I am a German lawyer, specializing on German citizenship law. These FAQ are supposed to give you an overview of the basic principles governing this area of law, so you can decide whether a paid consultation is worth it.
Before asking a new question, please read through the many comments which may already answer your question. And if you find these FAQ useful, or if you ask a new question, it would be very nice of you to support this blog. Thank you!
1. Does Germany have a system of ius sanguinis or ius soli?
Germany has traditionally always been a ius sanguinis country, meaning that citizenship is passed on to the next generation by birth, irrespective of the place of birth. Only recently (1999) has the law been amended to incorporate ius soli, giving German citizenship to a child born in Germany to two parents of foreign citizenship.
I will explain these different ways of obtaining citizenship in more detail below.
2. Does ius sanguinis mean that I am entitled to German citizenship if I have German great-great-grandparents, even if they left Germany generations ago?
Possibly, but not automatically. You are a German citizen under ius sanguinis if your ancestors had German citizenship at the time of the birth of the next generation and passed on this citizenship respectively. It is therefore necessary to find out the exact timeline of events to determine if your ancestors might have lost their German citizenship (e.g. by giving it up voluntarily, or by accepting a foreign citizenship) or if they still had it and could thus pass it on.
You see that this requires a lot of research into your family history and into the respective laws of the relevant points in time. But if you are lucky, you might have German citizenship even if your parents never knew about it and neither you or them have ever been to Germany.
3. Is there any chance to obtain German citizenship for someone without German ancestors?
Yes. You can become a German citizen trough the ius soli option (more about this below), through adoption by a German citizen and through naturalization.
Please note that German citizenship cannot be obtained through marriage with a German citizen, although this does increase your chances of naturalization.
4. So what is the ius soli component of German citizenship law?
Ius soli means the acquiring of a citizenship based on being born in a country’s territory. Germany’s ius soli law is much less far-reaching than that of the USA or Mexico for example. Since 2000, a child born to foreign parents in Germany is born a German citizen if at least one of its parents has been a legal resident of Germany for at least 8 years and has a permanent residence status (§ 4 III StAG).
Because these children usually also receive the citizenship(s) of their parents, they will have dual or triple citizenship.
5. Does German law allow dual citizenship?
Germany disapproves of dual citizenship, but cannot completely prevent it, especially in cases where only one parent is German and the child receives two different citizenships at the moment of its birth. In these cases, both citizenships are of equal standing and nobody could be forced to give up one of them.
In cases of naturalization however, Germany requires the foreigner to give up his or her original citizenship in order to obtain a German passport (§§ 9 I Nr. 1; 10 I Nr. 4 StAG). There are quite a number of exceptions to this requirement (§ 12 StAG), for example if your home country does not allow you to renounce citizenship, or if the loss of your original citizenship would result in the loss of economic rights in your home country, and for all citizens of another EU country. Restitution cases are also exempt from the requirement to renounce your existing citizenship.
Lastly, the current government has announced that it will relax the rules on dual citizenship. If you follow this blog, you will automatically hear about it as soon as it happens. Or maybe a few weeks after, if I will be travelling at the time.
6. How long do I have to live in Germany before I can get a German passport?
For the spouse of a German citizen, the residence requirement is usually 3 years (of which you need to have been married for the last 2 years).
For other foreigners, it is between 6 and 8 years, depending on your language skills.
After 8 years of residency, a German passport can no longer be denied, you have acquired an entitlement to it (if you fulfill the other requirements, e.g. German language skills, no criminal record, no dependency on welfare).
7. Is it possible to obtain German citizenship although I don’t live in Germany?
Yes. § 14 StAG opens this possibility if you can show that you have close ties to Germany despite your residence in another country. Due to the number of questions about this possibility, there is now a special set of FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
8. How do you lose German citizenship?
There are several ways how German citizenship can be lost (§ 17 StAG): The main cases are applying for another citizenship (§ 25 StAG), renouncing German citizenship if this does not render you stateless (§ 26 StAG) and adoption by a foreign parent (§ 27 StAG).
9. Are there special rules for victims of the Nazi-regime and descendants of these victims?
Yes. The Nazis stripped a number of Germans of their citizenship for political, racist and anti-Semitic reasons. These former German citizens or their descendants have a right to have their German citizenship reinstated (Art. 116 II GG).
Please see the FAQ on reclaiming German citizenship for more on this.
10. If I don’t meet any of the legal requirements, is there still a chance for me to get a German passport?
Do you play football very well?
If all of this text is too much for you, please check out my infographic on German citizenship law.
The Happy Hermit 
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Hi
The post in this page is full of info, i thank you so much for it,
I would you mind if i ask what do you mean in Question #5 (if the loss of your original citizenship would result in the loss of economic rights in your home country)
Regards
In some countries, if you give up your citizenship, you lose all your property rights there, especially relating to real estate. Some countries will declare you ineligible to inherit any property.
In these cases, Germany would not insist on you giving up your previous citizenship.
Because there are so many questions about dual citizenship, I’ll be happy to post a list of FAQ about dual citizenship in Germany or relating to German citizenship as soon as somebody deems it important enough to send me a book from my wishlist.
Hello Andreas
I am a South African, My father grandfather French and my grandmother German.
My Ex is German and we have a daughter together, they live in Berlin. I fly her to south Africa once a year but we would like to see each other more. Can I get German citizenship due to my daughter being German?
Kind Regards
Nicolas Joubert
Unfortunately there is no way for parents to derive citizenship from their children. It only works the other way round.
Non-German parents can derive a residence permit in Germany from their German children (§ 28 I Nr. 3 AufenthG), but that’s a matter for a different set of FAQs.
Thanks Andreas.
What entitles a residence permit?
Kind Regards
Nicolaas
I will publish the FAQ about residence in Germany as soon as someone finds it important enough to send me a book from my wishlist.
Hi Andreas,
My Grand Farther was born in Germany and went to Namibia formally know as South West Africa. My Mother had a german passport as a child which has expired and she has passed away. I was born in 1982 to a German Mother and South African Farther.
Would I be able to become a German Citizen ? My Sister was born in 1975 and my parents got her a passport when she was little. She recently got her German passport.
Am I eligable ?
Regards
Christoff Bisschoff
Hi Andreas,
I was adopted when I was 16 years old by my German adoptive father, I’m now 45 years old from the Philippines. Sometime in 1986 my adoptive father applied on my behalf a German passport. However, this did not push through because of lack document requirements. My adoptive father is now deceased. Can I pursue the passport application or am I still eligible for a German citizenship?
I will be happy to answer this question once I receive a donation (see “Make a Donation” button in the top right corner).
I was born to a German mother Berchtesgaden and later adopted by an american citizen. can I by way of my birth certificate acquire German citizenship?
I would need to know all the dates (birth, emigration, adoption) and who your father was/is.
And of course I would need a donation first, or at least a book from my wishlist. Thank you!
Hii Andrea.
This is Feyi who send you an email about naturalisation processing and made payment fee to your account as well.
When will i be emailed my answers. :)
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks.
Hi Andreas,
I have the following problem. My boyfriend (non EU-Citizen person) rejected (didnt accept) his german cititenship. He married before a german girl after living and working 5 years in Germany. Now he is in divorce. Then 2 years ago he moved out from Germany to an other european country. He think (He asked emigration office) he never can go back to germany, because he didnt accept the citizenship. Is this true??
He hasnt got any chance to go back?
Thanks, Pumukli
No, that’s not true.
A general note to all those posting questions: please don’t say “non-German” or “non-EU” when describing your nationality. I need to know the exact citizenship of all parties involved because it makes a huge difference in immigration and citizenship law if somebody is Australian, Russian or Somali.
Hello!
My x-boyfriend is German. I got pregnant and decided to have this child. He doesn’t want to acknowledge his parentship. I know that he is afraid of ailments etc. but I need only a citizenship to my child as his father is German. I live outside of Germany. Pls advice what can I do?
You would need to establish paternity. If he does not cooperate, you would need to sue him. Please feel free to contact me for more specific advice and don’t forget to mention the country you live in, as that may be important for the jurisdiction of that lawsuit.
Hi, I had a question hopefully someone can help me with.
I have American-German dual citizenship. I am eligible for Israeli citizenship and would like to apply. However I do not want to lose my German citizenship. I know I could still remain a US citizen but I don’t know about Germany. Please help. Thanks
Hi I am a US citizen, I have a US and German passport. I would like to apply for citizenship of Israel. If I do this would I lose my German passport? I would like to remain an EU citizen
My parents were born in Germany and so was I. my parents moved to the United States when i was two and became U.S. citizens and by default me also. Can I keep my U.S. citizenship and get my German citizenship back also?
That situation is addressed in my FAQ on reclaiming German citizenship, but you would need to make a strong case to be allowed to keep US citizenship when re-applying for German citizenship.
Hello,
My wife is German and I am American. We would like our newborn son to have dual citizenship.
Should we first apply for naturalization, or go ahead and apply for his German passport?
Where can we find instructions for applying for naturalization?
Thank you,
One parent being German and ther other parent being American is the prime example of a obtaining dual citizenship at the moment of birth. You do not need any naturalization and you can apply for both passports. Please note that a passport is not a document of citizenship, it’s a travel document. A passport does not establish citizenship, it regularly requires the citizenship of the country that you ask to issue the passport.
I am a Nigerian that was born in Germany in 1977 with German God parents . My parents relocated to Nigeria shortly after my birth. Is there any possibility of obtaining German citizenship for me?
HI
I’m 18 years old i live in republic of Kosovo with my parents,i have born in germany in 1995,i have a certificate birth of germany in 2000 i went to Kosovo and now i live in kosovo for 13 years.Can i get now citizenship(German)??
Unfortunately it’s too late now. Your parents (if they fulfilled the requirement according to no. 4 of the above FAQ) would have needed to file an application by 31 December 2000: § 40b StAG.
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I am concerned that my ex-husband will try to take our daughter to Europe from the United States without my knowledge or consent. I am wondering if my daughter could lose her German passport to make this more difficult. The reason I think she might be able to lose her passport is because my ex-husband applied for the Hungarian citizenship for our child (#8), while in Germany, declaring to be a German. As a result, our daughter has passports from Germany, Hungary, and the U.S. Frankly I am more concerned that our child be taken to Hungary than Germany, but I would really like any information you could provide. Can I declare to the German Government that they please take my daughter’s citizenship? Is this a good idea, since having 3 nationalities seems like it has some benefits? Thank you!
No – Hungary is part of the EU and Germany citizens are allowed to obtain Duality of another EU country.
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I was born in Germany in 1940. My father, a German soldier (not a member of the NAZI party), was killed in WWII. In 1950 my German born mother emigrated with me to the US. At the age of 18 I became a naturalized US citizen as I did not have any resources to do otherwise. I would like to obtain dual citizen with Germany in recognition of my birthplace. I am financially secure and would not be an encumbrance to Germany. Years ago I wrote a letter to the German Embassy and was told I was not eligible for dual citizenship as I was a naturalized US citizen. Do I have any recourse?
The last comment on “do you paly football” made me laugh so hard! Nice blog by the way. I had one question. What was the nationality law before 2000? Could foreigners born in 1950 who moved and lived in Germany for in 1951 and lived there for 40 years until 1991, would they be able to obtain citizenship based on the length of years spent in Germany? Or was it purely based on the jus sanguis principles?
There was also a way for naturalization in Germany before.
Hello Andrea,
I want to know how long a master students needs to stay in Germany before he can become a permanent residence holder because i read on some forum and blog that you cant get PR or citizenship if your previous permits have been on the basis of studies and even your spouse can’t get it as well as your kids even if they were born in Germany.
I read that all the time as well, but it is wrong. Don’t believe anything that anyone who is not an expert on immigration law writes about immigration law.
In answer to your question: you would need to find a job after studying, and then it will depend what kind of contract you have, how much you earn and how good your German is.
hello , i am indian and i am living in germany , now i have daueraufenthalts karte , i want apply german citizenship , please tell me after how manny years i can apply and what i need for this.
thanking you
I think question no. 6 of the above FAQ answers this.
So I just spoke with a German lawyer and I was given the following (great information). Here’s my situation. I was born in the United States to my German mother and my American Father. The verdict:
I am a German Citizen by birth. I can get a passport immediately from Germany, even though I don’t live there. In fact, my children who were born in 2008 and 2011 also have German Citizenship because of me. They can get a German passport as well.
In order to do this, I need to appear at a German mission in the United States and provide the following documents to get a passport (i’ve listed the reasons why I need the documents as well)
1) My birth certificate (proving who my mother is)
2) My U.S. Passport
3) My mother’s (who is German) Passport (proving she is a German citizen)
4) My mother’s Green Card (proving she did not give up her German citizenship)
5) My parent’s marriage license (proving they were married at the time of my birth)
6) My father’s Passport (proving his identity)
7) My American Driver License or Utility bill (proving address)
For my parent’s documents, they can either be original or notarized copies of the original (since I highly doubt my parents are going to send me their original passport).
Nationality law if you were born after January 1, 1975 is if your Mother was German. I am sure there may be other exceptions to the rule, but I actually went to and paid an attorney to ensure I was on the right track.
Thanks for posting this! It was really helpful. I also had a German mother and American father and just recently found out I had German citizenship and got my first German passport as an adult. The process was really much easier than I thought! But I wonder if it’s enough to just have the passport or if we’d need a certificate of citizenship too down the road.
Thanks….so helpful! Were you born before 1975 or after? I’m the same situation as you and born in 1973 in the US to German mother/American father. Have read conflicting info about the 1975 cutoff and hoping it might be contested/challenged?!?! The German consulate has been less than helpful! So frustrating!!!
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In all serious, can you get in contact with me regarding point number 10! Haha.
I’m planning on studying and living in Germany for 3-6 years and I wish to play an international sport for them, cricket, if I am deemed eligible. Will this mean I am entitled to a citizenship? (to play for Germany in cricket one must live there for 4 years and play cricket for 3 of them I think)
If what your saying is that since my mothers was still german citizen when i was born in oct 1964 in usa Im still entitled to get a passport to use for travel , but im not a citizen, unless I claim stateless at which point i could be considered for it. Or would i have to file under the “right to return” in order to get citizenship ,My intent is to spend the next 15-20 years traveling but i would like to do it as an german citizen since i have lived most of my life in u.s. I have no intrest in returning to it but living abroad until i return to germany to finish my life!
To g,
1975 onward = mother or father
before 1975 = (you are 1964) = paternal, father or grandfather only.
Your mother’s citizenship will not play into the equation if you were born pre-1975.
Those born before 1 January 1975 could normally only claim German citizenship from the father and not the mother. Exceptions included cases where the parents were unmarried (in which case German mothers could pass on citizenship) or where the German mother applied for the child to be registered as German on or before 31 December 1977.
This rule has apparently changed … in February 2013 they issued a statement saying that children of a German mother and foreign farther born prior to 1975 also have a right to German naturalization. Check it out the link, in German …
http://www.bva.bund.de/cln_321/nn_2172998/DE/Aufgaben/Abt__III/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Einbuergerung/Ermessenseinbuergerung/AntraegeMerkblaetter/Ermess__Merkblatt__erl__Einbuergerung,templateId=raw,property=publicationFile.pdf/Ermess_Merkblatt_erl_Einbuergerung.pdf
Has it really changed? My older brothers were born before 1975 to our German mother and therefore they are not able to get their German Citizenship. Are you sure?
Thank you very much for that update and the link! – Although you are giving away for free what I am charging people for if they hire me for a private consultation. ;-)
Is it also valid to persons born abroad? My brothers were born in Brazil and have lived there since birth. Isn’t naturalization only for foreigns (or, in this case, born to a German mother), who live in Germany?
This link is about naturalization of people who would receive German citizenship from birth were they born now, but who didn’t because before 1975 the citizenship law distinguished between those born to a German father and those born to a German mother. This combines two completely different things, naturalization and ius sanguinis.
And indeed naturalization is possible from abroad.
Dear Andreas,
But the leaflet says “to facilitate “Einbürgerung” of children born of German mothers and foreign fathers before January 1975, (they) were born according to § 14 of the Nationality Act”.
Besides, it’s says in the whole document the word “Einbürgerung”, which means naturalization.
§ 14 of the StAG it’s about naturalization and not citizenship from birth, it also guidelines you to §§ 8 and 9 of the Law, that explains how do a foreigner can obtain its naturalization.
My question is still up: foreigners born before 1975 to a German should apply for naturalization or citizenship?
If you were born in the USA to an unmarried 2nd generation German woman before 1975, and several years later she later married your father, would you still be able to apply for German citizenship?
Hi, I married a german woman in Pakistan and she is the love of my life, I am a Pakistani citizen and she is german citizen residing in Pakistan from a long time. After our marriage my wife wants us to settle in europe. Can I get german citizenship if my wife is german?
Yes. I think the FAQ above answer this question. If you want a more in-depth consultation about your specific case, please feel free to e-mail me.
What i should do to get a german passeport f am living n egypt and my wife s german ???
Questions 6 and 7 of the above FAQ answer your question.
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Like to get my german passport.Born in germany,mothers german,dads canadian.Moved out from germany in the year 2000 and i am now in england.Can i get my germany passport with out any probblems.
I will need more details, like your age, if your parents were married, what other citizenship(s) you have and so on. Please feel free to contact me for a consultation. The fee is 200 €.
hello, i Had Germany Ancestors which were moved by force from Germany back in 19th century from Swabia (Bavaria) region, is there any chance that i can claim Germany citizenship, if there is any procedure or government entity please advice. Thank you in advance
Please see # 2 of the above FAQ.
In the answer to question #2 you mention that it may or may not be possible, as for example if one of the ancestors lost his/her citizenship (did I get it right?).
I have my lineage back to a Great-Grandparent (male), born in Hanau, Germany, in 1829, died in Brazil in 1907. After that other members of my family didn’t mantain their German citizenship. Would I be eligible anyway…?
I’m Brazilian, and my lineage back to my great-grandparent comes from the men in my family (great-grandfather –> grandfather –> father –> me).
Ahn… I mentioned that because I was born prior to 1975 (1969).
I’m asylum seekers please can I get passport in Germany yes or no
Hi Andreas, I’ve been trying to find information regarding a combination of #2 & # 7. My father was born in Germany in 1948; however, he was born “stateless” and never obtained German citizenship. My Grandparents, I believe, eventually obtained German citizenship and entire father’s side (aunts, uncles, cousins etc.) were all born German citizens and reside in Germany to this day, where I frequently visit them. Would it be difficult to obtain citizenship based on these facts? If possible, please direct me to any info – on this site FAQ or others. Thank you in advance.
* Please note: by “aunts, uncles, cousins”, I mean my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and my father’s sisters, brothers, and nieces/nephews.
lost my german naturalisation/citizenship certificate. lives in london, how do i get a replacement
As a first stop, I would recommend the place that issued the certificate.
Hello,
first of all thank you for your insightful information on this page.I have a question, My husband is dutch and I am from the caribbean but we reside in germany at the moment, and we would like to adopt my 16 year old niece who has a child. Would it be possible to adopt her and not seperate her from her daughter as well?
I am going to post FAQ about German adoption law as soon as somebody deems it important enough to mail me a book from my wishlist.
Hey, I was born in Germany in Augsburg in 1997, because my father was in the military at the time,(Not born on military grounds I believe) But my parents are both natural born US citizens, and did not get German citizenship, even though they had lived there 8 or 9 years. I moved out of Germany when I was 3, and have lived in the US since then, but visited Germany last year. I’m wondering if I would be eligible for Dual citizenship. I’ve been a US citizen since birth I believe.
Here’s an update from my September 15 post.
I now have in my possession a German Passport !!!
The hardest part of the whole thing was getting a document that proved my mother’s German citizenship at the time of my birth. As it turned out, all I really needed was her USA Permanent Resident card. Even though her current physical card was issued in 2005, it had an original issue date of 1967, so the SF consulate accepted this as proof she was German when I was born. In hind sight, the whole process was fairly easy once I got all the documents. We decided to make a week trip out of it. We drove down to SF on a Sunday, got there on a Monday afternoon, checked into a hotel and enjoyed SF for a few hours that evening. Our appointment was for 10am the next morning. It took about 30 seconds for the consulate agent to review my documents. Then, she got on the computer and started inputing the information in. Fifteen minutes later, I signed a document, gave her a lot of cash (for myself and my children’s passport too). The passport was ordered on November 6 and it came to my house via Fedex on November 29.
Congratulations and thanks for the update and for sharing your experience!
But you were born after 1975 , right?
I am in the same shoes but i was born in 1964 does this process include me?
My understanding is before 1975, like me, it only counts if it was your father was born in Germany.
Dear Andreas,
My husband is a legal resident in Germany for more than 20 years; we have been married for 5 years now and have 4 years old child who is born and living with me outside of Germany. We (I & my child) haven’t been traveling to Germany or applying for any legal thing (not even registered as a spouse and child in Germany) till now. But my husband has now applied for a German citizenship. What I would like to ask you is:-
-How long does this citizenship process take?
-After my husband gets the citizenship how can we (Me & my child) get permanent resident permit and what is the procedure.
-Does a German resident permit works to any other European countries
Please have a look at these FAQ about how to get an individual consultation.
My brother was born in germany on a air force base to a american solider and german mother but when we moved to u.s and lived when he turn 18 he was given the option of being u.s. citizen or a german citizen, he had to pick u.s. or they would have deported him, why wasnt he given the right to retain dual citizenship?
If your brother sends me all the documents pertaining to both his citizenships, I will be able to find out what happened or what went wrong there.
This took place in i believe 1980, even though we travel alot throughout our youths with our father being an air force service man, My brother had an german passport but he also had an american passport the only time he had to carry both was when we were in germany, otherwise he used the american since we were mostly on military bases living. I never understood why he had one and I didn’t ,He was born on a u.s. military base “Hahns air force base” in germany. From my understanding since my mother was german citizen and my father was american he had to have both, but when i was born in U.S. i only got u.s. citizenship. I have checked many time throughout my life to see if anything had changed and i could possibly get citizenship as an german but have alway been told no! Even if i had been offer the choice between u.s. and german I would have went with german, I had consulted with an few attorney to see if it was possible they all wanted money upfront and made no guarantees ,I had payed one $700 and all he did was send a letter asking if i could get citizenship . Which they replied no, without even receiving any of my information!
m indian living in germany my girl frnd is germn citzn i have marry with her when i will get germn citznship
I would have to look at the health care system over there , Since he has metal health issue I am not sure if they would take him or provide him with what he gets here.
Hi,
I was born in Germany in the early 90s, lived there for three years and then moved to the United States. Neither of my parents are German citizens, but my grandfather was originally from Germany. Do I have any rights in becoming a citizen?
You could try the naturalization route, but do you speak German and are you willing to give up your existing citizenship?
I speak a little German, not enough to get me by, though. I’m more than willing to give up my existing citizenship.
For German citizenship, you will need to get to the B1 level in German at least, preferably certified by the Goethe Institute if you are not in Germany.
I was born in germany and lived in germany until I was 35 Years old. I got married to an American and received my american citizenship just in 2005 at the age of 42. Do I have to reapply for my german citizenship? I want to go back or at least travel more often to see my family and maybe later on down the road go back to stay for a longer period of time.
If you applied for US citizenship without requesting and receiving permission from Germany to maintain your German citizenship then you did indeed lose it. Re-applying is an option, but Germany will want you to give up your US citizenship in that process.
