Abstract

Obtaining citizenship is often considered a crucial step in the lives of second-generation immigrants. However, the application procedures are considered a major administrative and personal hurdle. This project studies how the introduction of birthright citizenship in Germany affected the educational trajectories of these individuals. Our identification strategy exploits the design of the reform, which restricted birthright citizenship to children of immigrants born after 2000 and whose parents fulfilled certain eligibility criteria. We rely on a combination of high-quality survey and census data to examine how eligibility for birthright citizenship affects the secondary school degrees obtained by the affected individuals. We expand upon the existing literature by providing nationally representative evidence, focusing on completed degrees, and examining the possible mechanisms behind the observed effects. The project aims to inform the scientific community as well as policymakers about the role of citizenship policies for promoting immigrant integration and equal access to educational opportunities.