Getting a passport and nationality in Germany is now faster and cheaper than in the United Kingdom following recent legal changes.
Germany allows naturalization after five years of legal residence, while the UK requires a minimum of six years through a multi-step residency process.
Germany reformed its nationality law in 2024 to ease pathways to citizenship. Applicants in Germany can now hold dual citizenship after the country removed previous restrictions requiring individuals to abandon their original nationality.
UK visa, permanent residency, and citizenship fees total approximately 5,000 pounds, roughly 100 yen in local equivalents or about 1 million yen, according to data reviewed by Yahoo News Japan contributors. German naturalization application fees cost 255 euros, which equals roughly 40,000 yen.
Applicants must live in Germany for five years for direct naturalization. The UK process requires five years to secure permanent residency followed by an additional year holding that status before applying for citizenship, creating a six-year minimum timeline.
Both nations mandate a mid-level B1 standard of language proficiency for applicants. English speakers find the UK process less burdensome, while non-speakers struggle to learn German from scratch.
German cities face heavy bureaucratic backlogs following the 2024 law changes, with processing times stretching from one to two years in certain urban centers. Japan’s nationality law dictates that any citizen who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses their Japanese citizenship automatically regardless of whether they choose the UK or Germany.
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