This information comes too late for you, but it may serve as a reminder for others to plan carefully if they wish to retain their German citizenship while applying for a second one. It is absolutely possible to do that, but it needs to be done before applying for the foreign citizenship.
hi…
i was born in Germany and lived there for 5 years and my dad lived in Germany for about 27 years and he speaks perfect German and he doesn’t have criminal record, he doesn’t depend on welfare, but he does not have the German pass,he is living now in Egypt since 15 years….
1st question: can he get the German pass?
if yes,
2nd question: im now 23 years old can i get it too?
Thanks in Advance, your feedback will be highly appreciated.
Please feel free to contact me for a consultation. I’ll even offer you a discount and answer both of your questions for the price of one consultation (150 €).
Hi Andreas!
I am from Uruguay and my husband is German, we have been married for the past 16 years and living in the Philippines all that time. We have been told that I cannot apply German passport because I have not lived in Germany for a certain period of time or speak fluent German language. Your point #7 says that I need to show ties with Germany. Being married for 16 years to a German national and having 2 German kids is not enough??
thanks in advance!
No, that’s not enough. § 14 StAG can free you up from the residency requirement, but not from the language and the integration requirement. You may have strong ties to 3 German nationals (your husband and your children), but not necessarily to Germany itself.
Please have a look at my FAQ on naturalization in Germany from abroad.
Thank you Andreas!
Both my grand parents on my fathers side were born and married in Germany. They came out to Australia when my dad was 3. Due to the work that my dad now does etc he got naturalised as an Australian in his mid 20’s. i have read point no 2 above… however does this completly rule me out as my dad got naturalised or not?
It depends on whether your father lost his German citizenship (by applying for the Australian one) before or after you were born. If he did so before your birth, then he was no longer German at the time of your birth and could not pass on the German citizenship. Once the chain is interrupted, it’s the end of ius sanguinis.
Andreas, I have a similar situation to Laura in that my German born father moved to Australia when he was three (1952). While I’m not sure at which age he became a naturalised Australian citizen, he was a child when it happened. Is there any law changes on the horizon in regards to children relinquishing their German citizenship? At such a young age can a child know the consequences of being made to take on another citizenship? Could be said that he didn’t ‘voluntarily’ give up his German citizenship??
Thanks
No chance. § 25 I 1 StAG clearly states that a voluntary declaration by the child’s parents is sufficient. It is quite normal throughout all areas of the law that parents act on their children’s behalf. Some of those decisions turn out to be beneficial, some don’t. In the cases of naturalization, it’s also hard to imagine how the minor could have lived the same live in the new country without that country’s citizenship.
My sister has a similar situation my father got another citizenship before he died in 2001 but we dont know exactly when and she was born in 23.11.1995 .. and now when my sister went to update her pass the embassy asked for a paper to prove when he had the other pass .. when she got the paper the paper said that he got it in 23.9.1995 so two months before she was born .. would she lose her german pass ?
She might.
The only thing to protect her might be § 3 II StAG, according to which a person can remain German if they have been treated as a German citizen for at least 12 years. But I would need to look at the details to say for sure.
Your sister can e-mail me at moser@moser-law.com.
Quick question. I went through the process of getting a German passport, at which time I was able to successfully prove to the German Consulate in SF that my mother was German at the time of my birth. So, the passport was issued. My question is, is there any benefit to applying for a Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis? Will the process be easier now that I have a German Passport? Or with having a passport, is this even necessary? Thanks in advance.
For most intents and purposes, you don’t need the “Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis”. You can use your passport to travel and to perform most other activities in Germany (one exception is joining the public service in Germany).
However, if you (will) have children and you wish to pass on your German citizenship, it could help them if you have a “Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis”.
So I would say it’s neither urgent, nor a priority, but it’s better to have it, just in case.
I have a situation similar to Ryan’s and live close to SF. My parents were born and raised in Germany. They married in the US and I was born in the US. I would like to apply for a passport. I’m 51. My daughters are grown, in their twenties, but they would like to apply too. Can they do so? does it matter that my parents became US citizens About 10 years ago? We’ve been to Germany many times because all of our relatives are still there! Thanks for any advice.
If your parents were still German at the time of your birth, then you obtained German citizenship at birth.
In that case, you could also have passed it on to your children if they were born after 1975. If they were born before 1975, they have a chance to get naturalized without having to give up their US citizenship (see no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization in Germany while living abroad).
Dear Andreas, heare I’ve kindly posted my Inquiry again.
My husband is a legal resident in Germany for more than 20 years; we have been married for 5 years now and have 4 years old child who is born and living with me outside of Germany. We (I & my child) haven’t been traveling to Germany or applying for any legal thing (not even registered as a spouse and child in Germany) till now. But my husband has now applied for a German citizenship. What I would like to ask you is:-
-How long does this citizenship process take?
-After my husband gets the citizenship how can we (Me & my child) get permanent resident permit and what is the procedure.
-Does a German resident permit works to any other European countries
I’ll be happy to answer all of your questions after setting up a consultation. My fee for this is 200 €.
Hello Andreas, I have a doubt.
my ancestors were germans. I don’t remember so well but I’m the fourth or fifth generation since they came to South America. I was wondering if I can do something to get a german passport because I love Germany more than my home country and even though I’m the fourth or fifth german generation born in SA, my mom raised me as a german.
My ancestors immigrated from Germany to the United States several generations ago. How can I prove, or find out if they ever voluntarily gave up German citizenship? I cannot find any records of them having given it up, just each successive generation obtaining U.S. citizenship based on being born in the United States. How can I prove to Germany that they did not give up German citizenship or voluntarily obtained U.S. citizenship when there is no record of any of them having done so? How do I provide proof of something that did not happen?
Also, when I inquired through the German consulate a few years ago they stated that I had to provide proof of my ancestors having visited Germany every ten years because I wanted to claim it from so long ago. Is this true?
How many generations can I go back? I have a direct paternal line to Germany, but many generations back.
hi there did you get a response for this ? i have the same situation….
I will answer and explain this in detail once someone makes a donation or sends a book from my wishlist.
I am travaling to germany this summer i was told that I have both passport for my son american and german is that true
If you are asking me if you have both passports for your son, I recommend to look into the drawer where you keep his passport(s).
If you are asking me if your son has both citizenships, I would need to know far more details about your son’s background than the mere fact of him travelling to Germany in summer.
Thanks for posting this; It was very informative. I have a question. I am a Canadian Citizen married to German wife who currently lives with me in Canada. We are planning to move to Germany in 3 years. I am also taking German language courses to learn German. Is it possible for me to apply for German citizenship directly while still in Canada? Or am I required to live in Germany first?
It is possible to obtain German citizenship without living in Germany, but your chances will be much higher once you will have moved to Germany because the required integration into German society will be much easier to prove.
Please also note that Germany will ask you to give up your Canadian citizenship.
Hi Andreas,
How will I get my citizenship? My father is a German Citizen (he is officially residing in Switzerland). My mother is Filipina. They have never been married. I was born 1984 in the Philippines. My father acknowledged me in my birth certificate but both of them forgot to bring me to the German Embassy (I do not know if this is needed). Now, I have been to the German Embassy twice last 2005 – 2006 — asking about my German citizenship as my father told me to get it in the embassy. I have never been to Germany. How can I get my German citizenship? Do I need a DNA test for this?
Thanks a lot.
Please feel free to contact me at moser@moser-law.com to schedule a consultation. You will probably have read that I charge a flat fee of 150 EUR for this.
please am a Ghanaian am now living with my girlfriend who is a German we have one Dauther who is now 8 month and also has German passport is there anyway that i can also obtain german passport ? although we are not staying in the same apartment and not married in germany.
Ben 1996.yılında alman vatandaşı oldum.aynı gün Türk vatandaşlığına müracat ettim ve 1998 yılında Türk vatandaşı olmuşum.1997 den bu güne kadar Türkiyede çalışıyorum ve 2006 Alman pasaportum,un günü bitti.bende yenilemek için o zanam müracat etmedim.1997,den beride Almanyaya gitmedim.ben müracat etsem yeni pasaporT alabilirmiyim.Alman konsolosluğundan.saygılarımla.
I will be able to answer this once I will have learnt Turkish.
My mother was born in Germany in 1947. Her father was Ukrainian and her mother German. They were married at the time. Since immigrating to Canada in 1948, both parents became citizens of Canada. My mother is trying to establish which citizenship she has. She has never been naturalized as a Canadian and now is unable to collect her pension until she can prove her current citizenship and then apply for Canadian Citizenship. Is she German or Ukranian?
My mother asserts that her father worked for the German Army during WWII. Does this prove that he actually had German citizenship?
No. First of all, a mother’s assertion is of course no legal method of proof. Second, non-Germans could and did serve in the Wehrmacht and the SS in World War II, some of them voluntarily, some of them forcefully recruited.
My mother was born in Germany in 1947. Her father was Ukrainian and her mother German. They were married at the time. Does this make her Ukrainian by descent or German by birth?
Dear Andreas, I have one question for you:
I was born in Serbia in 1992. At the time of my birth, my mother was Serbian citizen and my father was citizen of Montenegro. Few months after my birth my parents divorced and my father moved to live in Germany, where he currently lives. In 2002 he became German citizen by naturalization.
I live in Serbia , and I am Serbian citizen. Can i get German citizenship because my father is German citizen, who lives in Germany ?
Thanks a lot !
No, unfortunately not. The citizenship that your parents had at the time of your birth determines your citizenship.
Of course you could apply for German citizenship through naturalization, but you would need to meet the same requirements as anyone else, especially the language and integration requirement.
Hi Andreas,
My mother is Italian, but my father was born in Germany. They both moved to Canada in the 1950s, giving up their respective citizenships to become Canadian citizens. They then gave birth to me in Canada. Is there any chance of me being able to obtain dual german/canadian citizenship through my father? My father still has his German birth certificate.
Thanks,
Alex
No, because your father had already given up/lost his German citizenship when you were born.
That’s what I thought, and thanks for the quick response! Would it make a difference if my father re-applied for german citizenship now (which would be dual german/canadian), and THEN I applied for mine? Or am I completely out of luck?
Whatever your father does now (and Germany would require him to give up his Canadian citizenship if he wants to apply for German citizenship) does not change the fact that when you were born, both of your parents were Canadian citizens only. Whatever happened before or after your birth is not relevant in the eyes of ius sanguinis.
Hi! I have been living in Germany since 2001 – present under dependent status (and excluding 6 month periods of university study in the states during four years. but always came ‘home’ to Germany during breaks) as part of the SOFA Agreement for US Govt family members in Germany. As of a year or so I have become self sponsored as part of my job and no longer held a dependent status. I hold dual citizenship: panama from my mother and USA from my father; but my mothers father was German and his father settled in panama two generations ago. I am interested in applying for German citizenship as due to my leght of stay here from childhood- now it’s become home to me. I am currently dating a german and could see myself settling down here in the future. Out of all the aforementioned scenarios which would serve as most beneficial in order to follow the correct procedure to apply for citizenship? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You may qualify for naturalization, depending on your language skills, but you would need to be prepared to give up your two existing citizenships of Panama and the US in order to obtain German citizenship.
Hello. Excellent site. I was born in Canada in 1965. My grandfather and grandmother were German citizens and that automatically made my father German and therefore myself. I applied for German citizenship through my father/grandfather and received my German citizenship 5 years ago. I am now a permanent resident of Slovakia using my German passport. My mother is a Slovak citizen. I was told by Slovak immigration that by living in Slovakia just 2 years, mastering the basics of the language that I would get Slovakian citizenship as my mother was considered a Czechoslovakian at the time of my birth. (§ 7 ods. 2 písm. j) z.c. 40/1993 Z. z. o štátnom občianstve SR.)
My question. If I apply and take Slovak citizenship by descent through my mother, must I give up my German citizenship? (I know if Slovak citizenship was through naturalization, I would have to give up German citizenship) Isn’t citizenship by descent my right as blood to be a dual German/Slovak? (Canadian by birth). Therefore keeping both German and Slovak passports? Thank you and love your website!
I found my answer:
Die Slowakei gehört zur EU, da braucht man keine Beibehaltungsgenehmigung, §25 Absatz 1 Satz 2 StAG.
So it seems German citizens can take other EU citizenship keine Beibehaltungsgenehmigung. So yes, you can be dual!
Hope this helps others!
im british and work and live in germany… i would love a German passport and dual citizenship… where and how do i APPLY?
Thank you for your info.
I have a question though, my father studied and lived and worked in germany between 1975-1988 , and he didnt get the citizenship, can he now as for it ?
and one more question, my current Citizineship now is Jordanian, and i want to work in germany, but im not allowed to leave my country without the German work-Visa, and i cant get a Visa unless i have Job contract, then how im suppose to get a job contract if im not even allowed to come to germany, ? or should i come with a Visitor-Visa and when i get accepted in a work there change the Visa to work ?
thank you
Hi Andreas,
Its really great to see that you are so knowledgeable about the German Laws.
I do have a situation here .
My wife and my son is a Hungarian Citizen (EU) My wife living in Germany since 2010, presently self employed… , My son was born in Hungary 2012, presently Hungarian Citizen (EU) living in Germany after his birth . I am an Indian citizen living and working legally with a 5 years residence permit as a family member of a EU citizen .
My question is how can my wife apply and receive German citizenship…
I would be highly oblige if you could answer my questions .
regards
Your wife can apply with the local municipality where she lives. She will need to prove fluency in German, but as an Hungarian citizen she can keep her prior citizenship.
hi andreas,
this is my current status..i was born and raised in the Philippines..my mom is a filipina and my dad is german..but he didnt actually acknowledged me at birth.but then the past few years,he did.can i acquire german citizenship though im already 26 years old?read that its only up until you’re 23.is it still possible?any suggestions?
Please see these FAQ about my fees for a personal consultation.
Hello Andreas,
My father is German and I was born in Canada where I still live. He still has his German passport and never gave up his citizenship. Unfortunately I am not in contact with him anymore but would love to be able to obtain a German passport. Who should I contact to pursue this?
Thanks in advance.
You can either contact the closest German General Consulate or file your application with the Bundesverwaltungsamt in Germany.
my Pakistani daughter is married to a french national who is living and working in Germany (Schwandorf). She has given birth to a female baby. Baby has now become one year plus of age. Which documents will be required for registering legally for baby and her mother now. After which they could easily travel from Germany to Pakistan..?? kindly give me guidelines in detail on my email address
What a coincidence: I grew up only 30 km away from Schwandorf and went to Law School close to there (Regensburg).
Please see these FAQ about my fees for a personal consultation.
Hi. I’m 15 years old and have both UK and USA passports. My grandfather was a german citizen who fled germany to england in the late 1930s because he was jewish. My father does not have a german passport because my grandfather didn’t pass on his citizenship to him. I have lived in germany for 18 months with in the past 8 years, and went to grundschule all the time that i was living there. I speak close to fluent german, and last year i took an IGCSE in german and recieved an A* grade. Thanks to your post i now know that germans who had to give up their citizenship because of the nazi regime, and their descendants, are able to apply for their citizenship to be re-instated. I was wondering if i would be able to apply for german citizenship based on these terms, as I am would love to live in Germany possibly as a student and further on in the future. Anything you can tell me would be very useful!
Hi,
Just wondering if I am a dual citizen.
I was born in Australia in 1989.
My Father was (and still is) a German citizen at the time of my birth.
I know I am eligible to become a German citizen but i’m hesitant to give up my Australian passport as I don’t plan on living in Germany permanently but only for a short amount of time at the moment.
Thanks!
Natalie
i m an indian. If i marry to a german girl wil it be sufficient to get citizenship of germany.
That should be answered in the FAQ above.
Hi I’m srilankan, I get asylum visa (convention of 26 July 1951) in November 2012 in Germany.
This is 3 years resident permit .when I can apply for the German citizenship?
Please can you explain the the Practices for that..
Hi.
I need some infomation. Me (south african) and my wife (german have decided to get divorced after 1 1/2 years of marraige. We both live in Germany and we have a baby.
When we get divorced, does it mean that I have to leave the country?
Can I get a visa to stay in germany to be with my child?
I hope someone can help ke please
I hope aomeone can please
I need advice on how to proceed. My son would like to know if he can claim German citizenship.
His father was born in 1949 in Kassell, Germany, possibly in a DP camp, though his birth certificate does not say so. He has health records from the Ludwigsburg resettlement camp (1951) prior to his parents and sister were emigrated to the US in 1952..
He was born to a woman from Stuttgart and a man who was a slave laborer from Hungary. Both of these people have since died. There is no family record that they were married in 1949 and the birth certificate lists them with different last names. When they arrived in the US, they presented themselves as a married couple however. Of note, the surviving family believes that the father had been married with a family in Hungary before being kidnapped for slave labor.
After the family was resettled in the US, the parents became naturalized citizens and my husband was included as part of a family package kind of arrangement. He was only 10 at the time, so not legally free to choose.
The few documents we obtained from Bad Arolsen are inconsistent with each other and do not match the original documents that we already have.
What more do we need to have for documents and how can we obtain them?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi I am Indian, deputed by an IT company on a project to Germany and work here. I am now 3 months pregnant. I want to know if my child will automatically obtain a german passport by virtue of being born here in Germany? Both me and my husband are Indians.
Any authentic information you can provide will help me immensely.
That should be answered by no. 4 of the above FAQ.
Could a foreign student currently studying in Germany with a good command of German qualify for the citizenship process? Please take note that this foreign student is bound to enter a prestigious career field.
Of course you can. But your chances will be higher if you don’t claim to be more “prestigious” than others. Let the facts speak, and the immigration authorities will evaluate them. Prestige does not play a role in that evaluation.
Born before 1975, ONLY through your father’s side can you be granted German citizen by blood.
I have been through the process and thank goodness I was born pre-1975.
Post 1975 laws changed to mother/father’s side.
Hi,
Thank you for your post its really helpful, but I have a question regarding answer 3, that can adult be adopted? if yes, then is eligible to claim citizenship? Adult aged 21. Thank you.
Adults can be adopted in Germany, but under stricter requirements than those for minors (§ 1767 BGB). This does not confer German citizenship on the adoptee. The adoptee has to take the normal route of naturalisation.
I was born in Germany on the 21st July 1988,my parents brought me to Ghana when i was 1 yr. Old. Is there any chance for Me to get a German passport or citizenship?
What citizenship did your parents have at the time of your birth? That’s the most relevant piece of information.
My parents were Ghanaians at that time
Then # 4 of the above FAQ states that you did not receive German citizenship at the time of your birth.
Your only chance is naturalization, the requirements for which are outlined above.
Hi Andreas,
Thank you for such an informative website. My Father was born as a German citizen in Germany in 1944, and both parents were German citizens. His mother left Germany several years later with him (age 7), to the US, where he eventually gained US citizenship. Both he and I would like to reacquire German passports and citizenship if possible, to move back in the future. But can we do this while retaining US citizenship dual status? Must he apply before I can apply, or would I simply need to furnish his necessary documents when I go about applying? Thank you very much.
When your father received his US citizenship, he automatically lost his German citizenship (§ 25 I StAG). If that was before you were born, then he could not have passed it on to you at the time of your birth.
Hi Andreas,
I’m a German/American from birth. Born in Germany (US Air Force Base) and have a US Certificate of Birth Abroad. I grew up in Germany, as a German with German and American passport. Since moved to the US and German passport expired. Go today to get it renewed. They now ask me for proof of my fathers citizenship. (he has passed away). What?? My passport is not proof of citizenship? I got the last one from the same consulate that is now turning me down. Yes, it expired – that does not mean it was not valid in the past.
What can I do? Even worse – when researching German citizenship for my son they make it very clear that a German birth certificate is not needed to get a German passport for a dual citizen… So he to will run into problems in 20 years when he needs a new passport and I’m not around?
So what? I need to keep my dead fathers passport? Not sure I have it. What if I loose it – do I loose my citizenship? Then my son needs my fathers passport and my passport and so on down the line? What kind of craziness is this? I’m German and it is very strange when people start looking at you like you may not be, all be it in a very polite and friendly way.
I agree with you that this is absolutely crazy. And I bet if you go to a different Consulate or you go there again in 2 months, you will get a different answer.
But still the best thing is to get some records of your father. You can contact the “Einwohnermeldeamt” of the city where he was last registered in Germany. They will have his data, including his citizenship.
Hi Andreas,
Such an extremely explanatory website. Thank you so much in advance.
However, my case has just gotten a little complicated and I would please like your expertise on this if you could.
I am a brazilian national, living in Hamburg for just over a year, where I am married to a German citizen for almost 2 years and we have our son who is also German and is now 6 years old.
I am here on a spouse visa, not yet the permanent one, giving I am still going to school to learn the language, therefore, not quite meeting the requirements to obtain one just it.
Things went downhill when me and my wife started having marital issues, which sadly now came down to me being almost thrown out of the flat we 3 live in.
However, I don’t know where to go to. Is there anything I could do to stay in the country for my kid?
And, what If due to the circumstances I get to fly back home and my current visa comes to expire next year? Do I have any chances of making an appeal to apply for a German passport in Brazil then? Would our son, my impediment to stay in the country, even though I wanted to and the knowledge of the language I will then have, work in my favour?
Once again, thank you so very much Andreas.
I appreciate any help I can get.
Take care!
Hello Rapha,
you can change your spouse visa to a parent visa, as long as you retain at least shared custody of your son (§ 28 I Nr. 3 AufenthG). This will give you the right to a residence permit in Germany until your son will turn 18, by which time you will easily have qualified for the German citizenship.
All the best!
Hi,
My Wifes Grandmother was born in Germany and currently lives in the USA (She has a valid German passport), none of her parents ever applied for a German citizenship but my wife is interested in obtaining a German citizenship, is she eligible to do so without her parents being German and if yes how does she go about it?
Thank you so much in advance.
Dear Sir
I have interest to study in Germany. I have read that we need 8 years residence in Germany. I would like to ask about the residence period. If I continue the master and Ph. D in Germany will I than I return to my country, will I get German citizenship? I would like to ask also about the ordinary residence in Germany. Should we have to residence continuously and consecutive in Germany??
Dear Mr. Moser,
My great grandparents were German. They moved to Canada but I do not know if they still had German citizenship when my Grandfather was born. I might not otherwise be able to apply because of my age, 66. The older I get the more like a German I feel, however. I do not speak good German yet but I have done very well in my language courses. I am sure that I could fit in there. In fact, when I traveled there people always thought I was German until they found out otherwise. That was interesting. Any suggestions?
You follow your grandfather. Seeing your age, he was a German citizen to his death.
You just prove your grandfather was born in Germany and you get your citizenship within 6 months. I was born in Canada as was my father and they ONLY looked at where my grandfather was born (Germany)
Viel Gluck! Remember through descent and NOT naturalization
Looking at your age and saying you descend from Great Grandparents, I’d say you fall into the “have to register at the embassy” problem. If your GGF was in Canada before 1904, he would have to register at the embassy to retain citizenship. Most didn’t because they didn’t know of this requirement or had no intention of every going back to Germany. If he didn’t register, then your Grandpa couldn’t have gained citizenship through descent, and thus neither your father or you.
You have to prove unbroken citizenship lineage to have citizenship by birth.
hello im filipina and i have a German boyfriend.Im confused for the requirements needed before getting married in the Philippines because some say i need to send documents e.g. NSO birth certificate,Cenomar and my photocopy of my passport.Do i need to have a red ribbon of the following documents .please i need your help sir.thank u so much and godbless
1. I don’t see how this is connected to the topic of this post.
2. I am not a lawyer in the Philippines.
Hi there.
