Official German data confirm that the decline in registered Syrians is not due to mass departures but to rising naturalization rates.

According to the government’s response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left Party, by the end of November 940,401 Syrians were living in Germany, compared to about 974,000 a year earlier. More than half, 512,348 Syrians, hold recognized protection status.

The statistical drop is explained by naturalized citizens being removed from the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR), even if they retain Syrian nationality. In 2024 alone, a record 291,955 naturalizations were registered following changes to the nationality law, including 83,150 Syrians – more than a quarter of the total. In 2023, over 75,000 Syrians became German citizens.

Voluntary return to Syria remains very limited, with only 3,707 individuals leaving under government programs by November 2025.

Sources - Agencies