German police have uncovered a large-scale fraud network that enabled migrants to obtain language certificates and naturalization documents without meeting the required standards.
Authorities in Nuremberg said several suspects organised German-speaking deputies to sit language and naturalization tests on behalf of applicants who were unable to pass the exams themselves. The forged certificates were sold for between €2,500 and €6,000 and later used to secure residence permits or German citizenship.
The main suspect is a 39-year-old Iraqi national. During searches in Nuremberg and Hamm, police seized forged residence permits, falsified language tests, data carriers, cash and small quantities of narcotics.
In January, a 22-year-old German citizen was arrested while taking an exam as a deputy. Authorities in several federal states have since reported suspected cases of forged language or integration certificates. In Lower Saxony, 13 citizenships have already been annulled, while 137 applications were rejected.
Despite these findings, several states have ruled out comprehensive retroactive reviews of past naturalizations, arguing that reassessments would only be justified where concrete evidence exists.
The revelations come as Berlin has moved to accelerate naturalization procedures in 2025, aiming to double the number of foreigners granted German citizenship to 40,000 by the end of the year. To meet this target, the State Immigration Office replaced in-person interviews with a fully digital process.
The reform was criticised by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, head of the CSU parliamentary group, who warned against prioritising speed over scrutiny. He argued that authorities should focus on thoroughly assessing applicants’ commitment to Germany’s free democratic order and historical responsibility, particularly the protection of Jewish life, adding
I find it hard to imagine that this would work without a personal interview.