Brainteaser for you. I am a Canadian-American citizen, born Canadian, naturalized American a couple of years ago. My mother is a Canadian-German citizen (born on a third continent) with a long expired German passport/ID (and she was also German at the time of my birth in the ’80s). If I were to give up my US citizenship (of which Canada and certainly Germany have yet no knowledge) would I possibly be able to claim German citizenship? Or would I likely hit obstructions?
If you received German citizenship at birth, you lost it by getting naturalized in the US.
Thus your only route is naturalization in Germany, for which you would need to be fluent in German, live in Germany and give up your Canadian citizenship.
I need help with this. I was born in Germany in 1998 and now I live in the US and have a citizenship here. I am wanting to know if I’ll be able to go back and live in Germany?
What citizenship did you have before moving to the US and how did you obtain US citizenship? If you used to be German, did you (or your parents) ask Germany for permission to keep your German citizenship despite applying for the US citizenship?
My parents were immigrants to Germany for 7 years and I was born there. My parents moved to the US when I was at a young age. We are here for 13 years so far and when my parents took the citizenship test, they passed. This meant I was a US citizen because I was at a young age. Our whole family is still in Germany and we want to go back and live there. What can we do?
If you had German citizenship (which I don’t know), you would have lost it through the naturalisation in the US.
That means you will need a visa for a long-term stay in Germany or you will need to apply for German citizenship (and give up US citizenship) in return.
Because you mention that your parents immigrated to Germany, you might however also have the citizenship of their home country (which you haven’t mentioned).
Hi Andreas,
I’m a highly-qualified non-EU German resident. I’ve been in Germany for more than 2 years and I’m working as a university lecturer. Do I have a better chance to have my citizinship early? what do you advise me ?
many thanks.
How good is your German? Did you complete the integration course?
Thx for ur reply !
I’m almost fluent but I didn’t take the exam yet (plan to do it in a short time). If I take this B1 & integration exams, how easy would be my citizinship? by the way, my wife already did both exams here with distinction one month ago.
Excellent, that sounds very good! Most immigration authorities insist on at least 3 years of residence, so I think it’s better to use the remaining year to prepare to the application by creating additional evidence for your integration (at university, in charities, cultural events, sports clubs, politics and so on). As there is no statutory minimum residence, you can apply before, but most likely your application will just sit on somebody’s desk until the 3 years are over, so it’s smarter to file the application then, with boosted grounds to support it.
But it sounds like you are both on a very good track!
Thx again Andreas for your prompt and helpful reply! All the best.
how easy would it be for ex Germans to regain citizenship? i have been living overseas since I was 6 and consider myself to be German even though i also love being an Aussie. would be nice if they recognised dual nationalities as this is something i would like to have.
You’d have to go through the normal naturalisation process, which is rather easy if you speak German fluently and can show that you are integrated in Germany.
This information comes too late for you, but it is important to remember that retaining German citizenship is possible when you apply for a second citizenship. You just need to get the German permit to maintain German citizenship BEFORE you get that of another country.
My great grandfather emigrated from Germany in 1880. He became a citizen of another country in 1895.. My grandfather was born in 1893, my father in 1919, and myself in 1955. My grandfather and father never took any actions re naturalization, and lived the citizenship of the country where they were born. I though left the country of my birth in 1995 and became a citizen of another country in 1999.
I assume that I might have had conferred German citizenship on me when was born through ius sanguinis, although I was completely unaware of this possibility until I came across your website today!
Have I lost the prospect of acquiring German nationality? If so, is there a possibility to restore it?
Could you specify the countries involved?
Yes certainly. My great grandfather emigrated from Germany to the now defunct South African Republic – it became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910. I was born in South Africa, but became a Canadian citizen in 1999.
I wish I knew about this prospect many years ago, as I have visited Germany many times and I do speak German.
Thank you.
Unfortunately, even if you had German citizenship by birth, you lost it by applying for and receiving Canadian citizenship (§ 25 I StAG). I had to ask for the countries involved, because when you apply for the citizenship of another EU country, you can keep German citizenship.
Now your only chance would be naturalization in Germany, for which you would be required to give up your Canadian citizenship.
Hello.
You stated: “I had to ask for the countries involved, because when you apply for the citizenship of another EU country, you can keep German citizenship.”,
I have understood that this is correct and I would ask you, must you apply for permission from the German Govt before receiving another EU citizenship or is this permission document not required?
Vielen Dank.
You don’t need any permission in that case. It is stated in the Citizenship Act itself: § 25 I 2 StAG.
hello sir..
my grandfather is german/filipino his father is german and his mother is filipino.. he died already and as her granddaughter i wanna ask if we could claim as german ancestor.. correct me if im wrong..
Hi Andreas!
I am Australian,28 years old, and currently reside in Germany. I married a German citizen in Australia in July 2010, and after a year of marriage we moved to Berlin on a marriage visa. We have now been married over two and a half years, and unfortunately we have mutually decided to get a divorce. I am and have been employed full time as a chef for the duration of my stay here, and hold a work permit until 2015. I wish to remain in Germany thereafter, so my questions are as follows.
After the divorce is processed, am I eligible for residency, based on a three year marriage, and two years of residency in Germany?
Do I need to seek sponsorship from my workplace?
Is there a third visa related option?
Thanks for your time!
Hello Nolan,
only if you have been married and living together for 3 years in Germany could you get a marriage-independent residence permit, and even then for only 1 additional year (§ 31 AufenthG).
In your case you would therefore either need to pretend that you are still living together, or take the risk of not notifying the authorities or change your residence permit type to either a work-based residence permit or a student residence permit.
Right. Thanks! So with a work based residence permit do I need to seek exclusive sponsorship from one place of employment, or will that enable me to possibly relocate and work and live in different places around germany? Is there a set time duration for that permit?
Thanks again!
As this is the page about citizenship law and I like to keep things in order, I would rather not get into residence permits on this page. Citizenship law is already confusing enough for most people.
But I will be happy to put up a similar list of FAQ about visas, residence permits and immigration to Germany if you mail me one of the books from my wishlist.
Is it true that my fiance, who has been living in Spain for 8years and is due for a spanish passport in 1,5 years, can get a german passport through the birth of our child but only if I deliver in germany(am a german)?
Please let me know, where I can get more information about this or fill me in,when you know more.
Thank you……
I think that should be answered by the above FAQ.
hallo Andreas,
thank you for your reply. Unfortunatly, I can not find an answer among the FAQs.
Please let me know, where I can get information to this…..
Thank you and best regards…
gabby
I’ll be happy to answer your question in detail then after receiving one of the books from my wishlist. Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Andreas,
I am Canadian-American and my husband is German. Our children would be entitled to both Canadian and American citizenship by birth through me and German citizenship by birth through my husband. Would German law allow them to have all three nationalities, since all would be acquired at birth?
Yes, that’s exactly the case. Your children would automatically receive all three citizenships and could keep all three of them forever (as well as pass them on to their children).
Your page is by far the most informative that I have found, I thank you for all the food for thought. I was born to a single German woman in 1970 in Germany. She later married my father and moved to the US in 1972. I have not lost my German citizenship have I?
Not if you haven’t acquired any other citizenship. If you got naturalized in the US, you would however have lost your German citizenship in that process (§ 25 I 1 StAG).
Hi There Andreas,
I am getting married this year to my German fiancé.
We are also moving to Switzerland later this year.
I am South African, but I am not sure if I will be able
to obtain a German passport once we are married.
If not I can go through the normal procedures to be able
to work in Switzerland / Germany. Just wanted to know as it
might help a little if I could obtain a passport.
Thanks,
B
Questions 6 and 7 of the above FAQ lay out your path to German citizenship. Keep in mind that Germany would require you to renounce your South African citizenship.
Thanks for this great site first of all! Would very much welcome your advice on a question that may or may not be complicated! My father is German and mother British – when I was born, I was not eligible for British citizenship as a child of a British mother, so was German alone. When the UK changed the law in 2003, children of British mothers were allowed to ‘register’ as British citizens, which I did that same year. Since 2007, I believe, Germany has permitted dual nationality with other EU countries. However, as I registered in 2003, would the German nationality be lost? I can understand naturalization would trigger this, but have assumed that registration is a different process. Many thanks for any advice on the matter!
My sister has german citizenship and my mother not…can my mother obtain the german citizenship through my sister???
No.
Hi Andreas, Thank you for providing the information above although i am still a bit confused with my case. I was wondering if you had any advice.
My grandmother (who has since passed) was born in Palestine 1923 under a British mandate but she is a German citizen (holds german passport), She was interned to Australia during the war then had the choice to go back to Germany which she did. Years later moved to Australia and married a Lithuanian and resided in Australia having my mother who was born in 1961. I have since found out that my Grandpa lived in North Germany previous to Australia and could have possibly held a German citizenship as well. Is there a chance for me being the granddaughter getting a German Passport. (Australian citizen).
Regards
Madeleine
That is a rather convoluted and complicated story, for which you would need to contact me directly for a personal consultation.
Thank you for responding! I thought was possible since in US it is…
I am from Colombia if I get married to a german girl in England but we are thinking to move to Berlin am I allowed to work and study in Germany?
I’ll be happy to put up a similar list of FAQ about residence and work permits in Germany if you send me a book from my wishlist.
fantastic information…..thanks!!!
Is there any way to inquire in a more private forum?
Thanks
Yes, you are welcome to contact me directly for a personal consultation.
Hello, thank you very much for the helpfull info, iam jordanian and my wife is jordanian as well, we are doing residancy program in medicine (6 years) can we demand a german passport after that ? And if we had achild born here in germany will he/she get the citizinship?
I think these questions should be answered by the FAQ above.
Hello,
My great grandfather was German and was a prisoner of war after WWII in the USA, his family (my grandmother) returned to Chile after the war and none of them have German citizenship despite being of German decent, they where in Germany for the durration of WWII. My grandmother as well as my mother where educated in at the deutsche schule in Chile. My Grandmother speaks fluent German and my mother can speak it though not fluently. My Grandmother would be interested in obtaining her citizenship as well as my mother potentially. I have been told that it is only through the paternal line that this could be obtained but am unsure as to how valid this is, what is the possibility of obtaining German citizenship for both my grandmother and mother? Thank you for all you helpful information.
Hello,
I’m an ethnic German, Hungarian citizen, living in the Netherlands. My Donauschwaben ancestors moved to Hungary in the late 18th century. My great-great-grandfather and one of his sons, the brother of my great-grandfather were expelled back to Germany after WWII, where they received citizenship and lived until their deaths. My father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all born Hungarian citizens and lived all their lives in Hungary. They were also born to fathers of single Hungarian citizenship at the time. But they could have all gotten the German citizenship, from their respective fathers. None of them has ever rejected or denounced their German citizenship. Living under the socialist regime, they never had the chance to be offered one.
Do I have any chance of getting German citizenship, based on this heritage?
I have no real intentions of living in Germany, all I would like is to ensure my EU citizenship, which -as a Hungarian- may be less than guaranteed. I only speak very basic German, but I am fluent in English and French :)
Would my father stand a better chance of getting German citizenship? For him, it was his great-grandfather, who received the German citizenship, after having been expelled. (He speaks no German at all.)
Hi,
I’m filipina and my partner is german,were living in philippines almost 4 together,were having a 1 year old daughter..were not married because I was married before with the pilipino..but my annulment is under of processing maybe this year 2013 is finesh..my problem is about my daughter because untill now she did not register in manila german embassy,we can not get a passport for her and she’s not german citizen rightnow,,were planning to marry when my annulment is done.
My question is the following,
1.when were married with my partner,there is no problem about late birth registration in german embassy?
2.my daughter using the name of her father surname’I mean
philippines birth certificate,,its a problem in german embassy?
3.they can release a german passport even she’s late regist
ration?
4.and papers needed?
Please tells me some advice…
Thanks a lots..
Sofry my english is not so good…
Hello..
I am a Bangladeshi Citizen living in Germany for last 2.5 years .i am a foreign married student .Me and my husbend came together here . so i want to ask you if we take any child after 1 year , is there any chance of having German permanent resident Permit…or does it have a possitive influence.if there is any possibilities please leave your personal contact detail. i would like to contact you.
Thanks in advance
Here are my contact details.
Hello Andreas,
I am a South African Citizen born in SA in 1978. My grandparants were German, but my mother was born in South Africa. My mother does not have a german passport. Will I be able to apply for a German passport? The lady assisting me at the German Konsulat in Cape Town indicated that I will be able to apply because I was born after 1975, but my sisters who were born prior to 1975 will not qualify. Is that correct?
No. It depends on the citizenship that your mother had at the time she gave birth to each of you, regardless of whether she had a German passport.
Hello Andreas
I am Algerian and I have lived for 06 years in Germany as expat (holder of a visa and work permit)i paid taxes and health insurance.now that I am retired ,is it possible to get a German passport while I am living in Algeria?
Please see my FAQ on getting naturalized in Germany while living abroad.
If I am working in Germany as being an Indian resident, so can I take my parents along with me to Germany.??
Thank u.
See my answer on AllExperts: http://en.allexperts.com/q/German-Law-1364/2013/5/parents-live-together.htm
Interesting website, Andreas. My grandparents, after escaping the Nazis to Argentina, were re-granted German citizenship as part of the Wiedergutmachung in the late 1950s. My father passed on his German and Argentine nationalities to me. I was born in the Netherlands, but never became Dutch and instead retained my German and Argentine nationalities. I, in turn, have done likewise and passed those same nationalities to my daughters. Since my girls were born in the US they also are American. I now live in the US for over 15 years and am married to an American citizen. I would like to naturalize and become an American citizen as well but am concerned that by doing so I would lose my German nationality. If possible, what are the steps I should take in order not to lose the German nationality?
Hello Ephraim,
you would need to apply for a “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” in accordance with § 25 II StAG from Germany before you apply for naturalization in the US. This is a permit issued by Germany which will allow you to retain German citizenship despite getting naturalized in another country. In your petition, you would need to point out both the advantages you hope by becoming a US citizen as well as the lasting ties you have to Germany.
I receive many questions about this “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” and I have been wanting to write and publish an article about what to include in your petition, where to file it and how to increase the chances, as well as another list of FAQ about dual citizenship. I am just waiting for somebody to send me two books from my wishlist in order to motivate me to move those two subjects to the top of my to-do list. ;-)
By the way, your daughters do not need to worry about that. Because they got all of their citizenships at the same time (the time of their birth) by law, they can keep them (and pass them on).
Hi there Andreas. Very interesting blog you have here. I am 14 years old. My Dad was born and raised in Germany and my mother is Italian and a natural Uruguayan citizen. I am a German and natural Uruguayan citizen, and can claim Italian citizenship if I wish, though I primarily consider myself German. I moved to the United States when I was 10, and we will be reaching the 5 year mark of our permanent residency in about one and a half years. My father intends to apply for the Beibehaltungsgenehmigung, and I believe that he has sufficient need to have both citizenships. Like me, he is absolutely unwilling to relinquish his German citizenship. Should he become American (while still retaining his German citizenship), I would, by American law, derive his citizenship because I am under the age of 18. I see no reason why I would have to relinquish my German citizenship, especially because the derivation is automatic, but I want to make sure. If I derive American citizenship and my father remains German, will I lose my German citizenship?
Also, simultaneously, my mother intends to naturalise. Italy allows dual citizenship, as does Uruguay for natural citizens, so she would follow a standard procedure for obtaining American citizenship. Even if my father can somehow not obtain the Beibehaltungsgenehmigung, she would go on to become American (this is especially important because if the process goes on too long and I turn 18, I will no longer be able to derive citizenship). If my father remains only German and my mother becomes American and I derive her citizenship, will I lose my German citizenship?
I have been doing a lot of research on this topic, but so far, I have not been able to answer this question. I am very confused because I should be able to keep the citizenships that I have obtained at birth, but this is not exactly obtaining citizenship at birth, but I’m not technically naturalizing, either.
Hello Andreas,
My name is Andrés and I’m a Chilean national. My great grand father was German and we was force to leave Germany a little before the start of WWI. He was a mechanic crew member of the SMS Dresden that was sunk here in chilean coasts. The story of the SMS Dresden is quite famous among other things because of Wilhelm Canaris (intelligence officer). My great grandfather along with 300 other crew members of the ship were held captive for 5 years in Quiriquina Island and were unable to return to Germany, only canaris was helped by german network to escape, obviously the rest of the crew was not very important. After 5 years the chilean government decided to release the captives (my great grandfather among them) on Talcahuano shore, leaving them at their own luck. The german colony present at Concepcion city helped them and fed them. Of course he could never return to Germany and was forced to rebuild his life here in Chile. Some years after the WWII started and obviously the situation to even think of going back to Germany was absolutely impossible. Since was released with almost no possessions the only document my family still holds is the marriage certificate issued by Chile where it shows the name of his parents, the name of his chilean spouse and children and specifically says German born.
I wanted to ask if in this case it is possible to reclaim a german passport, thinking that the situation is very unusual and obviously he had to stay in Chile agains his will.
Thanks!
Hi there,
I was born in Germany in 1958. My mother was a German citizen and my father was an American Soldier. I have a German birth certificate. In 1976 I became naturalized as a US citizen when I entered the US Military.
Would it still be possible to get German citizenship and a German passport?
I seem to remember that I answered some very similar questions above already.
Hi Andreas, great blog and good clear information. My father was German citizen, but he has passed away some years ago. I would be interested to get German citizenship/passport. I have been told I need to prove my father was a citizen at the time of my birth – 1973. He left Germany for the last time in 1959. Can you suggest a starting point for me to research this? If this is something you can help me with, I am happy to employ your services, please contact me.
Is there any indication that your father acquired any other citizenship between 1959 and 1973?
Hi Andreas, yes, my father naturalised or applied for South African citizenship in this time. Is this a factor?
Yes, that is a crucial factor. See question no. 2 above and plenty of my answers to previous questions. § 25 I StAG is the relevant clause.
Hi Andreas. I may have been approved for a Certificate of Nationality, I am still awaiting this paperwork to go through, so it would seem my father was still a German citizen at the time of my birth. I suppose my next question, if you can help again, I cannot find what this certificate entitles me to – can I work and live freely in Germany on just this certificate?
Thanks again for your help and advice, very clearly, you re an authority in your area :-)
Yes, once you obtain the certificate of citizenship, you have it confirmed that you are a German citizen. You may move to, live, work, vote, do anything you like in Germany without any limitations.
For practical purposes, you can use the certificate of citizenship to apply for a German passport, which will make it easier to travel to Germany and in fact any other EU country where you will enjoy similar residence rights.
My dad passed on and I was born before 1975. My dad was born in Canada but my grandfather was German and I became a German citizen no problem. My dad was Canadian and never took German citizenship but they based it on my grandfather. You should be fine.
Matte, this is very encouraging. The most important thing for me is to be a present father to my children. Can you recall if you worked through an agency or if you worked directly with a consulate or embassy? Any starting points you can advise for me would be of great benefit as I have no idea where to start this journey. Many thanks.
Hey Gund,
I went through the consular division at an embassy. They were very helpful, assisted in filling out my documents and I didn’t even have my grandpa’s reisepass. I spent a few months gathering passenger docs that showed he was “a German” when he came to Canada in the 1930s and used the passenger list as my proof. The whole process took 9 months and no language tests, no headaches, no naturalization bs papers as this was pure citizenship by descent. I love Germany for this respect for blood and feel more German than Canadian. Viel Gluck! Go through a consular and be consistent and have all the papers you can find. I was told 25 years ago it was not possible but after dad died, I promised I would get it and do my best to pull out all paperwork. Born pre-1975 is ONLY from your father or grandfather no matriarchal.
That’s encouraging Matte. Thanks. I’ll follow this up today.
In using the ships manifest, to prove your grandpa was German, how did you get it notarized, and did you need anything else? Also did you have to fill out the ‘V’ form for your father too?
I never needed the passenger manifest certified. Process took 9 months. Very smooth as one would expect from Germans. Father passed and only had grandpa’s marriage cert as well as grandma’s reisepass. They did the research and check in Köln. I feel very lucky and thankful.
You mentioned that the whole process took only 9 months. I am in a similar situation and sent off my confirmation papers in late 2013, but was expecting a longer wait period. Other sites that I visited mentioned that the process could take years, so this is very encouraging!
My great grandfather was born in 1900 in Germany, came to the U.S. in 1926 and married in 1928 to a U.S. citizen. My grandfather was born in 1930 in the US, but his father was still a German citizen at the time of his birth. It is my understanding that my grandfather is a dual German-US Citizen. He has never served in the military. He married to a U.S. citizen in 1950 and my father (now deceased) was born in 1953. Since my grandfather was a dual citizen, wasn’t my father also when he was born in the U.S. in 1953 and I as well in 1983? Or am I missing something? I have my great grandfather’s German birth certificate, his German Personal Ausweis (1922), U.S. marriage certificate (1928) and my grandfather’s (1930), father’s (1953) and my (1983) birth certificates.
Although my great grandfather died before he was able to return to Germany, his widow did as well as his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to visit family. Both my father and aunt attended school for some time in Germany, although they permanently resided in the U.S. I have knowledge of the German language and culture and make trips to Germany to visit family at least every two years.
Am I a German citizen under this scenario, and if so, are there agencies that would assist in obtaining the citizenship certificate and also apply for a German passport?
There might be such agencies, but it seems like you have the bulk of the paperwork that you would need. I’d recommend to contact the German Consulate closest to you and save the money which you’d pay to an agency. – That is, until I will open such an agency myself. :-)
If I were a German citizen and have a good income. Can I bring my non German or European parents as permanent residents in Germany; because they are so old and have nobody to take care of them, also they can’t learn German?
I’ll be happy to publish a list of FAQs about family reunion to Germany, but would like to keep it separate from this citizenship thread which is already getting quite long. I’ll do that as soon as somebody deems it important enough to send me one of the books from my wishlist.
A general note to all those posting questions: please don’t say “non-German” or “non-EU” when describing your nationality. I need to know the exact citizenship of all parties involved because it makes a huge difference in immigration and citizenship law if somebody is Australian, Russian or Somali.
Their nationality is Syrian and they live in Jordan, I’ll be glad to know as soon as you can create a new link regarding that, or at least a quick little answer here :)
That’s a very useful piece of information because for Syrians, other humanitarian factors will also apply as long as the civil war in Syria is going on.
It’s a really complicated situation depending on many factors, so I can’t really give a “quick little answer” in this case. Please feel free to contact me for a consultation, or as I said, any book present will get you a new list of FAQ.
Thank you. I’ll keep in touch if I needed anything, Andreas. :) I’m gonna wait for the new FAQ list
Hi
My Partner’s father is German but was born in New Zealand (speaks fluent german and has a german passport). His Grandfather faught in the war for Germany but moved to New Zealand afterwards. My partner was born in 1987 and his mum and German Father were never married. Will this have any bearing on his ability to get German citizenship? They asked for his parents marriage certificate when I asked what we needed for him to get a german passport…
Thanks
He’ll be fine if his father officially acknowledged paternity before your partner turned 23 years old (§ 4 I StAG).
Is his name on the birth certificate an acknowledgement? They were together for a few years after my partner was born.
No, it needs to be an official acknowledgement of paternity or a court order establishing paternity.
