Two months back, the German upper house approved a bill easing citizenship rules across the country. Before tabling the bill, both sides, the treasury and opposition had heated debate over the legality and technicality of German citizenship law.

The said bill allows dual citizenship as per the new citizenship bill. It helps to simplify the repatriation. One of the foremost clauses in this bill mentioned that people would get citizenship after living in Germany for five years rather than eight. 

If candidates exhibit \\\'exceptional integration accomplishments\\\' such as outstanding academic or professional achievements, or active involvement in civic activities, they may qualify for naturalization in just three years.

One of the unique things in this bill is that people who want to get German citizenship will not have to get their citizenship of their native country. Before this bill, it was only applicable to other European country\\\'s citizens who were living in Germany. Additionally, getting a study abroad scholarships is one of the dreams of every single student.

Having said that, this bill pursues the transparency of German legislation in terms of immigration and citizenship. Meanwhile, if Germans want to get citizenship of another country they will not have to get permission from the German citizenship watchdogs. 

This will allow tens of thousands of German-born Turks will become voters of Germany. In this regard, this bill was tabled by centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition. On the other hand, the German right-centre opposition had argued that this project would cheapen German citizenship.

In light of the recent development where the Upper House in Germany passed legislation to ease citizenship requirements, opportunities for Pakistani students to study abroad are now more accessible than ever. This progressive move signals a welcoming environment for individuals seeking to broaden their horizons through education. 

With the potential for streamlined naturalization processes, scholarships to study abroad for Pakistani students can now envision a future where they not only excel academically but also integrate more seamlessly into German society. 

As hundreds of thousands are already within the system, the passage of this legislation may contribute to a smoother transition for new applicants, including those aspiring Pakistani scholars eager to contribute their talents and expertise to the global community. However, this bill was approved in the lower house at the end of January 2024. In such a scenario, Scholz mentioned that this bill is for those who had lived and worked in Germany for decades.

Scholz stated, “We are affirming to individuals who have frequently resided and worked in Germany for many years, who uphold our laws, and who consider this place their home: You are an integral part of Germany,\\\" Scholz stated. According to the Al-Jazeera representative from Berlin, he said, there were speeches in favour and there were speeches against. That was a time when a bill in the state’s house of parliament.  Moreover, the legislation will have to be approved by this bill from the upper house of Germany and by the president as a formality, before it becomes law.

So far, this citizenship law will come into effect in the mid-May 2024. Our correspondent noted that there are already hundreds of thousands of individuals within the system, indicating a probable significant backlog before new applications can be processed.