ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has approved dual citizenship for Pakistani nationals residing in Germany, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the overseas Pakistani community.
Following this decision, Pakistanis living in Germany will no longer be required to renounce their Pakistani citizenship upon acquiring German nationality. The move is being widely welcomed as a major relief for overseas Pakistanis.
According to the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment, this development is the result of an expansion in Pakistan’s national policy on dual citizenship under the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951. Germany has now been officially added to the list of countries whose nationals are allowed to hold dual citizenship with Pakistan.
Officials clarified that the decision does not stem from any recent change in German law, but rather from Pakistan’s own policy initiative aimed at protecting the interests of its citizens abroad.
A senior official from the Bureau stated that the approval will allow Pakistani nationals who acquire German citizenship to retain their Pakistani nationality, identity, and legal ties with Pakistan. As a result, they will continue to enjoy rights related to property ownership, inheritance, and other civic matters in Pakistan.
Pakistan currently maintains formal dual citizenship arrangements with 21 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
Sources estimate that more than 150,000 Pakistanis reside in Germany, contributing significantly to sectors such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, automotive industries, research, and business.