There is another thing though – My partner’s father went out of his way to obtain a German passport before his father denounced his German citizenship to become a New Zealand Citizen- will this affect anything? I’m hoping not because my Partners Father seems to think he got in in time.
helo i just want to know if a married german national can invite his filipina girlfriend to germany…this is a case for my friend
1. Of course he can invite her or you. He can invite as many people as he wants.
2. But I assume your question meant: will she or you get a visa?
3. That would be a question about a visa to Germany, which I’d like to keep separate from this thread about citizenship because there are already too many unrelated questions to go through. If you send me just one book from my wishlist, I’ll put up similar FAQ about obtaining a visitor’s visa to Germany.
I recently found out that my Grandfather on my Dad’s side was born in Germany in the 1920’s. He and his family moved to New Zealand just before WWII and were put into internment camps during WWII as they were German’s. My Grandfather decided to fight for the NZ Army to get out of the internment camp. Does this mean he was no longer a German Citizen when my Father was born in 1960 as fighting for NZ meant he denounced his German Citizenship?
I am Australian and my wife is German. We have a 2 week old son born in Australia.
My wife has been approved for Australian Citizenship.
Can she hold dual citizenship?
Her family all live in Germany.
Also can our baby apply for a German passport?
Thanks,
Adam
Your wife has to apply for a permit to keep her German citizenship (“Beibehaltungsgenehmigung”) in accordance with § 25 II StAG before she will obtain Australian citizenship. Without doing so, she would automatically lose her German citizenship upon naturalization in Australia.
If your wife was still German at the time of birth of your child, the German citizenship was passed on to your baby.
Woaw! You received a record number of responses for this post. Even you received a Turkish one:) And I really appreciate that you answered most of the questions. You are a determined blogger.
Always happy to help! :-)
Hi – my grandmother was a Jewish-German national who left Germany in 1939 to go to the UK as a refugee. She married a British national during the war, and my father was born in the UK during the war. After the war, the whole family moved to the US and my father obtained US citizenship as a child when his father was naturalized. I know that my grandmother would have been considered to have been deprived of her nationality because the 1941 act that said all German Jews not physically in Germany would no longer be considered citizens – but does the right for reinstatement of nationality apply to me? ( born before 1975). I know this is partly addressed by your Q9, but not sure how it applies to the matrilineal descent line.
Thanks! LL
There is a separate list of FAQ about the reinstatement of German citizenship according to Art. 116 II GG because I get so many questions about it.
Thank you for all the good iformation. I was born in the U.S. to American mother and German father. My dad passed away several years ago and I’m not sure if i can get all the documents for the german passport. Who should I contact to get these? Secondly, your fairly certain that i indeed do have German citizenship by birth? Thank you for any advice you can offer.
Which documents do you already have and which are you missing?
Hi Andreas,
This is a great blog! Congratulations!
Here’s my family story:
1878: My great grandfather was born in Hannover, Germany.
1900’s: He emigrated to Brazil. (Don’t know the year exactly, I assume it was in 1904).
1904: He got married in Brazil to a Brazilian woman daughter of German parents.
1907: They had a son, born in Brazil, my grandfather.
1931: My grandfather got married to a German woman in Brazil.
1933: They had a daughter, my mother.
1948: My great grandfather naturalized as a Brazilian (but I think it doesn’t matter because his son was born before that, right?)
1953: My mother got married to a Brazilian man.
1978: I was born in Brazil.
Am I German?
My question is: can I apply for the German Citizenship since I was born after 1975? My great grandfather didn’t register in the Brazilian Consulate while he lived here, so, did he lose his citizenship? Even if he lost his citizenship in 1914 for not registering, his son (my grandfather) was born in 1907, before he was 10 years abroad, do you think he’d lost his citizenship?
Thank you very much!
Dear Andreas,
Any comment about my situation?
I am sorry, but I am unable to research the German citizenship laws in place before and around World War I without any compensation.
Fabio,
You have misunderstood the ten year rule. It does not mean that citizenship could be passed to the next generation if they were born less than ten years after their father emigrated from Germany. Here is an example. Johann leaves Germany in October of 1903. He marries and fathers a son, Fritz, who is born in June of 1913. In October of 1913 both Johann AND Fritz lose their claim to German citizenship. IF Johann had left Germany after December 31, 1903, then both he and Fritz could have been German citizens until their deaths. This is because a new law took effect on January 1, 1914, that ended the ten year rule. Conclusion: if your great grandfather left Germany before January 1, 1904, you cannot possibly be a German.
hi.
I am from Inda and 25 years old boy. I meet a Germany woman on facebook. Who is 45 years old. we fall in love and want to spend our life with eachother. Is it possible.that if she come India and we get marry and we can Live together in Germany. And when will I be able to get the citizenship of Germany.
Your question about citizenship is answered in the FAQ above and I will be happy to write a similar list of FAQ about residence permits for Germany if you send me just one of the books on my wishlist in return.
My parents are in Germany and i am in Nepal i had made all the legal documents of Germany but they are with my parents even my passport of Nepal. i was born and grown up in Nepal but i had been to Germany around 7 years ago and stayed for three months and returned Nepal and started to live with my uncle. Now i had completed my school level and want to go Germany but my Parents are refusing to call me because they give birth to another son (might be possible reason). So, is there any way for me to get citizenship.
*note- My parents origin is also from Nepal.
Please contact me for a consultation and please also mention your age, your parents’ citizenship (as well as their citizenship at the time of your birth) and their immigration status in Germany.
I am a Filipina , 35yrs old. married to a german citizen last august 30, 2012. I am a nurse but, at this moment I am not employed since I only came here in germany on may 21, 2013. Since I came here me and my husband are having difficulty in our relationship. because, his son (9 yrs old) from his ex-wife (German Citizen) doesn’t like me. And my husband ex-wife told that if i will not go home to the philippines she wil file a case that she will take the full custody of the child. and she will not let my husband to see her son anymore. and to remove the rights of my husband as a father of her son. Now, my husband want a separation/annullment. and he wants me to go home now to the philippines. I already applied my residence permit in germany and it will release on Aug. 14, 2013. I also have already enrolled in Deutsch Intensive course for 6 months and it will start on august 5, 2013…
My questions are:
1. Is it possible that i can still stay in Germany even though my husband wants an annullment and he wants me to go home in the philippines?
2. Is there any chances that I can acquire a german citizenship even though my husband wants to abandon me?
3. Do i have the right to refuse for his action. and fight for my rights as his wife?
Thank you in advance for the advice!
My FAQ about divorce in Germany will answer your questions about divorce and annulment.
As to your right to continue to reside in Germany, I’ll be happy to publish a similar list of FAQs about residence permits in Germany if you send me just one of the books on my wishlist.
The question about citizenship is answered under no. 6 of the above FAQ but depends of course on whether you’ll be able to maintain residence in Germany.
Hello Andreas,
Thank you so much for all the info you have written here it is so helpfull.
I have a question if you don’t mind to answer, I am marry to a German citizen and I have a daughter, she was born in USA, she is a minor but my husband is not her boilogical father, I have the german citizenship wich I got by naturalization last year, we want that he legally adopt her, but we don’t know if that would be a problem because she is american citizen, will she loose the american citizenship if he legally adopt her? Thank you so much.
Hello,
I was born in Germany in 1977, left Germany when I was a small child, I’m married now to a German wife, but we live in Jordan, I’m a PhD lecturer in the university, my PhD degree is from a British uni. and I would like to work in Germany and to get the Germany citizen, what is the chances to get it?
the chance to have a German citizen and to keep my Jordanian citizen (dual citizenship)
Hi Andreas Moser
I am a South African female & I’m trying to get out of the country. After staying in the UK for almost a year, I have realised that I like being abroad & do not want to stay in SA any more.
My great grandfather is German & I am wondering if I will be able to get citizenship over there? My grand father & my dad never ever bothered about trying to get citizenship. Is this possible? Or should I rather just give up hope?? :-)
Would appreciate your help!!
Hello Chanice,
I can understand the wish about travelling. I feel the same and feel no urge of returning to my native Germany.
As to your chances of having German citizenship, it depends if your grand father and father were born as German citizens respectively and did not lose it (e.g. by applying for another citizenship). They wouldn’t have needed anything to obtain it, as they would have inherited it, but they should have refrained from losing it. As both receiving and losing German citizenship can occur without knowing it, this would require quite some research into your family’s history.
Hi there, I am in a similar position to Chanice. How does one even start researching into the family history regarding the losing citizenship? My other problem is that apparently there was a fire and it destroyed a lot of the records where my ancestors lived in Germany. Is there a list of the documents one could use to prove German ancestry? Thanks
The issue of losing German citizenship won’t be recorded anywhere. Most people don’t even realize when they lose it.
For that, your best chance would be to e-mail me a detailed history of your family tree beginning with the German emigrants to another country. I would need details about birth, marriage, international moves, naturalizations, military service and so on. I charge 200 EUR for such an analysis.
I love Germany and will love to live here am Refugee I need help to get my papers
Hello Andreas,
Thanks, very informative and fruitful post, I was wondering if it covers in a way or another my situation which I am explaining right now.
I am from Jordan and was born in Germany in 1981 and left it by 1990 after finishing the kindergarten and school (till 3rd grade). My father used to live and work in Germany since early 60s until he died in 1995 in Germany, he got the German passport just in 1992 and at that time I have been back to Jordan with my Jordanian Mom.
My question is whether I fulfill the needed legal requirements to apply for the German passport now?
Your advice is highly appreciated,
Unfortunately you did not get German citizenship at birth. So your only chance is naturalization.
That’s a shame, was my parents fault when I was born! well do you mean that it could be done through Naturalization by discretion, or by entitlement?
I have been reading the ‘Naturalization as a German citizen’ section on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nationality_law but got a bit confused and did not found more accurate information about the procedure on how to apply and what is exactly needed in terms of documents, etc…
Could you please put me on the correct track so I can move forward with that, if and only if I am eligible, even have no idea at the time being!
You won’t believe how much I would appreciate that :)
Thanks a lot again,
The FAQ above, especially no. 6 and 7, lay out the requirements for naturalization. The main requirements are living in Germany and speaking German well.
Alright thanks Andreas, I have looked at both points and surfed the web to find this naturalization application that need to be filled carefully and send to the Federal Office of Administration where I used to live in Germany (Cologne). http://www.germany.info/contentblob/2095222/Daten/278878/Article116_2_PDF.pdf
Could you please confirm on the above and let me know if I am on the right track now and this is only the official way to do it?
Hello Andreas,
I have contacted the German Embassy in Amman and they informed me that I can’t ask for the Statsangehornskeit (Naturalization) since my father didn’t include me when he got it however I speak German, lived over 8 years, and was enrolled in school till 3rd class.
I am not that much convinced with the Embassy answer!
What would you suggest me to do now?
Thanks,
Dear Andreas
I am an Indian and just completed my MBA degree from Bangalore university. My girl friend who is a German is doing her B.Sc in Nutrition from Fulda. As it is really very hard for both us to stay for long in such a distance relation we want to get married soon and live in Germany together. I need your advice here. I am almost confused with my research over internet about marriages for different country nationals and different religions. Please guide me how we should proceed.
Greetings from India.
Neal
Hello Neal,
because I receive a lot of questions about marriage in Germany, I’ll be happy to put up a similar list of FAQ about how to get married in Germany. I am just waiting for someone to send me one of the books from my wishlist and then I’ll get cracking on it.
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Dear Andres,
My grandfather was born in Prussia, my Grandmother was born in Wolfenbüttel. My grandfather served in the German Air Force and towards the end of the war fled to west Germany meeting my grandmother, they had a couple of sons before moving to the US in the early 1950’s where my father was born, I was also born in the US in 1986, after visiting Germany a few times I have fallen in-love and felt I have found my place of belonging. My questions, do I have any possible birth right based on my ancestry to claim German citizenship or would I have to go through standard naturalization of a decedent of non-German heritage?
It depends on when and how your grandparents and/or your parents became US citizens.
Hi Andreas,
First thank you for a timely response I did find out some other info that might be helpful. After speaking with my father, I found that my grandparents moved to the US in 1952 in a program via. the Lutheran Church, my father was born in 1956 in Montana and one year later my grandparents were naturalized.
Hi Andreas, I am Brazilian Citizen, and My husband is Portuguese Citizen, He lived in germany for 5 years and He wants to become german citizen, which is the requirements to him as he is european citizen? Other Question: I have my german resident permit card which expires 2016, which left 2 years to expire, If when the resident card and me renew and they give me a unlimited resident card is that possible to me apply to become a german citizen? I am married in germany!
Thank you
Hello Andreas! My great-grandfather Maximilian was a German soldier in WW1, but later fled the terror Nazi party and gave birth to my grandmother in the states. I have his German passport, birth certificate, and military ID. I was named after him and have German ancestry on both sides. He was born in Mannheim in 1904. Would I have a chance at becoming a German citizen? I am tired of paying taxes to fun a war machine. Can you please tell me how to find out whether or not my grandmother received German citizenship? Thank you so much!
Hi Andreas. My brother just got his german passport and citenzenship. Is there anyway we(his inmediate family) can apply for residence? We all have Colombian passport
thanks
Unless there are special circumstances (like taking care of sick siblings or parents), he can usually only sponsor his spouse and his children.
Greetings,
I was born on an American Air Force base in 1966. Around 1980, around the age of 14 my mother obtained a naturalized American citizenship for me.
I do not have a birth certificate from Germany, and only a copy (non-certified) of my american military birth certificate.
Recent developments in my husbands job may allow us to live in Europe for a couple years in the country of our choice. Germany is wonderful and appeals to us as a possibility.
1) From what I have read, I cannot get a dual citizenship. Is this correct?
2) What are the chances of me obtaining a German Passport?
3) Why would I want to do that? It is talked about on here, you have explained it is not the same as having citizenship, but what are the benefits?
Thank you!
Now, I don’t know what citizenship your parents were at your time of birth and thus I don’t know with what citizenship you were born.
But as you said you were naturalized as a US American in 1980, I have to assume that you lost the German citizenship if you had it until then (§ 25 I StAG).
1) You are right, that Germany does not allow you to keep your US citizenship if you wished to apply for German citizenship.
2) Without German citizenship, I don’t see how you could get a German passport, given that you already have a (US) passport.
3) If you previously had German citizenship, it may make it easier for you to obtain long-term residence in Germany, but as you will be coming for the duration of your husband’s job, that is probably also not necessary.
Hello Andreas,
I am Iranian. I moved to Germany in 2008 for studying. I completed my PhD from German university. I am working in Baden-Wurttemberg.
I would like to know when can I apply for German Citizenship? what are requirements?
Thank you very much.
Question no. 6 of the above FAQ should answer that.
Thanks for your answer.
During my studying, I had scholarship. Let me know, will they consider my studying time? I did not pay tax in that time.
Thanks.
That is not a problem. Financially, the important thing is that you can support yourself at the time of the application. A scholarship is not welfare, so it’s not a problem.
Greetings,
My girlfriend its not a German citizen , but thanks to her German high school she has finished her ausbildung on “Medizinische fachangestellte” in Germany and during this time she had “aufenthaltserlaubnis für ausbildung ” but now that she is done with ausbildung she has “unbefristete Arbeitsvertrag” . And i would like to know if it is possible on this condition to take me in Germany if we are married ?
I will be happy to publish a similar list of FAQ about family reunion visas for Germany, but I wouldn’t want to mix it with this list of citizenship FAQ as the list of questions here is already very long. I am just waiting for someone to send me a book from my wishlist to convince me to do it.
Also, please remember to always mention the citizenship of the people involved. It’s usually relevant.
I am Pakistani and i am in germany for 14 days visa and now i want to get citizenship of germany please guide me the procedures to get passport. In the time if i m single before marriage in Germany can i live and work in germany
Question no. 6 of the above FAQ addresses the minimum residence requirement. 14 days, as you may have thought, is not enough.
I’ve been doing a lot of research both into my family history and German law. I think I’ve found the key to my case, I’d only like a confirmation of my findings.
Is there a legal distinction between being naturalized as a German and being recognized as a German? In other words, is someone, who arrived into Germany as a stateless expellee, considered to have been born German, if he was recognized as one, upon entering Germany? (Basic Law, Article 116 (1))
My original post, explaining my heritage:
https://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/faq-citizenship-law-in-germany/#comment-10135
Thank you for any advice you can give on this matter! I’ll be visiting the embassy in a couple of weeks, when I get all the relevant papers in.
Dear Andreas, I hope that you will be able to help me. My grandmother and grandfather were German. My mother was born in Yugoslavia (as Banat-Swabian – German minority) and was Yugoslavian citizen at the time I was born, 1954. I am citizen of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Is there any chance I can gain German citizenship, or my children? Thank you in advance!
Dear Anna,
Your grandparents must have been born around 1900 or before. So your family has lived through the post-WWII period, in Yugoslavia. I’ve done a lot of research into that period and the Federal expellees law (BVFG), dealing with its aftermath. Also, the current practices, in applying this law. It didn’t much help me, but it may help you. I’ve found no indication of it making any difference, if you’re German in this minority sense, from your mother’s or your father’s side.
If you speak German well and were immersed into German culture, as a child, you may be entitled to German citizenship. All you need to do is go to the German consulate in your country and present your case. (Nowadays, it is preferred over showing up in Germany.) You need to show German family roots, but knowing the language and the culture is more crucial. If your family has suffered any atrocities for being German, in the aftermath of WWII, would help your case even further.
The law (in German):
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bvfg/
A study written about the law, its effects and changing practices (in English):
Click to access 4WG_Koppenfels.pdf
A couple who are not a Germans but gave birth in Germany. Will the daughter be a German citizan? Many Thanks
That is answered in no. 4 of the above FAQ.
Please I’m here for 9 years and my son is here with me six years now is it possible for him to Germany passports now
Hi, my father has the passport of Germany, i’m 23.5 years old, can I obtain a child visa?
No, you are too old.
Hi, my mother was born and raised in Germany and has always had German citizenship. I was born in the USA in 1982 to her and my American father. According to your FAQ I understand that I would be a dual citizen of both countries. My question is how do I obtain a proof of citizenship from Germany, or is better just to apply for a German passport? Thank You in advance!
If you don’t need a second passport to travel at the moment – which can be useful, especially in the Middle East -, you can simply apply for a certificate of German citizenship at your closest German Consulate.
A lot of information here.. i am curious sir, i was born in Landstuhl, Germany in 1970 at Landstuhl army base. My parents are both Americans. They say i had dual citizenship until the age of 18. We moved to the U.S because My father was transferred to U.S. in Nov. Of 1980. I obviously became U.S.citizen but i never filled out anything to say that. Would i be able to get dual citizenship now or is that not even possible?
Whoever told you that you had dual citizenship was wrong. In 1970, Germany had no ius soli, which meant citizenship could only be derived from your parents.
Also, even under the current ius soli law (see no. 4 of the FAQ) someone in your situation would not qualify because American soldiers, airmen and their dependants do not fall under German immigration law according to the NATO Status of Forces Agreement and the Supplemental Agreement between Germany and the USA.
I generally sense a lot of confusion in many questions about the different ways of receiving dual citizenship and I’ll be happy to put up an extra set of FAQs about this.
I see. Thank you sir, i appreciate the info. And your time to give it.
It is a great help although i would of liked the idea of calling myself a German too. lol many great memories while over there.
Sincerly
Sonia
Hi, my grandparents are both German & born there, however when they moved to Australia they gave up there German citizenship in order to live in Australia. My father was also born in Germany. My question is, what are my chances of obtaining a German passport ?
If you could reply to my email ahelmer_88@hotmail.com
Would be great
Thanks
:)
The answer is already in the FAQ above (no. 2).
Andreas Moser says:
Hello Andreas,
I’ll just preface this question by thanking you for this blog post; it’s an extremely helpful resource. Now, concerning my question:
My German-jew born grandmother (born in 1925) moved to America in 1938, one year before WWII began, to flee NAZI persecution. She received American citizenship in 1944 at the age of 19.
In 1954 she and her America husband had my father. She never applied to have him become a citizen because she herself was never interested in becoming one. Does this automatically disqualify me, or is it possible tfor me to still become a German citizen without having a German grandfather?
After all the research I’ve done, it”s still unclear to me whether or not I’m eligible for German citizenship.
Thanks in advance,
Miles
hey how u doing
i am Germany citizen i was refugee for 10 years through the process i got the passport no main time i m in new York city i want apply asylum seeker do u think they will guaranty me usa green card
the reason why i cant stay in Germany is coz my parents live in usa i want be with them
1. Asylum is for those who suffer political persecution. You are now a German citizen, so you would need to argue that you are persecuted in Germany. That’s rather unlikely, I would say.
2. As to the US Green Card, I have no idea. I am a German lawyer, not an American one.
I would not know how to obtain a greencard; however, as a German citizen and a greencard holder myself, I know that Germany will not have a problem with it, as you are not naturalising. I can’t help you much, but I do have a link here from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services concerning permanent residency. http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ae853ad15c673210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=ae853ad15c673210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD
Hi there,
I’m presently doing a research on behalf of my sister who has just lost her husband (last week). He was a legal resident in Germany for over 20 year but his wife who happens to live in Africa had their two children (a 9 year old and a 3 year old) in Africa, and they never visited Germany, but had plans to do so just before their father died…. Now my question is; can the kids get German citizenship based on the fact that their dad had a permanent residency before his death.
No, for that their father would have had to have German citizenship at the time of the children’s birth.
Thank you so much for the swift response. I appreciate it.
Hello.
My Great great Grandfather came to America from Germany in 1838 when he was a boy. Is is possible for me to establish German citizenship. I am not sure where to start.
Hi, I am a serving soldier with the British Army (however I am originally from South Africa and only hold a South African passport) and have been based in Germany since 2007. I got married in March 2013. I would like to become a German national as we intend to live in Germany once I am finished my career. Am I legible to German passport? Thank-you in advance.
Three questions:
1. What’s the citizenship of your spouse?
2. How good is your German?
3. Are you willing to give up your South African citizenship?
Wife is German
I can get by, sometimes takes a bit a of time
Yes
Then the answer is in no. 6 of the above FAQ.
The tricky part is that your time as a soldier may not count towards the residency requirement because you did not fall under German immigration law. It might therefore be in your interest to apply for a residence permit in Germany as a spouse now, even though you don’t need it. But then you can be certain that the time will count towards citizenship.
Hello Andreas,
I love your site.
I am wondering about citizenship, or the possibility for German passport.
My Great grand parents immigrated to the USA from Germany in 1906.
My grandmother who was the first to be born in the USA 1908.
I found a paper my Great Grandfather filed “intent” for citizenship for 1920, yet on 1920 census was still an alien, and as far as I can find they never proceeded with the paperwork. My Grandmother was about 11 years old at the time.
In 1929 my Grandmother had my father, she was not married at the time.
Does your # 2. Does ius sanguinis apply for me? Does this make it possible for me to have “blood right” to German citizenship?
I have many reasons to desire this, one of the most pressing is my son moved to Germany three years ago, and has just married a wonderful German girl. Since they plan to have children I would love to spend extended periods over there and a German passport would make it much easier.
My son is now fluent in German and I am learning.
Thank you for any information you can give.
Ann
While I was doing my research I noted there was at one point a law that if a German citizen joined the military of another country German citizenship was lost.
Since my father was in the US army before I was born 1956, was he not a citizen at the time of my birth?
