The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has recently published two surveys: a qualitative survey on the views and experiences of the category “Optionspflichtige” and a quantitative one on the naturalisation behaviours of foreign residents in Germany.

Optionspflichtige are persons who have acquired German citizenship by birth on the territory and are required to renounce a foreign citizenship until age 23 in order to retain their German one. This rule came into force in 2000. Since 2008, the first persons concerned have reached the age when they need to take a decision regarding their citizenship.

1. The qualitative survey

The survey was meant to enquire about the subjective views and experiences of Optionspflichtige and about the motives of their citizenship choice.

27 semi-structured interviews as well as a discussion group were conducted in the region of Nuremberg. The interview partners were both Optionspflichtige who had already taken their decision and others who were still in a decision process. Underage children who had not started any decision process were also taken into account.

The interviews tackled all aspects of the decision process (motives, role of the social environment) and also the general issues of integration.

This qualitative survey contributed to structure the part of the quantitative survey dedicated to Optionspflichtige.

2.  The quantitative survey

The reform of German citizenship law in recent years is one of the significant backgrounds of the quantitative survey on the naturalisation behaviour of foreign residents in Germany.

Special attention was given to the Optionspflichtige and to their citizenship choice. In 2011, four survey groups were submitted a standardised questionnaire:

– Persons who acquired German citizenship in 2005
– Foreign residents in a naturalisation procedure
– Foreign residents who fulfil the naturalisation requirements but who did not apply for German citizenship
– Optionspflichtige (between 16 and 21 year-old)

The general objective of the survey was to deepen the knowledge of naturalisation behaviours and decisions. The study provides with empirical data on the criteria for or against naturalisation, on individual experiences with naturalisation procedures and on the impact of naturalisation on the persons who are granted German citizenship.

Read the summary of the qualitative survey and of the quantitative survey on the website of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (in German).