More Relaxed Lifestyle – The "rat race" in which millions of Israelis live, with long working hours and a feeling of endless chasing, doesn't really exist in Germany. In a country that respects order and precision, work hours are not exceeded, a lot of quality time is devoted to family, and everything proceeds at a relaxed pace, not at breakneck speed.

This is How You Start Your Journey to a German Passport

All the information in this article was written by Eran Wagner, attorney and notary, whose office specializes in obtaining German Citizenship and Passport for Israelis who desire it. We invite you to contact us and embark on a journey at the end of which your life will also be positively enhanced.

Contact Methods with the Office: Phone: 03-6911066, wagner.co.il