Ann
Although, upon looking at the law translated into english it clearly states: # 28 of the “German Imperial and State Citizenship law of 1913”:
“A German who enters the service of a foreign country without the permission of his government may be declared to have lost his citizenship by decision of the central authorities of his home state, if he does not comply with an order to retire therefrom”
So since my father had never applied for German citizenship, never received an order to ‘retire therefrom’. Does that mean I should go ahead and file for citizenship?
Hi Andreas,
The information here seems great and was hoping you may be able to assist with some guidance. I’m currently trying to obtain german citizenship, and consider myself ethnic german. My grandmother is german (born Naschau, Sudetenland) and arrived in Australia on her german passport late 1950′s, after time in Germany after the Benee.s decree. She is still alive but the German descent goes far back. she married in Australia to a Ukraine man and gave birth to my mother here. At the time of my mums birth (1958) my grandmother was not an Australian citizen, nor has she formally relinquished it. My mum would like to get german citizenship, and I hoping from hers. Is this possible from this information? Any information/feedback would be appreciated.
I have gone through your FAQ and I still can not determine wether I could get citizenship.
Kind regards
Nathan
Since obtaining another citizenship automatically means you renounce your German citizenship. How does Germany know if you’ve become a citizen of another country and in that case, is your passport invalid even if it hasn’t expired?
Finally somebody spotted that! Germany won’t notice that at all, of course (unless you tell them or otherwise advertise the fact of having gained another citizenship). You will usually be able to retain your German passport. Once it expires and you apply for a new one, you will be asked if you have any other citizenship. Then it’s up to you whether you want to be honest or not.
According to the German Embassy in Brazil, it is required to show a certificate that of “non-naturalization” issued by the country the German citizen used to live.
But not all countries will issue such certificates, and also you may have gained the citizenship of another country than the one where you apply for your new passport. These passports are valid for 10 years, so you can live in quite a few countries (and obtain citizenship) while on one German passport.
hi I’m a u s citizen I lived in Germany for 21 years I had a permanent visa to reside there I have two children that are living in Germany I had a divorce and moved back to the United States
I’ve been here 13 yearsI was wondering can I move back to Germany being a parent do I have the right to stay there as I want to be with my family?
Because of the length of this citizenship thread, I’d like to keep the residence/immigration questions separate. I’ll put up a separate list of FAQs about residence in Germany as soon as somebody sends me one of the books from my wishlist in order to motivate me.
Hello Andreas,
I have a question about gaining citizenship. My entire maternal side is from Germany, i am first gen born in the US. My mother immigrated at 13 with my grandmother and her US army stepfather after the war. I’m positive the us gov required her to become an american citizen. My parents divorced before i was 5 and i do mot know my fathers side. Both my mother and grandmother passed away about a year apart a few months back and i now have no family. The only family i feel i have is in Germany, can i gain citizenship as my mother could have had dual citizenship in more recent times. Technically couldn’t she have regained her Germany citizenship or dual citizenship as she was forced to lose her Germany citizenship upon arrival in the US in 1969? In turn, could we have gotten mine as well?
Thank you very much,
Christopher
I have not been able to find my German great-grandfathers birth certificate, is there anything else I can use when applying for german citizenship?
Ann
I was born in Landsberg am Lech Displaced person camp in 1948.My parents were Holocaust survivors and married in Germany in 1946. I and my parents emigrated to the US eleven months after my birth. I became a naturalized US citizen along with my parents in 1957. Having been born on German soil, am I entitled to German/EU citizenship and passport? After all, I was never able to run for the Presidency of the United States even if I was the most qualified candidate. thank you.
As a follow up, I note that both of my parents were of Polish origin and were teenagers during the war and ended up in Germany after liberation from concentration camps.
Hi thanks for this brilliant website u have created, very clear information provided.
I am referring to question 7. What do you mean by S14StAG opens possibility. I am a Ghanaian national married to a German national with 3 children living in the Uk. I had my unbefristete before relocating. I want to know if I can apply for a German passport out of the country.
Thank You.
Please have a look at my FAQ on getting naturalized in Germany from abroad.
Hi Andreas! Great FAQ. I have a question:
I am Brazilian, as my father is. My grandfather, who passed away in 2010, was born in Germany, but flew to Brazil when he was 14, with his parents (both German) during WW II, because my great grandmother was of jewish descent. My father was born when my grandparents were not married, in 1958. They’ve established a stable union, which is a type of union that is not a marriage, but entitles the people in it to the same rights as if they were in a marriage. My father never got a German citizenship, and I’m not sure but I imagine my grandfather had lost his German citizenship, since he was a Brazilian citizen.
My question is if there is a way now (even though my grandfather is not alive anymore) for my father to get a German passport (and a way I can get it aswell), even though he was born outside a marriage.
Yes, you might have a chance according to ius sanguinis or the option outlined under no. 9 of the FAQ.
I am British, have been working in Germany for over a year now, I am married to a German for over 3 years, we have been living here for 3 and a half years, can I now apply for a German passport, and if so where do I go and how do start the process?
You can apply with your local municipality, preferably after having passed the integration test and the language test. As an EU citizen, you are not required to give up your primary citizenship, so you can keep your British citizenship.
Hi,
I would like to ask a question. Is it allow to work outside of Germany after getting an assurance of naturalization letter and before getting a German Passport? if yes then how much duration one can stay or work outside of Germany?
Once you are a German citizen (for which the certificate of naturalization is relevant), you do not need to fulfil any residency requirement. You don’t need to spend any time in Germany at all and won’t lose German citizenship.
You can even apply for the German passport in another country. Just go to the German Consulate with your certificate of naturalization. (I do the same as I haven’t been living in Germany for 4 years now.)
I love reading your blog. You wrote you have been out of Germany for 4 years now. Are you semi-retired? Enjoying the freedom of travel and study? Did you become tired of being in an office? I think many dream of doing your kind of lifestyle and experiencing many different countries. In my 40s, I am ready to “semi-retire” and enjoy years of travel and study but I wonder if not having that “regular daily work cycle” would lead to a life with less direction. Just curious and congratulate you on your freedom in a life that many would love to lead.
Yes, you could call it semi-retired. I am still working, but far less. I do afford that by living in countries with lower expenses and by having reduced my material requirements (for example by getting rid of a car).
And yes, I was really tired of the office job and the daily, weekly, annual routine of working as a lawyer. The clients change, but the cases and problems really don’t. It became too repetitive, and so I quit after 7 years.
I would not say I have “less direction”, the direction is just a different one. No longer focused on becoming ever more “successful”, I can now concentrate on finding fulfilment, mainly through studying and reading, but also travelling.
Of course I am poorer since I quit my job, but I am much happier and much more relaxed. No more sleepless nights, and if I want I can leave my phone turned off for a whole week.
You inspire. After 23 years in Asia as a work-a-holic, I look forward to following partially in your footsteps and living the life as a multi-passport holder and explore, study and live to enjoy and not work to live. A lot of your advice truly makes great sense and I wish you continued success!
Hi Andreas,
I have been married to a German for five years now and he wants me to apply for German citizenship. I have all the documents , including the the B1 and the einbürgerungstest certificates, asked for by the ausländeramt, but I am not sure if my speaking and listening comprehension skills are good enough. There are still instances that I find it difficult to speak and to understand spoken German. Should I still go through with my application or will my weak language skills be a reason for a rejection? Since I have to give up my citizenship, I am of course afraid that I will end up stateless.
Thanks!
Just want to add to that, I have also lived in Germany for five years and I have been working for a German company for three years now. Still, my German language skills are not really good.
1) If you have the B1 certificate and if you have passed the Einbürgerungstest, you should really be fine. You pass the formal criteria, so you should not be tested again by the naturalization official. Maybe prepare yourself a bit for the standard questions they may ask (about your life, your marriage, your plans for staying in Germany), so that you won’t be caught completely off guard.
But remember: it’s Germany. If something has been certified on paper, which official would doubt that? :-)
2) Whether you have to give up your original citizenship depends on which citizenship you have, as there are exceptions for quite a number of countries. Whether there is a risk for statelessness depends on how the process works in your home country. Some countries allow you to renounce your citizenship (which you then only need to do once Germany has approved your application), some countries make you lose your citizenship automatically once you receive German citizenship.
Thank you so much, Andreas. :)
I’m 56 and was born a German citizen to my German mother. I have my original passport. She got pregnant by an American GI who rotated out(left) whom I have not met. She married when I was two years old to another GI who after returning stateside eventually adopted me when I was 12. It was then that I became a naturalized American citizen. Is it possible for me to return to German citizenship or possibly dual citizenship?
If you were naturalized in the US upon your (or your mother’s and your father’s) application, then you may have lost German citizenship back then (§ 25 I StAG). If you received US citizenship as an automatic consequence of the adoption, you maintained your German citizenship.
If you lost it, you may of course apply for German citizenship again (§ 13 StAG), but Germany would then require you to renounce your US citizenship.
Hello Andreas,
I am 39 years indian citizen having a german spouse and living in germany for almost 2 years and completed my B1 language skill. I would like to know if i get divorced from my wife in 6 months, can i get german passport if i like to continue live and work in germany and another question is: How much time it takes to get german passport/citizenship if marriage continues.
Thanks in advance.
If you can continue to live and work in Germany after your separation/divorce depends on the type of residence permit you have (and is a matter for a different set of FAQs).
If your marriage continues, you are eligible to receive German citizenship after 3 years of living in Germany. The process will then take a few months at least.
If you get divorced before, you could still apply for German citizenship, but you would then fall under the requirement of 7 years of residence in Germany. Therefore, if there is any chance to continue the marriage, I’d recommend doing so if obtaining German citizenship is your objective. Once you are a German citizen, you can separate/divorce right away and it won’t affect your citizenship anymore.
This link is for everybody that mentioned the no citizenship path through your mother Issue. On the 28th of March 2012 The German Federal Ministry of the Interior created a new mandate to make exception to the rule that if you were born before 1975 you couldn’t get naturalized through your German mother. It was only possible through a German father.The problem with the mandate at least for people that currently live/work in Germany is in a small sentence under the heading that says “For people who live abroad”. This line is not repeated anywhere else in the official requirements to qualify for this mandate. Nor does it seem to say you are disqualified if you currently live in Germany.
http://www.bva.bund.de/cln_351/nn_2172998/DE/Aufgaben/Abt__III/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Einbuergerung/Ermessenseinbuergerung/AntraegeMerkblaetter/Ermess__Merkblatt__erl__Einbuergerung.html
Naturalization was always possible, whether you had a German mother or a German father. Only the ius sanguinis was applied differently before 1975. German now tries to rectify this by offering naturalization for what should have been citizenship by birth anyway.
I also don’t see any reason why people living in Germany would be disqualified, especially as somebody who lives in Germany can easily pretend that he doesn’t by providing a foreign address. But realistically, those living in Germany who fall under this group already would have been naturalized a long time ago after passing the language test and the integration requirement.
Hello Andreas and a quick thanks to you offering this FAQ. Indeed you could always get naturalized as you said. The thing I found interesting about this mandate is it seems to bypass two important requirements of the regular application process. That is the amount of time that you have to be a resident in Germany to apply and more important that it waivers having to give up your current citizenship. I highlight that point because although the naturalization application has a yes and no selection on the question of giving up your citizenship the chances of being denied are more likely if the reasons for saying no are not valid.That can certainly be subjective and a gray area at best. Having it clear in this mandate seems a better option. I agree with what you said about not seeing reasons to be disqualified if currently living in Germany but I can’t find a Federal or local office to clarify this point outside of “It might be possible”. Again a gray at best.
I have read the posts here but cannot find an easy answer to my question.
My mother, now 86, was born in Germany as were her parents and their parents. My father, now 91 was born and raised in Latvia, his mother being Latvian and his father a German.
My father fled Latvia for Germanay during WWII where he met my mother and they married in 1947. They came to Australia in 1949 as displaced citizens and were eventually naturalized as Australians in 1954 . I was born in 1951 in Australia and am now wondering if I can am eligible for a German Passport.
Hello Andreas,
First of all, thank you for the support and clarifications you’ve been offering. Are you still in Lithuania, so I can send a book?
My question is a complicated one. Here we:
My dad- German, married my mum- Nigerian in 1978 under Nigerian customary law where my mother’s family and some of my dad’s friends were present. My dad always worked for German companies in Nigeria and the German embassy issued my mother visas as Mrs. F, and in 1986 they requested that my parents get an affidavit to support/ prove their marraige which they did and this was accepted by the Embassy and continued recognising my mother ad Mrs. F for over 23 years. When I was 23, my dad visited the Embassy in Lagos and requested that I get the German citizenship ( I did not get this earlier as he was afraid I would not stay with them in Nigeria, & when he realised his mistake wanted to fix it) he was told that I had to apply for Einburgerung. In the same year I got married, & was expecting a bay. I applied a year later but was told that 1. I had no ties to Germany, 2. My parents were not married ( the same time, my mum applied for residence permit as my dad had just gone into Rente and they wanted to return to Germany) due to this hesitation & to avoid complications, my parents went and got married again in a registry. After that the embassy conducted an investigation on my parents, and the reports were genuine, they had been together for over 23years. My Mum got her papers and they have been living in Germany for 7 years now. In 2006, My dad advised me to apply for a passport, where i submitted birth certificates of my dad and his parents all getan through and through, but everything went pear shaped as the argument of the Bundesverwaltungsamt was that I was illegitimate, and after the re-marriage of my parents in 2005, I still do not gain citizenship. It did not matter what our lawyer tried and they argued every loop hole.
Can you advice. If necessary, I can call you and even send you copies of the replies and if you can represent me.
Your response is highly appreciated.
Doris.
Hello Andreas,
Thank you for valuable information you have posted here. My step father is German and he legally adopted me when I was already an adult in US. I never thought about obtaining german residency or citizenship since we live in the States. He and my Mom recently moved to German and plan to live there long term. Do I have the rights to apply for german residency or German citizenship without giving up US citizenship if I decide to move to Germany with them?
Thank you so much!
I am from Egypt and my Egyptian father in law married a German woman since 20 years and he gave up his Egyptian citizenship 10 years ago and he obtained the German one. He also has a daughter who is German and living in Germany. My question is, do my Egyptian husband who is born in 1974 is eligible to a German citizenship ? Or can he also get a German permenant residence? Thnx
Your husband only could have received German citizenship if at least one of his parents was German at the time of his birth.
But he may have the chance to apply for German citizenship now through naturalization.
As to the residence permit, anyone can apply for that, but I’d like to keep that separate from citizenship law and cover it in a different set of FAQs.
Thanks for your reply. My question now how can I start the naturalization process and what are the requirements?
The requirements for naturalization should really be covered by the above FAQ.
Hi Andreas,
You mentioned that a person applying for German citizenship should show that he has integrated himself in the country. How is this done? I mean, to prove you can speak German, a German language certificate is the proof. What about integration ? Is it proven through an interview?
Thank you so much.
There is an integration course, at the end of which there is an exam. It’s a multiple choice test which is not too hard.
If you want to prove more integration (e.g. if you want to apply early), you can point to social, environmental, academic, political, sports, business activities that you do in Germany.
Hi Andreas,
German citizenship question for you. Once you share your Italian Shipping Address I would be happy to send you a book from your wish list. I was born in Freising, Germany in November 1970. My father at the time was a Canadian Citizen. He was a Sudeten German who after the war ended up in Canada, working there, and was advised in the 50’s to get the Canadian citizenship. So, he did. His sister and brother and parents were all still in Nuremberg Germany and he kept a house there. He married my mother in 1968. They lived in Germany and then later in Canada. She was and is still a german citizen. they came to Canada in 1972. All of my relatives; aunts, oma, opa, cousins etcetera all live in Germany. I speak German and have my oma’s little house there. My sisters were born in Sudbury, Ontario in 1972 and in 1975. My youngest sister, although born in Canada was able to get her dual citizenship because of the year she was born in. My question for you is: is it possible for me to somehow obtain dual citizenship if I was born in 1970 in Germany to a father who was a Canadian citizen at the time of my birth and to my mother who was a german citizen at the time of my birth. Thanks, Maria
Hello Maria,
here’s my new address: Andreas Moser, Via Cucinotti 56, (ex VI traversa), 98047 Rometta Marea (ME), Italy.
Now to your question: The good news is that Germany is finally trying to rectify the cases of those who were born to German mothers prior to 1975. You can now apply for naturalization without living in Germany according to § 14 StAG.
Hello Andreas… that is so AMAZING!! You have made my day! Which book title would you most like to have at this time? I’ll send it to you. Thanks for your reply to my question; I am so happy!!! Maria
I am also happy that I was able to spread some good news. It doesn’t happen too often.
Just pick something that you would like or that you think would be enjoyable. I’ll be happy to let you surprise me. – And thank you very much in advance already!
Hallo Adreas, ich habe eine frage: das Staatsangehörigkeitgesetz 1975 gilt das auch für Kinder die im 1979 geboren sind, oder ist es nur das Gesetz von 1993?
Hello Sir, I am Yasir from Pakistan, I am going to be married with German girl next year and I am basically Chemical Engineer by profession of having 5 years of experience in my pocket, my question is that if I go to Germany after marriage then can I find suitable job regarding my profession over there on Pakistani University accredited degree or should I have to study there and then to find job there or something else? and on spouse visa after married, can I get free education there? and in which time I will get German passport and nationality …………………Kindly guide me in this regard, I will be very thankful to you.
Regards,
Yasir Shamim
1. I don’t know about the job situation for chemical engineers, sorry.
2. Yes, you’ll be eligible to enrol in university, where most courses and degrees are free or cost just a small amount (like 500 EUR per semester).
3. The question about citizenship is answered in the above FAQ (no. 6).
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hello, my german husband came to Africa 20 years ago, we got married 5 years ago and have a five year old daughter. He lost pretty much everything on a business deal that went sour. he wants to return to germany but has not much financial support, again we never registered out child at the german embassy, is she entitled to german citizenship? my husband does not have his social security card but still has a german passport would i be allowed to tag along with him because he plans to return to germany…. is he entitled to citizenship(german) benefits after being out of germany for so long?
Hello Anders.
my query is about become German citizen . my brother has German passport as I live or stay with him now about almost two years .
Is there any possibility to have German passport to or citizenship or whatever ?
Could you please advice me what could I do to live and stay in Germany ?
Kind regards .
Abdalla
Hello Anders,
If i wish to obtain the German citizenship,than i have to live 8 years continuously in Germany or i can go to my homeland Pakistan for some time with in that duration of living in germany for obtaining german citizenship?
Hello Andreas,
You said that for other foreigners, it is anything between 3 and 8 years.What is the criteria to get the citizenship in 3 years other than the marriage option?
Danke Schön
An excellent result on your German test, a tremendous level of integration, a good income or a large business investment and preferably playing football well.
Thank You :)
And is it hard to get dual citizenship? (from Lebanon)
Because I get so many questions on dual citizenship and because it is a complex issue in itself, I would like to write a separate set of FAQ about dual citizenship. I am just waiting for somebody to send me one of the books on my wishlist in order to motivate me enough to do it.
i read that on dual citizenshipif the renunciation process is too difficult/humiliating and/or too expensive (e.g. Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia) i know you want to post later, but i saw that on wikipedia is it true?
hi everyone
I’m 18 years old i live in republic of Kosovo with my parents,i have born in germany in 1995,i have a certificate birth of germany in 2000 i went to Kosovo and now i live in kosovo for 13 years.Can i get now citizenship(German)??
who knows tell me… :)
Hi all,
I lived in Germany between 2001 to 2007 (a total of 6 years and 3 months), for my Masters and Ph.D. before returning to India. The first two years were as a student on a residence permit and the remaining time was as an employee of the university. I speak good enough German.
If I were to return to Germany now for an employment at the university or industry, will I be entitled to naturalisation within the next two years? What about my wife and infant baby who have never lived in Germany before?
Many thanks in advance.
Hi,
Finde im Netz wiedersprüchliche Dinge, deswegen Frag ich einfach mal hier bei dir (we also studied in London, like you!):
Meine Freundin ist Tschechin, hat aber eine (mittlerweile verstorbene) Deutsche Oma. Es ist möglich die Papiere die das beweißen bei einem Amt in Polen abzuholen (da das ja damals Deutschland war und sie bei der übergabe/übername nach Tschechien geflohen ist.).
Ist es möglich für sie einen Deutschen Pass zu bekommen? Ist es schwer/Wie lange dauert es? Kosten? Erste Schritte?
Sie spricht Deutsch, müsste aber für einen Einbürgerungstest noch fleissig Deutsche Geschichte/Politik/etc lernen.
Vielen, vielen Dank!
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Reblogged this on Italian American Citizenship.
Hello Andreas. Thank you for your very helpful blog! I could not find my exact situation, so I thought I’d try asking. Here are the facts:
1. I am a dual German-American citizen by birth (born in U.S.A. before 1975 to a German father & Spanish mother)
2. I was NOT married when I gave birth to my son in the U.S.A. (late ’90’s) and the biological father’s name was NOT on my son’s birth certificate when I applied for his German passport (father abandoned us & refused for his name to be on B.C., so it was left blank).
3. At the time of my son’s original German passport application and subsequent renewal in 2008, the German consulate did NOT require a statement from the biological father at either time of application.
4. In 2006, I married a U.S. citizen and in 2010, my husband (step father) adopted my son.
5. At the time of adoption, my son changed his last name to the U.S. adoptive father’s last name and thus his U.S. birth certificate name was changed and his U.S. passport name was changed to his new last name.
6 . NOTE: By German law (and for less paperwork…), I chose to keep my “Family Name” the same as my birth, maiden last name for my German passport/citizenship purposes; but changed my last name to my husband’s last name in the U.S. ONLY. So on my German passport, I have my maiden last name.
7. When I returned to the Consulate to renew / apply for my son’s German passport (he is now 15yrs old), they asked for his current birth certificate, U.S. passport (both have new name) along with my German passport (my maiden last name/”Family Name”), and adoption papers/adoptive father’s U.S. passport.
8. I asked the German consulate if my son could just renew his German passport in the same “Family Name” (my maiden name) as his original German passport and they told me that their Legal Dept must review all the paperwork to determine if his new German passport MUST be changed to his new, U.S. last name as the “Family Name” privilege only applies to the person getting married and in this case, my son’s last name on his birth certificate has been changed. NOTE: they kept a copy of both my son’s original birth certificate (in my maiden last name) and his post-adoption birth certificate with his new name.
9. Where this gets more complicated is that on the adoption papers, it notes the biological father’s name; however, the biological father’s name is NOT on my son’s original birth certificate. So the consulate said that this may be a problem if a name change is required for German citizenship. They also said there is a possibility that my son may lose his German citizenship entirely.
I’d like to know what your opinion is in this matter and if you think my son may be able to keep our “Family Name” (my maiden last name, just like I did after marriage) and simply renew his passport as it was or if he will be REQUIRED to change his last name on his German passport – which will involve all the adoption paperwork and issues with the biological father’s consent to the original application.
I hope that makes sense. Let me know if you need more info. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Thank you!
P.S. I see your link to the BOOKS you like (lol…that is a nice LONG list!) I promise I will send you one if you respond to my post above!
I promise I will respond once I will have received a book.
