Access to Citizenship and the Social Integration of Immigrants

Abstract

We study whether the option to naturalize improves the social integration of immigrants in the destination country. The empirical analysis relies on two immigration reforms in Germany, a country with a traditionally weak record of immigrant assimilation. For identification, we exploit the introduction of citizenship eligibility rules that varied across year of arrival and birth cohorts. Our results suggest that access to citizenship has significant effects on fertility choices, family formation and the characteristics of partners. The option to naturalize delays marriage to later ages and reduces the likelihood of marrying someone from the country of origin. Female immigrants also have lower fertility overall and tend to postpone their first birth, especially when they are high-skilled. An analysis of the potential mechanisms suggests that higher earnings are important for fertility and marriage choices. And while immigrants from a more traditional cultural background have overall higher fertility and marriage rates, they also assimilate faster than immigrants from EU member countries.