Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP6656
Authors: Amelie Constant; Liliya Gataullina; Klaus F. Zimmermann
Abstract: This paper studies the determinants of naturalization among Turkish and ex-Yugoslav immigrants in Germany differentiating between actual and planned citizenship. Using the German Socio-Economic Panel, we measure the impact that integration and ethnicity indicators exert on the probability to naturalize beyond the standard individual and human capital characteristics. A robust finding is that German citizenship is very valuable to female immigrants and the generally better educated, but not to those educated in Germany. We find that the degree of integration in German society has a differential effect on citizenship acquisition. While a longer residence in Germany has a negative influence on actual or future naturalization, arriving at a younger age and having close German friends are strong indicators of a positive proclivity to citizenship acquisition. Likewise, ethnic origins and religion also influence these decisions. Muslim immigrants in Germany are more willing to become German citizens than non-Muslim immigrants, but there are also fewer German citizens among Muslims than among non-Muslims.
Keywords: Citizenship; Ethnicity; Integration; Naturalization
JEL Codes: F22; J15; J61
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| female immigrants (J82) | likelihood of acquiring German citizenship (K37) |
| education (I29) | likelihood of acquiring German citizenship (K37) |
| presence of close German friends (F55) | likelihood of acquiring German citizenship (K37) |
| longer durations of stay in Germany (C41) | willingness to naturalize (K37) |
| Muslim immigrants (J15) | willingness to acquire citizenship (F52) |
| willingness to acquire citizenship (F52) | actual citizenship possession among Muslim immigrants (K37) |