Last post, I promise. I found this under Section 27 of the NATIONALITY ACT (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, StAG) and hope this means that although my son was adopted by a U.S. father, he may retain his German dual citizenship as long as he is still related to his German (me/dual) mother?:
[Loss of citizenship on adoption by a foreigner]
A German under the age of majority shall lose his or her citizenship as a result of adoption by a foreigner in accordance with German law, if he or she acquires the adopting person’s citizenship by virtue of such adoption. The loss of citizenship shall extend to his or her descendants where the acquisition of citizenship by the adoptee pursuant to sentence 1 also extends to the descendants. The loss under sentence 1 or sentence 2 shall not take effect if the adoptee or his or her descendants maintain a legal relation to their German parent.
Such a long question involving the laws of two countries is really a bit beyond what I can answer for free or for a book. But if you e-mail me, I’d be happy to answer it in full for my usual consultation fee of 150 €.
Is it ever possible for a descendant -living in another country- to obtain German citizenship via ius sanguinis if the grandparent joined the armed forces of another country with out obtaining permission first, before children were born?
Yes, it’s possible. For example if the person was drafted, he is not considered to have joined the military of another country “voluntarily”,
Hi Andreas, your blog is very interesting, but I did not find the answer for my case, hope you can help me.
I am married to a german since longer than 1 year and we have being living in Germany for 1 year. I passed already the B1 test and the Einburgerung test. In principle, I have all the requirements except two missing: the 2 years being married and the 3 years living in germany.
My question is: Is it possible to apply for “early” citizenship (less than 3 years living in germany)?
For example, in 1 year when i will be > 2 years married, but just 2 years living in germany ? or before ?
If yes, Is it needed some integration proves like charity, volunteer, etc activities? any other requirements?
Thanks in advance
Hello Andreas,
I am a South-African male aged 31. My wife is also a South African but has a German passport, she is also 31 (Born 1982 in SA). We now have a baby who is 6 months old and we still live in SA. Will we be able to get a passport for our baby boy? My wife’s mother was born in Germany I think in 1949 then fled to SA.. And if that is possible where does that leave me in terms of options for an EU dependency visa ?
Because your wife is German, her/your child is German as well (citizenship by descent).
I am planning on writing another set of FAQ specifically on the EU freedom of movement rights, especially for third-country spouses of EU citizens, but I am just waiting for somebody to send me a book from my wishlist to move this task up on my to-do list.
What about my father and grandparents who escaped the DDR to the GDR, and were forced to flee to Amerika and become naturalized US citizens because of the Stasi trying to grab my grandfather back for being involved with the workers strikes at Karl Zeiss in Jena in ’54. Yes, no, maybe? I am too old to effectively play fußball, but I am pretty good with IT related stuff, and seriously considering requesting asylum somewhere else, where sanity is currently prevailing.
Dear sir,l am a nigerian,My father lived in germany for many years and got his citizenship.l wish to come to germany for my master degree programe.please sir,l will like to know if there is any right l could benefit from,being a child of a german citizen.
hey Andreas, lam separeted with my germany man for almost 4years now he is now my best friend , now want to apply for germany pass but l dont work coz l have small baby . can it be possible for me to apply citizenship with income from my husband coz we are still married not divorced. have been in Germany for 8 years and l have already my permanet stay in germany. l dont get any welfare from state. any clue about this?
Hi Andreas. I was born in West Germany in 1967, lived there a total of 9 years as my dad was in the British Army, my Mother and Father are both British. My Son was born in England in 2003 and plays football at a high level. My question is … Would he be eligible to play for either Germany and/or England? Also, would I be eligible for joint citizenship. (apologies if you have already answered this question elsewhere). Kind regards. Chris
In 1967, Germany had only ius sangunis, so you did not get German citizenship. Following that, neither did your son.
Dear Sir, I have a son with German guy, but we’re not married. My son (3 y.o) was born in indonesia and last year we already got my son’s birth certificate from Berlin because of his declaration a “vaterschaftanerkennung”. The father of my son wants my son to live in Berlin too as soon as possible, is it possible for me to go too and work there legally since I cannot speak Germany at all. I really need your advise. Thank you in advance.
That’s more a question about immigration to Germany than about citizenship, so it’s better to post it on the FAQ regarding family reunion visas for Germany.
Thank you Sir. :)
Thank you for posting this! Just to clarify a few things, my father is German but we do not have much of a relationship. He lives in Germany and I don’t, I doubt he will consider helping me out so is it possible to get a citizenship without his help and with proof of DNA? BTW I was born 1993 and my parents were not married at the time of my birth.
You need to have legal paternity established, either by your father having acknowledged it or by going to court, which would order your father to consent to the DNA test if necessary.
Hi,
Can I apply for citizenship when I’m in Germany after a month of Culture Exchange Programme.
By the way, I’m from Pakistan.
Have you read no. 6 of the above FAQ?
thanks, but I meant, would be any chance to get citizenship and not being deported.
You really haven’t read the above FAQ.
Thank you for the time and effort you have put into compiling this detailed yet easy to follow information. My great-grand parents were both born in Germany and immigrated to the US where my grandmother was born around 1920. Under #2 I may qualify however I do not know how to find out if my great grandparents ever lost their citizenship. I know that there are websites such as ancestry.com, but I assume I will need official documentation and proof. Any suggestions on how to obtain official proof? Many Kind Regards!
The main ways for US citizens to have lost German citizenship are naturalization in the US or military service for the US. So if you find out about both or either of such events in your ancestors’ history, you just need to find out whether they occurred before the next generation was born or after.
born in Germany in 1952 adopted by us citizens my father was stationed there in the army came to the states in 1955 both my parents are deceased I need to prove that I am a citizen at bthis point I don’t know if I am need this for SS and a passport I really need help
if an indian female marries an indian who has migrated to German and has Germanpassort will the lady’s passport be changed to german if so how ?
You won’t receive German citizenship immediately, but you can apply for naturalization after living in Germany for 3 years. (See no. 6 of the above FAQ.)
I am from Philippines working in UAE, My husband is from Germany. We got marry last month in Denmark and done the registration in Germany. In December I will take A1 course to speak and understand basic German language. My question is; If you are married with German National, Am I allowed to work in Germany even I can only speak a little German language? Do you know any constitutions which can help me to find a job? I am undergraduate in college.
Very much appreciated your help in this regard.
From UAE
I’ll be happy to put up a similar list of FAQ on immigration to Germany, but I’d like to keep it separate from this thread on citizenship because they are really two different things. I’ll put up these FAQ as soon as somebody mails me one of the books from my wishlist to do so.
Thank you.
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hi my granfather was born in germany and so was his father but they both became u.s. citizens as am i can i becone a german citizen under the ius sanguinis laws
furthermore i would like to completely denounce my u.s. citezenship will this affect the decision for german citizenship
1) If your father had lost his German citizenship (e.g. by acquiring US citizenship without obtaining prior consent from Germany) before you were born, then he could not have passed it on to you. You can then not invoke ius sanguinis.
2) If you wish to apply for naturalization in Germany, then Germany would indeed require you to give up your US citizenship.
Isn’t it case by case? I’ve seen a few friends take German citz through blood and their grandpa were German when their father was born because grandfathers citz was taken after father was born in the usa. I guess that means when grandfathers are displaced people, that means they were not yet Americans and so in Germany’s citz law the father was a German citz despite not being born in Germany and that made the grandsons through patriarchal blood German citizens.
I apologize. My mistake. My friends grandparents went to Canada and not the USA.
Therefore when they did they were DP (displaced people) when their fathers were born as citizenship was not given to Germans until 1954 in Canada. Maybe that is the loophole?
Could be. For ius sanguinis, the parent(s) always need(s) to have German citizenship at the time the next generation is born. Whether they lose it afterwards is irrelevant. Whether they knew that they had it or not is irrelevant as well.
Hello- I was born in Germany on a US base that is now closed. My mother turned down my citizenship upon my birth and I was granted citizenship to the US. Now as an adult I wish to return to Germany, Maybe even reside there permanently in the future after an initial test year. My question to you is if I could regain at the very least a living visa if not a citizenship. I have read about the student visas and artist visas. I hope for something more permanent. Thank you in advance for your aide in anyway. :)
Without knowing
– when you were born,
– what citizenship both of your parents had at the time of your birth,
– and whether they were married,
it’s almost impossible to answer your question.
Oh Sorry. Both US Air-force and US citizens. I was born in 1987- October. And they were not Married. :) It was on a US “Territory”/ Base. If I have left anything out, please let me know. Thank you very much for your time and effort :)
If both your parents were US citizens only, you did not obtain German citizenship at the time of birth. In 1987, Germany had no ius soli component in its citizenship law.
You will have to take the visa/immigration route, unfortunately. As soon as somebody sends me one of the books from my wishlist to buy my gratitude, I will post a similar set of FAQs on immigration to Germany.
Thank you very much :)
I’m from Pakistan and I’ve been living in UAE, Abu Dhabi for 5 years as a student and now I’m planning to advance to Germany to pursue BSCS so I’m curious to have a nationality if I’m going to reside there for 3 years. I’m not sure if I qualify? I have no relative there. Does it work the same way as Canada that you live there and so you can apply for a nationality. Please respond, I’ll highly appreciate it. Thank you!
I was born in Germany in 1946, my dad was a forceable guest in Dora, Ashwitze and other places before that and my mother was also a forceable domestic worker. They got married and we stayed in Germany till 1950 and immigrated to canada. We all have canadian citizenship since 1960. Do I have any rights to a dual german citizenship. I would not give up my canadian citizenship.
I am glad your parents survived that hell!
What citizenships did your parents have? If none of them had German citizenship, you did not obtain German citizenship by descent. Ius soli was not yet in place in 1946.
And then even if you had German citizenship at birth, you would have lost it when you got naturalized in Canada, if you or your parents applied for that naturalization.
Thanks for your kind information, I was born in germany in 1997 and migrated to pakistan after 3 years, my father lived 30 years in germany but never accuired german citizenship, sadly he died 10 years ago, Please tell me how could i apply for it?? Thanks in advance.
And i also have pension benifits
for your FAQ #6, do you know of any cases which was naturalized after 3 years cause I always read it is between 6 and 8 years?
Also what do you mean by “the passport is only a travel document”. what is the difference between naturalization and citizenship?
Naturalization of spouses of German citizens usually occurs after 3 years. Other cases are often sports-related.
Naturalization is the process to obtain citizenship.
no I dont mean spouse case. I mean other foreigners as you referred in your answer. I does not have to be a sports case. It could be for someone who lives in Germany and work there. He is entitled to apply for naturalization, but I have always seen that this is after 6-8 years. You mentioned 3-8 years, so that is why I am interested to know if there are similar cases under 6 years for non spouse.
Hello
I am an Indian. I’m working and living with my family here at Portugal past one year. My wife is pregnant now and the expected delivery date is on April 2014 first week. I have few doubts, that is,
1. how can i get a new passport for my infant. Where it should be from? Portugal or India….
2. Usually how many weeks it would take to get a fresh passport?
3. If it is a Portugal passport, can we continue with that passport for going and coming India?
4.If so, how much i have to pay for Indian visa for the newly born baby?
thank you very much.
I am neither an Indian nor a Portuguese lawyer.
Which book do you want from your wishlist?? I can send you by courier, tell me book name and your address
Hello Ali,
that’s very generous of you! Currently I already have a lot of heavy stuff to read and to study, so I’ll be happy about any of the novels from my wishlist. I’ll let you surprise me.
My current address is at the bottom of the wishlist.
Thank you very much in advance already!
My children were born in the USA in 1989 and 1992. I was a german citizen at the time of their births and their father is an US citizen. I am now a US citizen. Is it true that my children will lose their german citizenship at age 23?
No. They will be able to keep both citizenships forever.
hello Andreas, I am a south african citizen livivng and working in Germany on a spouse visa (unbefristet) I have been here for seven years now and am considering to apply for naturalisation. My son (23 years old) living in south africa would like to reunite with me and my wife and is currently learning to speak german. Once he has achieved an intermediate level of german, what are his chances to apply for a work permit in Germany (he is a music teacher)
Because this thread is already full of hundreds of questions on citizenship, I’d like to keep the questions on residence and work permits separately. As soon as somebody sends me one of the books from my wishlist to do so, I’ll set up a similar list of FAQ on residence and work permits in Germany. Alternatively, I can of course schedule a private consultation, but I do charge 200 € for that.
I will get you one of your books if you can answer :) . My Grandfather, and his father were both German, He was born in Aachen in 1906, and my great Grandfather, around 1890. there is some confusion as to if this was Belgium or Germany, as there was Belgian occupation after WW1 between 1918 and 1929.My Great Grandfather was killed, as he had married an English Woman (by Nazi soldiers) – he was shot and thrown into a lake. My great Grandmother took my grandfather and his Bother (her sons) back to England, and they were naturalised British. My father (deceased) – Born in Southern Rhodeisa, and My mother – Born in Zambia, both have British Passports. My Brother and I where both born in Rhodesia( 1976 and 1979), pre independence whilst it was still British Sovereignty.
We tried to apply for German passports about 10 yrs ago, but were told that because my Grandfather renounced his citizenship, and because we dont speak german, we do not qualify for passports. this seemed strange to me, as he was a child at the time of his involuntary departure from Germanyand that they left Germany under duress,and that he should have been eligible to his birthright.
British Passports dont seem like an option, as it requires a GRANDPARENT to be born in the UK, not naturalised there. My mother lives in Spain, on a british passport, but my Brother and I are stuck in Africa, Paying for the sins of our forefathers ! Any insight would be much appreciated. I could paypal you and you could just grab the book you want…
Generally, if your grandfather renounced his German citizenship before he gave birth to your father or mother, then he could not have passed on German citizenship.
Looking into your specific case unfortunately requires a bit more work than I could do for a book. I would need to research the laws in place at that time and look for any possibility for an exception due to your particular family history. For a full consultation, I charge a flat fee of 150 EUR.
Alternatively, you can of course always apply for naturalization, even if you don’t live in Germany, but speaking German is a must in that case.
I think I would like to book a consultation with you. My brother is away in Bali on vacation right now, and he has all the documentation that went back and forth between the consular and himself. we were paying a lady in Johannesburg to translate etc. If there is some sort of case to be made for Naturalisation, we would definitely look at that… would you be able to look at this after xmas ?
Oh sure, just contact me again after Christmas. You don’t need to translate any of the documents for me, as long as they are either in English or in German.
We can also set up the Skype consultation in a way that both you and your brother can participate.
When you contact me then, please include a link to this comment, so that I remember the case.
Hi Andreas
My Brother has returned form his vacation, and I have spoken to him about a consultation with you. he has asked that i ask you this before we proceed, as he has already been through the process, and wonders if there could be a different outcome…
Hi Andreas
I have found out that the German Embassy did an investigation into my grandfather’s German ancestry. They concluded that because he became a British citizen (through naturalisation in 1919) that he lost his German nationality and therefore could not pass German nationality to his children or grandchildren. This is what German Embassy in Pretoria have stated. You stated that we should go ahead and apply for naturalisation. How is this possible when they have stated it is impossible ?
Do you handle cases where you work with exceptions and find loopholes to gain rights to German
nationality ?
Thanks/regards
Garth/Lorne
Hello Garth,
naturalization is something completely different than having obtained German citizenship by descent. That’s why I recommended to look into naturalization because it seems to me that your grandfather did indeed lose his German citizenship when he was naturalized in the UK.
Hi Andreas,
This question may be too specific, but I’d be very grateful if you are able to advise. My maternal grandmother was born in Berlin in 1916. She was Jewish, and officially stateless from birth because her father was stateless. He was born in a town that is now in Ukraine but was then part of Romania. He was also Jewish and I think fought with Austria in WW1. Some combination of these things (I’m not sure what aspect of it) made him stateless before my grandmother’s birth. Under what was German law at that time she inherited his stateless status at birth.
My grandmother was forced out of Germany in 1938/9 when she received an official letter telling her she would have to leave or be imprisoned. She obtained a domestic visa to the UK and this is where we live now. Had she remained in Germany, and if history had been different, presumably she and/or her descendents would eventually have been given their German citizenship once the law changed.
Would I be able to obtain dual UK/German citizenship under the special law that applies to Jewish descendents, (for myself and my children, and my mother also) or would my grandmother’s birth status as stateless be an obstacle to this?
Many thanks!
Art. 116 II of the German Constitution only provides for the reinstatement of previously withdrawn German citizenship. As none of your ancestors had German citizenship, this does not help.
I could of course investigate if there are exceptions that you could apply, but I would honestly advise against paying a lawyer to do so because most discretionary rules for hardship cases have the limited purpose to eradicate statelessness. As you are now British, you are not stateless and thus not really in a very disadvantaged position.
Of course you could always apply for naturalization in Germany if you speak the language, as British citizens do not need to give up their citizenship if they become German.
Hi, both my parents are filipinos,but i was born in vienna in 1980, after which i was brought home to philippines. Can i get a german passport? I am now currently living in Dubai.
I don’t see ANY connection to Germany.
I was born in Germany in 1994 to two parents of foregin citizenship so is there any chanve for me to get a passport?
You might have been eligible, but your parents would have needed to file that application by 31 December 2000 (§ 40b StAG).
And is there anything i could do about it now?
Sonya,
I would need to know far more details about your case then, such as your parents’ and your citizenship, how long each of you lived in Germany, under what immigration status, when you left, what you do now and how good your German is.
If you send me an e-mail with all these details and one of the books from my wishlist, I’ll be happy to help.
Hi, My husband had a baby with a woman in Germany and he pays child support for his child but the mother will not allow him the right to see his child I was wondering how do we go about getting the right to see her and do Germany citizens have social security numbers because I asked him if he take care of her why do he not claim her on taxes and he says its because she has no number. Is this correct?
None of these questions are related to citizenship law, the thread of this post. I’d be happy to put up similar FAQs on child support and visitation/contact with children if you could mail me two books from my wishlist.
Love reading your blog. Citizenship is fascinating.
Would you ever start-up a blog for simplified naturalization for Hungary, or citizenship for the Czech Rep (new law starting next week) or even Slovakia which keeps its citizenship laws strict unlike neighboring Hungary (simp nat citz in Hungary made Slovakia began non-dual).
This whole area is quite fascinating and the numbers that have already applied in Hungary since 2011 is almost at 500,000 (large % already received citizenship) and the Czech laws should bring upon some interest. Many grandparents were born in present day CzechRep or SlovakRep but at that time was the Kingdom of Hungary that allows grandchildren relatively quick and painless citizenship.
I am quite interested in comparative citizenship law and also the legal and political philosophy behind the concept of citizenship.
But I would probably never write anything as detailed as these FAQ on any other country, for the simple reason that I am only a German lawyer. I am not qualified to give advice on the laws of other countries.
I will however comment on the developments in other countries if they are of general interest, like the recent Maltese initiative to sell citizenship.
I am currently looking into a investment visa for hungary, matteo, pls could you link to your source of info ??? thanks
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for all the great info. I am an American living in Berlin. I am married to a German woman and we have a daughter. We have only been officially married for one year and I have a 3-year residency permit. If we get divorced, is there any chance of me being unable to renew this permit (or lose it) once the three years is up?
Thanks,
Tom
Because this is not really a question on citizenship, I would like to keep that on a separate list of FAQ. As soon as someone mails me one of the books from my wishlist to get me motivated, I will put up the FAQ on spousal and family reunion residence permits in Germany.
Dear Andreas,
Thanks for keeping this blog alive, appreciate the help you have provided to many of us.
You say that one cannot be denied a German passport if he/she has spent 8 years in Germany.
I am a Srilankan and will complete my 8th year in Germany till MAY 2014. I got my masters degree from Germany and been employed for the last 3 years by a well known Company. I did get my permanent residency an year ago but still need Visa to visit certain counties in Europe and America. So it makes a lot of sense for me to hold a German passport. Although i must say that my German language skills haven’t improved a lot over a period of time. I could manage a living with my German skills but cant participate in long discussion with a German.
How do u rate my chances of getting a German Passport ? Do u suggest me an year long language course before i apply ?
Thanks,
Roshan
You will need to pass at least the B1 test for German. If you pass a higher level, then that’s even better of course.
I am not certain if this is the proper format or if my inquiry is redundant. I was born in Germany in 1943. Both parents were Germans. I was adopted by Americans from a Kreiskinderheim in 1955 at age `11. I am now a 70 years old,have 8 half brothers and sisters who are German citizens
and have always resided there. I am a retired U.S. attorney and would impose no burden on the German fisc. I would like to regain my German citizenship. Is this possible and have I used the proper format to get this query to you. Any help would be greatly appreciated—and how do you support your site—I would be willing to contribute to keep this very informative site alive.
Thank you,
William N Faller
formerly known as
Klaus Dieter Volk
Hello William/Klaus,
the answer depends on how you obtained your US citizenship. If you acquired US citizenship in the process of the adoption, then you lost the German citizenship (§ 27 StAG). If you acquired US citizenship later, you may have lost your German citizenship (§ 25 StAG) but you may also have retained it if the requirements of § 19 StAG were not met. I’d need to know a bit more details of your adoption and your naturalization process for that.
As a former German citizen, you can always apply for re-naturalization in Germany (§ 13 StAG), but you would then be required to give up your US citizenship unless you could show that this puts an extreme and extraordinary burden on you.
If your goal is not necessarily citizenship but living in Germany, § 38 AufenthG provides a way for former German citizens to obtain a long-term residence permit, often with lesser requirements than for other applicants.
Thank you very much for your comments about my site! I have a wishlist of books and I am always happy about receiving one of these books as a sign of appreciation of my services. Alternatively, my PayPal account is moser@moser-law.com and I am of course happy about donations. For a more detailed and in-depth consultation via phone or e-mail, I would charge a flat fee of 150 EUR.
My father was born in Germany, and then moved to the United States when he was 7 years old. My Grandfather was an American soldier but my Grandmother was German. I find this very interesting because I didn’t think that I could have dual citizen ship. Though, my father had expressed about when he was in school and teased constantly and being called a Nazi. I was born in 90, so is there a way I can claim citizenship even though my grandfather was American?
You didn’t mention your father’s citizenship, but I assume from your story that he was an American citizen like your grandfather.
In this case, you did not become a German citizen by birth (unless your mother was German at the time).
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Hello I so hope you could help me through your knowledge of German citizenship law.
My paternal grandmother was German through ‘ius sanguinis’ via both her mother and father. They immigrated to the USA, but never applied for citizenship, nor were they in the military.
She had my father out of wedlock, and she remanded single until my father was 6-7 years old, when she married my father’s biological father. He was born, and they were married in the state of Pennsylvania, if that matters.
My question is, would my father still be eligible for German citizenship, or would he have lost his “illegitimacy”, thus lost his German citizenship when the marriage took place?
To be certain, I would need to research the law in place at both the year of your father’s birth and the year when his parents got married. For this kind of research I unfortunately need to charge my standard fee of 150 EUR.
The link does not work in the post from hitchhaika in regards to the rule about citizenship only being passed down through the father. I was told that German citizenship is not passed down to me because my father’s father was not German even though my father’s mother was German (they were married at the time of my father’s birth in 1945). Did this rule change?
hitchhaika says:
12 September 2013 at 18:25
This rule has apparently changed … in February 2013 they issued a statement saying that children of a German mother and foreign farther born prior to 1975 also have a right to German naturalization. Check it out the link, in German …
Click to access Ermess_Merkblatt_erl_Einbuergerung.pdf
The application of the rules has changed in a way that descendants of German mothers born before 1975 are now permitted to apply for naturalization. As naturalization does not have any retroactive effects, this would not affect your citizenship.
I apologize for my confusion. Are you saying that If the application of the rules have changed then I would be able to possibly claim German citizenship ? Or are you saying that it does not affect me Thank you!
It does not affect you because you were not born to a German mother before 1975. You were (as far as I understand) to two parents, none of whom had German citizenship at the time of your birth.
I was hoping that through jus sanguinis German citizenship would be passed down to me by my German grandmother if she passed citizenship on to my father and then through him onto me. However, if his father was not German then I do not know if this would be possible or if the application of the rules have changed.
I am not going to answer this for a third time. At least not without getting paid.
I apologize sincerely. I did not mean to repeat my question but instead I was just trying to clarify what my original intent was as I did not state it in my original post. Again, I apologize.
Dear Andreas, I have obtained German citizenship and living in Germany. Can I bring my single parent who is non-german on dependent visa to Germany? Thank you, Sincerely
Because this citizenship thread is already extremely long, I’d like to keep the visa questions separate from it. As soon as someone will send me a book from my wishlist in order to motivate me, I will put up a similar list of FAQ on dependent/family reunion visas.
I am Canadian and received German citizenship from my grandfather (I was born pre-1975).
Abstammung and citizenship took 9 months to verify my paperwork and I became a citizen as well as my older brother over 5 years ago. No naturalization and this was pure by descent.
Question: Under this revised 2013 law, could my sister also who was born pre-1975, take German citizenship like my brother and I did either through my grandfather or grandmother (both my father’s side). Vielen Dank.
Why did your sister not obtain a certificate of German citizenship when you and your brother did? If she has the same parents and grandparents as you, she should of course have been treated equally.
This has nothing to do with the discrimination against descent from the maternal line before 1975 as this was a distinction between descent from mother or father, not whether the child is a girl or a boy.
Thank you for your reply. My father was born in Canada but was considered a German citizen at the time of his birth in 1933 as my grandfather/grandmother came to Canada in 1930 but were never citizens of Canada until 1956. The Botschaft stated that my brother and I qualified as this was a pre-1975 patriarchal law and that my grandmother had no relevance but also that my sister born in 1962 was not allowed as this law stated it was only grandfather (German citizen) to father (born in Canada) to his sons (born in Canada). Did they get this wrong?
Hello Andreas,
My grandmother was born and raised in Germany. She met my American Grandfather in Germany and decided to move to the states and later have my mother. 21 years after my grandmother had my mother, my (grandmother) became a U.S. citizen here in the states. I was wondering if there was anyway I (the granddaughter) could still get a German passport?
Hello! My father was born a German citizen in 1964, but he was naturalized into a US citizen at the age of 18. The rest of his blood relatives still reside in Germany. He doesn’t remember being asked to renounce his German citizen during his naturalization. I was born in the US in 1991. When we took a trip to Germany in 2000, while applying for visas, etc. he was told that he held dual citizenship. How did this happen? Did he not automatically renounce German citizenship? Since he was technically still a German citizen at the time of my birth, does this make me an automatic dual citizen as well? If not, will this make it easier for me to be become a German citizen in the future?
Thank you,
Portia
Guten Tag!
May i ask you….My Fiance is a German and I am an Indonesian. We are planning to marry this April. I was wondering if there would be any problem to obtain a Residence Permit should i go back to Indonesia for half a year after our marriage registration in April?
many thanks in advance and wishing you a great day ahead!
No problem at all if you obtain the residence permit afterwards. Just once you have the residence permit, it would become invalid if you leave Germany for more than 6 months. But of course you can always re-apply.
Thank you so much, Andreas! U have heart of gold, thanks for taking time to answer all of us who r in doubt.
Have a good day ahead!
Hello Andreas,
I have two questions, but will give you my background first.
I was born in Germany in 1964. My parents were German citizens. We moved to the US in 1968. I became a US citizen when I was 19. I currently live in Tokyo and would like to regain my German citizenship without returning to Germany.
I can still speak German but it’s Hessisch not Hoch Deutsch and I never learned to properly write in German. As a former German citizen am I required to take a German language exam?
I recently quit my job and am now looking for work. I work in IT and there are a lot of short term (several months to a year) project type jobs available. In order to regain citizenship is work like that acceptable or do I need somthing more permanent?
Due to my limited writing ability, once the time comes I will contact you to file the papers for me if you still do that.
Thanks in advance,
Tom
I have a whole set of FAQ on applying for naturalization in Germany without living in Germany.
Hello Sir,
As you asked me to contact you in this site, I would like to express my question once again. Since I am a student from Bangladesh applying for Germany for Bachelor course, I asked some experienced people about the availability of getting German citizenship as an international student. They replied that there is no chance. Even, marriage with a German or staying there for 10 to 20 years is not enough. You know, our country is now going through a political crisis, so my parents want me to stay out of the country as long as these problems are going on. That’s why I chose Germany for its less expensive life style and of course for excellent political environment. Sorry, if I make it boring for you, but if you answer me, it will be my great pleasure.
And again, thanks a lot.
These “experienced people” seem to have no experience at all.
As outlined above in the FAQ, if you live in Germany for several years, do not use welfare and speak German well, you will qualify for German citizenship. If you get married to a German citizen, you only need to live in Germany for 3 years.
Thank you so much sir for your information. That really means a lot to me. Do you mind if I ask you about the thing you have mentioned “do not use welfare”? What does this welfare mean actually? Won’t I get any treatment if something happens to me?
Again, sorry to kill your time.
You should not apply for unemployment or housing benefits and you need to have your own health insurance. With the latter, you can of course use doctors and hospitals. Also, if you get a scholarship for your studies, that poses no problem for naturalization.
Hi. You have a very informative & “live” blog. Thank you so much.
I am Indian passport holder and my Fiance is German (living and working in Germany). I speak fluent German and have the relevant language certificates. Is it possible for me to get a resident permit in Germany without being married yet (As in, as his fiance)?
Because this thread is already getting very long, I would really like to keep the questions on residence permits separate from those on citizenship. As soon as somebody will mail me one of the books from my wishlist, I will be happy to post a similar list of FAQ on how to obtain a residence permit for Germany.
Hello ,
I am From Bangladesh and my Boyfriend is from Romania .We met here in Germany . We want to get married . Right now am living in Germany but i can not get a vacation or take a leave from my company , that’s why i can not go to Romania to marry him . So is there any possibility to get married in Germany ?
Of course. As a Romanian, he can come to Germany anytime without any visa.
so where we can get married ? in the court ? or in the embassy ? and if we need to go embassy , then which embassy we shall go ?
Because this thread on citizenship is already extremely long and because your question really has nothing to do with citizenship, I would prefer to write another set of FAQ on getting married in Germany. I will do that as soon as somebody mails me one of the books from my wishlist to do so.
Hello Happy Hermit. My father was born in Germany to a German mother and an American father. He lived there until he was about 7, moved to the states, and gave up his citizenship. I am an American citizen who plans to move to France and live with my long time, long distance Italian boyfriend. We would like to figure out a way for me to be able to stay freely in Europe. Is it possible for me to somehow get German-American dual citizenship? Would my father have to re-claim his german citizenship first? He is on veteran disability and getting social security, has no plans to go to Germany, and not as sharp as he once was. I say this because I want to give a clear picture of his current state. I know I would have to handle most of the paperwork. I just want to know if this is possible. Thank you.
I am afraid that the only realistic way for you to stay in Europe easily is to get married to your boyfriend. You will fall under EC regulation 38/2004 which guarantees free movement in the EU to EU citizens who live in another than their home country and which extends that right to their partners.
I have a separate set of FAQ on freedom of movement in the EU.
Hello Andreas,
In number 5 of the FAQ, you state that Germany discourages dual citizenship, but cant prevent it
totally. Because I have family and economic rights back in Australia, I would wish to keep my citizenship, reasons being economic rights. Given your experience and knowledge what would be the possibilities of this? Is the Government very hardline about this when it comes to Australians? I currently live in Germany, and study German, and plan on starting University next Winter.
Regards,
Eddie
It’s possible, but we would need to show that in your case there are concrete and specific disadvantages that you would suffer if you were no longer an Australian citizen. Hypothetical disadvantages do not count.
I have three month visa of german , I got it after marriage by my husband ,
Can I stay in German for 1 year wihtout permission of my husband ???? I want live separate from my husband .or divorce
Because this question is not related to citizenship law and because this thread already has more than 500 comments, I’d like to keep things a bit organized.
Maybe it’s better to post it on my FAQ on divorce in Germany.
Hi
My grandma om my mothers side was born in Germany and came to South Africa after WW2. My mother was born in South Africa and only have SA citizenship. Will I be able to apply for German citizenship?
Only through naturalization.
Hi Laywer,
I did a PhD in Germany with DFG fellowship and lived my entire 4.3 year of stay in Germany through student visa. I was not deducted any taxes from my fellowship. Right now I am in India, Will I eligible to file citizenship or long term residence permit.
Thanks
ram
It would help if you were to find a job in Germany.
cool thanks
I was born in Germany, but we came to Ghana when i was four (4) years old.. I do have my German birth certificate.. Now i want to obtain the German passport how do i go about it please help me.
Was one of your parents a German citizen at the time of your birth? When were you born?
No They are all Ghanaian. But my Dad was a Sea Man were he had a transit and went there, they decided to stay… but when he came to pick my mum from Ghana that was when they gave birth to me there.
Then no. 4 of the above FAQ answers your question.
Hmm so what do u suggest i do now. cos am 33yrs now.. are there some forms i need to fill to apply or any other way.
No. 6 and 7 of the above FAQ outline your options for naturalization.
And all those requirements dont have any apart from my german birth certificate, have no one there to invite me as well what do i do..
If you don’t fulfil any of the requirements, then you can either create the requirements (for example by learning German) or you can decide not to apply.
By the way, because you keep mentioning the German birth certificate, that’s actually not a requirement at all.
So does it mean i need to then learn the language before before i can come to Germany for my German passport.
Sorry, but you have exhausted the number of questions I answer for free.
I am not asking a question but telling my story. Two years ago I got my German citizenship, and my German passport. I now have dual American/German citizenship. I was not born in Germany nor was my father, but my grandfather was, and I proved my lineage ( it took me two years of research ) after obtaining all the necessary documents. So it is possible!
Thanks a lot for sharing that, and congratulations!
Ken, I am also going through a similar process. I am an Australian citizen, but my grandfather was a German jewish citizen who left Germany in mid-1933, finally settling in Australia in 1936, but he did not become an Australian citizen till sometime in 1974. Any tips?
I have now received my German citizenship. Other than the documents from Australia proving he was Jewish (weddding certificate), arrived in 1936 and became an Australian citizen in 1974 all they asked for was his birth certificate from Germany which was in the Berlin reocrds still following a search. Just letting people know.
Excellent, congratulations! And thanks for letting us know.
you are the best in the all world
Hello Andreas, you told me before i must have an excellent result on my german exam, but which exam the B1?
for getting German citizenship in 3 years…
Hi Andreas,
I am posting this in Englisch, although I speak Deutsch.
I was born in Argentina, although consider myself German as my father and my Grandfathers where born in Deutschland. Although as a result of there service in the Schutzstaffel made a speedy exit at the end of the War.
Can I return to the beloved Fatherland as a German?
If your father still had German citizenship at the time of your birth, then you automatically obtained German citizenship at that time.
Hello Andreas,
Let me start by thanking you for all the help you provide to people, I can see many people have a better idea about their statuses after you have adviced them.
Now, regarding my situation:
I am a Salvadoran citizen living in Germany, my wife is German. I have almost two years of living in Germany with Aufenthalstitel. Things are not going well in our marriage and it might end soon. How long can I stay in Germany after we decide to separate? I have read we have to wait a year after separating until we can file, which will give me time to prepare and figure out where I’ll go. My wife says I have to leave immediately, which I think is BS. Please advise.
Vielen Dank!
Because this thread is already very long and because your question is not really related to citizenship law, could I ask you to post it on my FAQ on divorce in Germany?
No problem
Hi Andreas,
I was born in USA and a citizen of this country but my ancestors have emigrated to USA from Germany in 1800’s. Would it still be possible for me to apply for a dual citizenship, if yes, how?
My great great grandfather was German. Is it possible for me to get a German passport? My family has always been treated like foreigners, although we all have been born in this country and we have this country’ s passport. We are persecuted because of our German ancestry and now they are threatening to take our passport from us. We are decent people.
What country do you live in and what citizenship do you have?
Please is there anyway you can help me to get my german birth certificate.
Sure. Just send me an e-mail: moser@moser-law.com
Please have just sent you an email.
Than you.
Fantastic blog. My mother was German (became naturalized US citizen) nad married an American and I am interested in becoming a German citizen (now US). My German is very good (not sure the level) and I have property and bank account in Germany. Spent much time there in my lifetime and have some family and several family friends. I also have several details that I am not sure i want to put on a public blog. I was told by the consulate in US that this is not enough to get citizenship but according to your information and another German friend I think I could. Where do I start? Thanks so much. Ich kann auch weiter in Deutsch schreiben :)
If your mother was still German at the time you were born, your chances are very good (see no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad).
Otherwise, you would need to present a compelling case and be willing to give up your US citizenship.
Please feel free to contact me directly if there are details which you don’t want to be discussed in public.
Hey, amazing blog, kudos to that!
I wanted to ask whether it is possible to get married in a foreign mission (Embassy of Germany in Argentina) if my fiancee is in Germany at the moment but I am here in Argentina? (marrying on distance)
We have been living together here in Argentina for more than 8 years but she’s in Germany at the moment for work and I want to go to Germany soon.
Also, my great-grandmother was half German-Belgian, but my mother was married twice. I adopted my mother’s second husband family name (it was a full adoption) and I am afraid I lost any ties to my previous ancestors, except for DNA ties of course. Can it still be possible to acquire the German citizenship? or since it was a full adoption and all old birth certificates and ties are deleted, it cannot be done anymore?
And also, after being married for 3 years or more, if we were to reside in Argentina and not Germany, is it still possible for me to acquire the German citizenship since we are married? Or it does not apply?
Thank you and you have a fantastic blog :)
Andres
No, you cannot get married at the German Embassy. Either you have to fly to Germany, or your fiancée comes to Argentina, or you meet in a third country to get married.
The question on acquiring German citizenship from abroad is answered in a special set of FAQ on that subject.
Hallo Andreas,
I was born in Germany, of German parents in 1954.They moved to the US in 1959 and eventually became naturalized US citizens. I have never been naturalized and gained US citizenship by “derivation” because of my naturalized parents. Can I reinstate my German citizenship?
Thanks…Peter-Reinhard
If neither you nor your parents ever applied for you to become a US citizen, then you did not lose your German citizenship.
If your parents included you in their application for naturalization, you lost your German citizenship (§ 25 I 1 StAG). You can of course re-apply, but you would need to provide very good reasons for being allowed to keep the US citizenship.
Hello Andreas
My father was German of Jewish extraction, and left Germany in 1932 after his father died in unfortunate anti-Semitic circumstances. He came to South Africa and acquired British citizenship, and then South African citizenship in 1961. I was born in 1958, my mother was South African. What are my chances of acquiring German nationality? Thank you, and regards Jennifer
PS. Some time in the 1970s or maybe 1980s (I can’t remember exactly when) my father was approached by the German government and given back his German nationality, but it was not extended to his children. My parents were married. Jennifer
Oops. I have just read your infographic. It looks from that like I can get German citizenship – this is good news as, in the past, i have been told that is not the case because my father willingly gave up his citizenship. It seems that has changed now. I hope I have understood your infographic correctly. If so, can I just go to the German consulate and proceed?
Do you still have (or could you get) the paperwork from when your father’s German citizenship was reinstated? That would help a lot.
Hi Andreas. I hope you had a good time in Sicily. I did have them once, and I think they are in a box in storage, but I have just chatted to my brother who may have a copy. Is it a big problem if we can’t find them? How hard (or expensive) would it be to access the records, which must surely exist. If I have them, should I just approach the embassy? And if not, what should I do? Thanks, Jen
I would just like to look at the documents before I give advice on a whole range of possible scenarios. Knowing what really happened will put us on the right path much more quickly.
Hi Andreas. I have a scans of some other documents but not this one. I know I have it, but it is in a box in storage – and I am not sure which box. I chatted to my brother, who may have a copy, and am waiting for him to get back to me. I’ll contact you when he does. Thanks, Jen
PS I don’t speak German. Is that a problem?
Hi Andreas
I have found my father’s German nationalisation papers. What is the best way for me to go forward? Should I contact the embassy, or would it be easier to engage you to deal with this matter? What would that cost?
thanks, jen
It’s easiest to contact the consulate directly. There is no need to use a lawyer, it would just take longer because we are always busy and it would cost you money which you could spend better.
I was born in a US military hospital in Frankfurt, Germany. My dad is a US citizen and my mom was and is still a German citizen. Now I am 31years old. I was given US citizen automatically because I was born in a US hospital. I have never had nor applied for aGerman passport. Since I was just given US citizenship at birth, does this mean I automatically lost my German citizenship, or do I have dual citizenship?
You have automatic dual citizenship because you have two parents with two different citizenships and were born after 1975. You can apply for a German passport anytime. You would need to present your birth certificate and some proof that your mother is a German citizen.
I was told by a German attorney that I have to get my citizenship with Germany documented before I can get a passport. Is this true? Also I do not speak German so I can not fill out the paperwork by myself, this is something I need help with. Do you know of someone or some company thst can properly complete my paperwork. I want to move there for my daughter to grow up there. If I fo have dual citizenship does my daughter automatically have dual citizenship too? Thank you in advance for your reply.
You can apply for a certificate of citizenship first, but if you have all your mother’s documents, that is an easy thing.
Yes, the dual citizenship also extends to your daughter.
I’ll be happy to help with any paperwork, but I charge 150 EUR for such a consultation. As it is a relatively simple process, I am not sure that’s worth it.
For me I would like your help can you give me the cost in US dollars? Please email me privately so we can discuss this further. Thank you in advance for your help.
Just send me an e-mail at moser@moser-law.com.
Hi Andreas
I dug up the document (and a whole lot more) and have sent you my father’s citizenship reinstatement.
Thanks
Jen
Hi Andreas. Did you get the document, or should I resend it? Jen
Got them! Just haven’t had time to reply yet. I am getting ready for moving to Bari in a few days. It might be that I will only be able to reply next week.
Great. Thanks. Moving is never fun, but it should be worth it once you are there.
Hi Andreas,
I am an Australian expat living and working in Indonesia married to a German citizen for the past 5 years. We are considering getting German naturalization for me and citizenship for our son. Do we have to permanently reside in Germany for 3 years or can we maintain a residence and visit (how regularly)?
Thanks,
Erin
The German citizenship for your son is now problem at all. He received it automatically at the time of his birth if one of his parents was a German citizen at the time.
For you, it’s harder. You either need to reside in Germany with your spouse for at least 3 years, as outlined above, or you need to fulfil the extra requirements for naturalization from abroad. In either case you will have to speak German and be willing to give up your Australian citizenship.
Hello Andreas
My husband was born in Germany to British parents and spent his first year in Germany before his parents returned to the UK. Our daughter, an Irish citizen and an elite athlete is considering relocating to Germany with a view to applying for German citizenship. Could she make an application for German citizenship on the basis of her father’s birth in Germany?
No.
But as an Irish citizen, she does of course enjoy the full EU freedom of movement rights and can therefore live in Germany without any restrictions. Once she will speak German, she can apply for German citizenship and would not be required to give up her Irish citizenship.
Hi! I’m Australian. If I marry my boyfriend who has a German passport (born in Australia and Australian citizen but his mother was a German citizen and parents were married at the time of his birth)..can I apply for a German passport?
No. You would usually need to live in Germany for at least 3 years and pass the language test. Also, you would be asked to give up your Australian citizenship.
Hi, Sir how are u? I am actually Chemical Engineer. and i want to do masters from Germany and afterwards i want to do job there and want to settle there permanently………now kindly tell me in how much time can i easily get German citizenship after my studies and also i am a bachelor.
Hi,
I was born May 7,1991 here in the Philippines but may parents (Filipino Mother/German Father) got married October the same year, i was legitimated thru consequence marriage.i have my affidavit of admission of paternity, is it possible for me get German Passport or should i say dual citizenship rather? Thank you.
Yes. You can apply for a certificate of citizenship at the German Consulate.
Hi Andreas,
This is such a helpful post. However, my mind is going in all directions. I just wanted to confirm something with you.
My great-great grandfather was born in Germany. He moved to America and had a son. 10 years later, he acquired US citizenship, but only after my great grandfather was born. My great grandfather would have not voluntarily renounced german citizenship and he had my grandfather who also didn’t. My grandpa then had my mom who had me in 1985. Am I right to think we have all been German citizens by birth?
Thanks for your help!!!
Yes, that could work. There are two things which you would still need to check for:
(1) Your said your great grandfather would not have renounced his citizenship voluntarily. However, if he was naturalized, he would have lost it automatically. So you would need to find out if he became an American automatically by birth (then he didn’t lose his German citizenship in the process) or if he was included in his father’s petition for naturalization (then he might have lost it).
(2) Between 1871 and 1913 Germans living abroad lost their citizenship if they failed to register with the German Consulate at least once every 10 years. That one usually requires a lot of research and is often the problematic point with these family histories dating back a long time.
Thanks for that Andreas!
I found records that indicated that since my great grandfather was born on American soil, he was automatically an American citizen. Regarding the other point, my great grandfather was born in 1886 in Texas to his German father, who was my great great grandfather. Records indicate that he acquired US citizenship in 1911. So I assume that would work?
Sorry, I just realised my mistake. Since he was born after 1871, he would have to prove that his father had continued to update the consulate. Sorry for that. I will need to look further into this!!
Hi Andreas. Ok, so I found that my great great grandfather arrived in the US in 1884 and had my great grandfather in 1886. He didn’t acquire US citizenship until 1911 but as he hadn’t been in the country but two years until he had my great grandfather, he would have passed his citizenship down?
Also, I found that my great grandfather was born a US citizen as per the 14th amendment? At least that is what I have found on record. All of this seems to get more and more confusing, so sorry if I sound totally lost.
If that was the case…does this work? If so, how would I go about proving that my great great grandfather held German citizenship? I have records of him entering the country and those stating that his place of birth and port of last departure was Germany.
Thanks for all of your help and patience!!
Now you only need to find out if your great grandfather had been registered with the German Consulate between 1871 and 1913. You can contact the German Consulate of the area where he used to live in the US at that time.
So if I can’t find whether or not my great grandfather ever registered, does that automatically mean there is no chance of claiming citizenship? Or are there ever exceptions to this?
i am from Bangladesh. i am living in Germany from last 4 months with my waif, we both are Bangladeshi. also we are student at this moment. can we have a baby ? What are facilities we get from German government ?
I want to know about long time permit.
Nobody can stop you from having a baby, of course.
Because this is not a question on citizenship, the topic of this thread, I would recommend that you contact me directly with your question. I’ll be happy to answer it in exchange for one of the books from my wishlist.
hi..i am Bangladeshi…i am studying and now working in Germany…..i have a PR..i wants to bring my parents to Germany for there take care….which process i need to apply…and have there any opportunity to get there PR.please let me know ….thanks…
That’s not a question about citizenship law, so I’d like to keep it separate from this thread which is already very lengthy. Please see these FAQ on how I can help you.
Dear Andreas Moser im melos and in a few days i will get the Aufenthaltstitel because my mother is married with a German police officer and im 17 yeras old i lived in germany for 9 months at this period i play football for a local team and got the football license i went to school for 2 motnhs berufschule i also did c1 and B2 german levels and know im going from kosovo to germany because they approved to give me the aufenthaltstitel my question is can i apply for the german Army Bundeswehr even if i dont have german passport but can i apply with a german citizenship to the army this is my question Thank you :D
Unfortunately, the Bundeswehr does not accept non-Germans. There has been a debate about it (and I hope they will allow it), but at the moment the German citizenship is required to serve in the Bundeswehr.
well i hope they will approve the non germans to apply in bundeswehr anyway i have another question if u dont mind answering it ,,now that i will have Aufenthaltstitel and my mother has unbefristet residence permit but in 2 months they will give her the german passport because she lived there for 6 years and made the test for the german passport how about me as being a minor under 18 do you think i have a chance getting unbefristet aufenthaltstitel in one year or no and how long do i have to wait to get German passport thank you
Hi Andreas,
here is my case. I’m from Czech Republic (my country just allowed to have dual citizenship) my great grand father was a German citizen, soldier by the time of WW II, he dated my great grand mother and they had a kid, my grand father. They never got maried, because my great grand mother was alredy maried for another Czech man. The german guy parentship was proved just few years ago, while searching for some gene defects in family history. Does this situation qualifies me to apply for german citizenship by jus sanguinis and what would be the documents to provide for application? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Did you establish legal paternity beyond the biological paternity? Because for citizenship law, the legal paternity is the only one that counts.
5 years ago I got German citizenship through my grandfather. My father was born outside of Germany but since he was born while my grandfather was considered a German citizen, this was passed on through blood and I took my citizenship. My sister applied the other day and the Consul asked for “our father’s German citizenship certificate”. My father has passed on and he never had one. Where can I get a copy? Vielen dank.
Did you father have German passports? If so, there should be a record with the German Consulate where he got them.
Also, if you provide the same documents as in your naturalization process, that should convince the Consul that they can hardly treat your father as a German in your case and the other way in your sister’s case (unless there was something between your two birth dates that made your father lose German citizenship).
My father never had German passports. My sister, brother and I received German citizenship through our grandfather. My father passed and I was granted German citizenship as my father was born outside of Germany while my grandfather was still a German citizen. This ran down the line and no naturalization process took place for my siblings or myself as this was citizenship through descent. My father has never had a German passport or German citizenship certificate. Herein lies the problem.
Hi
you say if I live in Germany and you are not spouse of german, it is between 3 and 8 years to get german citizenship. Do you know any case who got this in 3 years? also, I heard it is really different from one state to another, so where do you think is the easiest place in Germany to get the citizenship in the shortest time (hopefully 3 years)?
Yes, I know some cases. But they were either really good athletes and the German national team wanted them, or they had vital intelligence information to offer.
Then I should be start working on my football skills :)
I thought with the new law when you get umbefristet aufenthalts after 21 months if you are working and paying taxes and you prove good skills of german language, I thought that the duration would be shorter to get the citizenship as this 21 months used to be 5 years. what do you think ?
Hello My name is Mithu and i am from Pakistan. Back in 2013 I was married to a Pakistani girl who is living in germany with her family for the last 20 years. In Jan 2014 I moved to Germany to be with her but after living with her and my in-laws, I realized I have made a wrong decision. Now the problem is im new to the country and also do not know much about the rules. I want to divorce her and also want to know if i could still live in germany.
You will find the answer to your question in the comments below my FAQ on divorce in Germany.
Hi
My two daughters were born in Germany in 1995 and 1996. My husband received his German passport in 1996 after my second daughter was born. A few months after my daughters were born we moved out of Germany. Neither my daughters or I received Germany citizenship or passports. We are planning to move back soon. How likely will it be for my daughters to receive German citizenship/passport. And do you also know how long it could take?
Thanks.
Hello, can you please help me with this?
Thanks.
I was born in Werdohl – Germany at July 1982 . Both my parents were Indonesian but already stay at Germany for 10 years when I was born . My father get a Medical Degree and working as a doctor in Germany . Now we all live in Indonesia since 1983 . At Germany , my father was legally adopted by a German citizen . I already married and have two sons . My wife is Indonesian . My sons were born in Indonesia . We all have Indonesian passport . Can we get German citizenship ?
In 1982, German citizenship law was strictly ius sanguinis, meaning that you could only get German citizenship if one of your parents was German at the time. If your father was adopted while he was a minor, he would have gotten German citizenship in that process (§ 6 StAG).
My father was legally adopted when he was adult . Is there a chance to apply for citizenship ? if my father get citizenship then me and my sons also can get ? Can I try applying through The German embassy in Indonesia ? What step must I take ? Thanks
My mother and father are both German, came to the USA in 1968, had my brother in 1969 and me in 1970 in NYC, they were not married until 1971, they both became US citizens in the 1980’s. Can i become a German citizen.. More importantly can my 10 yr old son become a German citizen..????
My father was borm in 1918 fought in WWII and my mother born in 1941… My father is still living today…
If you were never naturalized in the USA, yes.
What does naturalized mean?
Can my son become one too?
Should I go to the German Embassey in Miami?
How long would this process take?
If neither you nor your parents ever applied for you to receive US citizenship, then you kept the German citizenship with which you were born.
For your son, it depends on what citizenship you had at that time (see above) and the year he was born (mothers could only pass on German citizenship from 1975 onward).
The German Consulate (not embassy!) in Miami could indeed process your application.
It will usually take at least several months, more if there are complications.
I was born in Ny and i am only a us citizen
If you know that you are only a US citizen, then you don’t have German citizenship of course. You answer your own question then, in a way.
What paperwork will i need… Is my new york birth certificate enough in order to apply for german citizenship…
Hello
I have been reading here but none of the posts relate to my situation .. perhaps you can help?
My father is German and still resides in Germany. My Australian mother married my German father but the marriage didnt work out. I was brought to Australia by my mother when I was a toddler. My mother gained Australian citizenship for me when I was say 9 years of age. I have been told that I am not able to receive a German passport, even though my father still resides there, as I have renounced citizenship (which my mother did, when I was a child). I find it hard to believe this – is there any way around this. I was born in the 1960’s in Germany and have a birth certificate to say as such.
I would appreciate your reply.
Generally that is true. If your mother forgot to apply for permission for dual citizenship with Germany (which she could have done), then you automatically lost your German citizenship when you were naturalized in Australia.
However, if your mother did not have sole custody at the time, we might have some arguments, depending on the Australian naturalization paperwork. This is something that we would need to look into in detail.
Your other option is of course to apply for naturalization in Germany, but then Germany would now require you to give up your Australian citizenship.
I am an Argentine citizen by jus solis and a German citizen by jus sanguinis (My parents applied for my German passport when I was 12). For the past 20 years I have been living in the US and would like to apply for US citizenship. I am married to an American and have 3 children, all born in the US. Question #1: Can I become an American citizen and still keep the German citizenship? Question#2 Could I apply for German citizenship for my children, even if I don’t have a permanent residence in Germany?
(1) You can retain your German citizenship despite your naturalization in the US if you receive permission from Germany to do so. You need to apply for this “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” before you apply for US citizenship and you need to provide good reasons why you need both citizenships. I regularly help clients write these applications, but as it sounds that your ties to Germany are not that strong, that will be a tough thing to do.
(2) If your children were born after 1975, they automatically derived German citizenship from you at the time of their birth.
Thank you Andreas for your guidance. Are these “genehmigunen” very subjective – what qualifies as “close ties to Germany”? Would two years of residence in Muenchen, frequent travel and close bonds with relatives (siblings, first cousins and others) qualify as close ties to Germany? I have no real estate or other assets in Germany. Just wondering if I have a chance. Thanks again. B
We would need to show why you “need” German citizenship. A mere “wish” or “want” is not enough. So we would need to come up with a really good explanation.
I have long wanted to set up a separate list of FAQ on that subject, I am just waiting for somebody to mail me one of the books from my wishlist in order to push it up a few notches on my to-do list.
Hallo Andreas,
Firstly thanks for such a informative blog. I am in Germany since last 3 years ( April 2011 till date) and currently hold a permanent residence permit.( I was in Germany for earlier from September 2003 to February 2006). I am an Indian and having Indian passport and working as manger in an IT company in hessen. My wife is also in Germany since last 1.5 years and working as S.consultant in business consulting. We were thinking to apply for German passport, but read that it requires 8 years… can you advise me on this ?
Thanks,
Hello Andreas,
As so many have said before me….Great blog!!
I am getting out of the US Army in about a month and I have an 18 month old daughter who lives here in Regensburg, DE. Is it possible for me to get a visa based on the fact that I want to be here to see her grow up?
Thanks,
Sean
If your daughter has German citizenship and you have at least shared custody, yes (§ 28 I AufenthG).
Because it’s not a question on citizenship law really and because this thread is already too long, I’d be happy to put up a separate set of FAQ on residence permits in Germany in exchange for just one of the books from my wishlist.
Regarding the question of whether you have (shared) custody, I can point you to my FAQ on child custody in Germany.
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for your wonderful work. Please i will like to know if a perdon who has been leaving in Germany for more than eight years as a Student and has completed a PhD here has any chances of getting a perminent recidence in Germany.
Thanks.
Because this page on citizenship has already more than 600 comments, I would like to keep the issue of residence separate. I will set up another set of FAQ on that subject as soon as someone mails me one of the books from my wishlist in order to do so.
hello , my father is a German citizen and he married my mother in 1986 , but my mother was the second wife to him ( i live in Egypt since i was born ) . paternity has been recognized in German embassy in Cairo before my 23rd birthday ( i was born in 1990 ) but i did not take the citizenship because i did not live in Germany three years >>> now my father is 74 years old and i want to live with him because he is very old man >>> can i make any appeal in this decision in any court in Germany ?
You are unlucky in a way because the Citizenship Act changed on 1 July 1993. For children born since then, no residence in Germany was required.
In your case, you only have two options: (1) apply for naturalization in Germany or (2) apply for a residence permit in Germany to be with your father. The chances for both depend on a lot of your personal factors, like your knowledge of Germany, your job, your qualifications, your financial situation and so on.
If you want to go through all the options and requirements in detail, we can set up a consultation over the phone. I do however charge 150 EUR for that.
i am sorry ,but in the German embassy in Cairo they told me that i can Appeal this law because i do not have the same rights which my brothers have in germany ( brothers from another wife ) >>> in the basic law of Germany article 6 (Children born outside of marriage shall be provided by
legislation with the same opportunities for physical and
mental development and for their position in society as
are enjoyed by those born within marriage. ) , how can i get the same rights and i can not come to Germany without visa ( about three months ) ? . is there any court that can i appeal this decision and they can look in my statue ?
and if i get residence permit ( how long is it ) ?
You are pointing to Art. 6 V GG which is the relevant clause in the Constitution. However, German courts have so far ruled that this does not force Germany to award German citizenship in cases such as yours under the same conditions as it would have been awarded to children of married parents (BVerwGE 68, 220 [235]).
I don’t know if anyone has ever tried to challenge this before the Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights, but I would be surprised if not. I can perform such a research and an analysis of your case, but again this is something that would go beyond what I can deliver for free.
Also, because you said that time is of the issue: these cases usually drag on for years, so that it would be easier to apply for permanent residence or citizenship.
thanks Andreas
what are the permanent residence requirements ? and according to my statue what is my chance to get it ( i am a mechanical engineer) and if i get it can i get the citizenship after some years?
The question on citizenship is answered in the FAQ above.
Because this thread already has more than 600 comments, I would like to keep the questions on permanent residence separate. I will put up a separate set of FAQ as soon as somebody will mail me a book from my wishlist to do so.
My mom is german, I was born in usa. Unfortunately I lost my german citizenship when I served in U.S. Army. My mom is still german and I asume my two brothers are dual. I would like to apply for german citizenship through Naturalisation by discretion. My ties to Germany include speaking german, get a minor in german in college, study abroad in Germany, living in Germany, frequent travel and german family. If I did get german citizenship through my ties I don’t want to renounce US citzenship. I am a federal worker and would lose my job. Federal workers must be us citizens. Would this count as “economic lost”. Overall what do my chances look like?
When were you born and when did you serve in the US Army?
Since July 2011, a general permission was granted to all German citizens to serve in the armed forces of other EU, NATO, EFTA and other states: http://www.bogota.diplo.de/contentblob/3242926/Daten/1497698/DStAGBAnzeiger.pdf Before that you would have needed to obtain permission from the German Department of Defense (which was usually granted).
Thanks for your reply! I was born 1980 to german mother and U.S. father. I served 1999-2003. I did not request permission before I served so based on this blog and other research I assume I lost German citizenship. However I still want to try to restore dual citizenship. I can’t renounce US citizenship because I will lose my federal job. Could that be considered “economic loss” exception? Do you think it is worth trying to restore or will I likely lose anyways?
Your blog is extremely informative and helpful!
I think you have a good case for keeping US citizenship if renouncing it would result in losing your job.
But I am not sure the case for German naturalization is compelling enough. If you apply for naturalization without living in Germany (and without intending to live in Germany, for otherwise you would need to give up your job in the US anyway), you would have to have very good reasons showing why it would also be in Germany’s interest if you had German citizenship restored. The requirements for naturalization from abroad are quite high (e.g. ongoing academic, business or cultural ties to Germany).
The link that Andreas posted below is dead, but the magic of the Internet Archive can bring it back to life.
Here’s a working link: https://web.archive.org/web/20180228162301/http://www.bogota.diplo.de/contentblob/3242926/Daten/1497698/DStAGBAnzeiger.pdf
Thanks
Thnks for your recomondition really I am from somalia I woud loke to live in germany may be possible to get a vissa so as to travel
Thnks mr anderson for your re comondation me I am from somalia I woud like to be a citizen germany now I live in sudan and iam student who read the fucult of medicine secend year so i need to travel germNy and live so iwent you easiest way that I can get the visa of germany and thnks for your time
Hallo Andreas,
erstmal vielen dank dass du dir die zeit nimmst auf so viele Kommentare zu antworten. Mein Name ist Jovan und ich bin gerade als Auslands Student nach Deutschland gekommen um Nautik in Elsfleth/Niedersachsen zu studieren. Ich bin in Deutschland geboren und habe in der nähe von Stuttgart bis zu meinem 13. Lebensjahr gelebt und danach mit meiner ganzen Familie nach Serbien gezogen. Meine Eltern sind keine Deutschen, haben aber beide lebenslange Arbeitserlaubnisse und Aufenthalts Genehmigungen. Mittlerweile bin ich 26 Jahre alt und würde gerne Deutscher Staatsbürger werden da ich Serbien nie als meine Heimat akzeptieren konnte.
Hast du fileicht einen Rat für mich?
Im Voraus Danke
Gruß
Jovan
PS: Ich habe einen Serbischen Pass.
Hallo Jovan,
willkommen zurück in Deutschland!
Nach § 12b II StAG können bis zu 5 Jahre Deines früheren Aufenthalts in Deutschland auf die geforderte Aufenthaltsdauer (bis zu 8 Jahren) für die Einbürgerung angerechnet werden. Da Du die 8 Jahre durch gute Sprachkenntnisse und einen erfolgreichen Einbürgerungstest auf 6 Jahre reduzieren kannst, kannst Du insgesamt nach einem Jahr die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft beantragen,
Die Details hängen davon ab, wie lange Du jetzt noch studieren mußt, denn grundsätzlich ist es einfacher, die Staatsbürgerschaft nach dem abgeschlossenen Studium zu erhalten, insbesondere wenn Du dann ausreichend verdienst.
Wie sieht denn Dein weiterer Studienplan aus? Machst Du den Abschluß in Elsfleth oder bist Du nur für ein paar Semester hier?
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for your super informative blog it really helped me! The online information on Wikipedia and even government sites are sometimes so contradicting.
I am in a civil union with my partner and have lived here with him in Germany almost 3 years now.
I am 27, South African citizen married to a German. At my local Auslander office they told me that dual citizenship with South Africa is allowed and I may apply after 3.5 years here in German if I have a B1 German certificate and passed the Einburegertest. I have already passed B1 and have my Einburgertest tomorrow.
My questions are: Is dual citizenship allowed for me, and how if so? and may I apply for citizenship after 3.5 years, because online I see many time written 8 year. Maybe I misunderstood them?
I would love to get a German passport and keep my South African one too.
Many Thanks,
John
p.s Cool pic from Stromboli, I just came back from Sicily!
I am glad you enjoyed Sicily!
The 8-year residence requirement is the maximum requirement. After 8 years, anyone fulfilling the criteria (especially the language level) is entitled to German citizenship,
However, German citizenship can be granted sooner by discretion. If you are married/partnered with a German citizen, you will usually be granted German citizenship after 3 years (again, if you fulfill all the requirements).
So, yes, you can apply very soon.
Regarding dual citizenship with South Africa, I would be curious to know what your local immigration office’s assessment is based on.
You also have to be careful about not losing your South African citizenship involuntarily by failing to request permission from South Africa to receive another citizenship. Remember that whatever Germany says about dual citizenship won’t be binding for South Africa and vice versa.
Great website!
I have a question maybe you can help me with.
My wife is German, we live in The Netherlands.
We had a baby a few weeks ago and we want to give him the German nationality.
I called the German consulate and got an appointment to do this, they asked me a few questions like the baby’s name and last name and my wife’s last name.
Because the baby has my last name and my wife’s last name is different they told me we would have to “sign a paper”.
I was just wondering what this is, and possible implications if any.
I will find out soon enough I guess bit just wanted to ask in case you knew what this is about.
Thanks!
I really have no idea. Because you are married, paternity or custody should not be an issue, and in any case the German citizenship will be derived from the mother.
But I can’t imagine that you will encounter any problems because yours is the straightforward case where German citizenship is derived from one parent.
Hi Andreas,
Congratulations for this informative work you are doing. I have been reading through but my ambiguous situation confuses me.
I was born in Germany in 1978 to both Turkish citizens residing there since the beginning of 1960s. They both had permanent residence permits. My father passed away in Germany 9 years ago and mom still living in Germany. None of them applied for German citizenship. I stayed with them until I was 7 and then I was sent to Turkey to my grandparents (I was a minor then and had to obey parental decisions). I lived and studied in Turkey until 2012. I only visited my parents with tourist visas in summer holidays. But later I came back to Germany for my master degree in 2012 and resided 1 year in Germany. I changed my German address to Italian one since I am working here now.
Can I apply for German citizenship? Do my place of birth (jus soli), duration of past residence time in Germany and my both parents living there with permanent residence permits give me the right? Do I have to be residing in Germany currently to apply or can it be done from Italy as well?
Thank you very much and regards.
Cem
There is a possibility to apply for German citizenship without residing in Germany, but there is no right or entitlement to it. It’s up to discretion and it requires very strong ties to Germany, usually even stronger ones than you have. (See my separate FAQ on naturalization from abroad.)
However, if you move back to Germany, you could get German citizenship after one year because up to 5 years of your previous stays can be counted towards the residency requirement (§ 12b II StAG).
The second option is consierably easier.
Hello and thank you very much Andreas,
The second option makes much more sense as you say. But does it have to be a certain type of residence permit (due to work, study etc.) which I should have when I go back to Germany again; or does any residence permit I’d get with a good reason having a limited duration also work for that? (I’m asking this because I know how strict German authorities are with the duraton of the residence permits and it’s not easy to get a permanent one).
Besides, do I still have to take the Staatsbürgerschaftstest after this process and does my place of birth (I was born in Germany) give me the right to keep my Turkish citizenship afterwards, or do I have to drop it when I get the German one? (just confused with the changes promised to Turkish people living in Germany about keeping their dual-citizenships nowadays).
Thank you again and best regards,
Cem
There are some residence permits that will work and some that don’t. The list is so long and so full with exceptions and counter exceptions, that I can’t really post it here. I would need to assess each individual case.
You will need to take the Staatsbürgerschaftstest, but you don’t need to worry about it. It’s a really easy multiple choice test.
Germany would still require you to give up your Turkish citizenship, unless you can show a special reason why you should be permitted to retain it. The proposed changes in the German law on dual citizenship pertain only to people who are born with dual citizenship, not those seeking naturalization.
Hello sir
I am from Ghana .. Married with German woman since 2011 in Denmark … After our marriage I make asylum cause I was told to go out of the country to make a visa and come back …but since 2013 I have my first German resident stay and I a make my B1 and einburger text … How long do I have to wait to apply for passport now ….. My first address to have in Germany is in 2011 but with azylum resident does all count or it will start with the day I have my resident …..
Larry
Hello Andreas,
Congrats on the great site, very helpful and informative.
Between 2007 and 2008 I had 2 separate stays in Germany each for six months with an interruption of six months in between. For both stays I was under a company (Siemens) 6 months visa. Can I get this time to be considered towards obtaining citizenship?
I’m now living in Germany since end of 2011 and have recently obtained permanent residency.
Thanks in advance,
Marco
Yes, according to § 12b II StAG you can have up to 5 years of your previous stay counted towards the residency requirement. You will need to show that these stays were conducive to your integration in Germany. As you were working, that is highly likely, and if you can argue that this time helped you to learn or improve your German, your chances are even better.
I was born in Ghana to a German father and a Ghanaian mother in 1992. My father married my mother but it appears my father was married also then in germany to a german woman. I have my birth certificate with my fathers name on it and i have their marriage certificate(my mom and dad). They got married in Ghana though.I dont want to cause any trouble for my father because i just need my german citizenship and he is quiet old now. Do i qualify for germany citizenship?
Hi,
Thanks so much for taking the time to provide all this information, and answer questions!
My question is the following:
I have a dual German/Israeli citizenship. The German citizenship acquired through Article 116 par. 2, which also means I did not have to be able to speak German (which I don’t beyond the very basic). I now reside in the U.S. and would like to apply for US citizenship. I was given contradictory information about whether I need to speak German to get the BBG, some sources say it is a basic requirement, while others are saying that the requirements are vague (on purpose) and that the authorities have a lot of discretion on the matter. I realize that I need to show ties to Germany and have good reasons for getting the US citizenship, which I think I have, but the language issue is the main question.
Do you have any knowledge of that?
Thanks,
Dan
The “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” is up to the discretion of the “Bundesverwaltungsamt”. You also have to consider that you will usually apply in writing and a decision will be made in writing, so nobody will notice how good your German is.
As you mentioned, you need to show continuing ties to Germany and you need to present a case for “requiring” both citizenships.
That was such a quick response! Thanks.
I was told that the consulate officers “test” the applicants command of the German language, but am not sure that is really a need or requirement.
I have lived in the US for more than 20 years so I think there is a special rule as far as getting the new citizenship. My continuing ties to Germany might be a bit more challenging, but I hope that the authorities will take a positive look at my case….
Thanks,
Dan
hi i am residing in Africa with my husband when i got pregnant i flew to London as my in-laws live there an gave birth there because of better medical facility than the place i live so i was told i should make a name declaration so my husband was here we did that but they said it will take almost 4 month to give a name declaration certificate may be more because we got married in Africa they don’t recognize such marriage the problem is i cant stay in London for that long so my husband made an emergency travel certificate with his nationality for us to return to residence ,they said after the name declaration then we can apply for passport for the child my question is will the emergency certificate form any problem for my child to obtain the German passport plus what will happen next after name declaration can i apply from the embassy in Ghana thank you ..
What is your citizenship and what is your husband’s citizenship?
I AM GERMAN MY HUSBAND IS SIERRA LEONE THANK YOU.
Da Sie als Deutsche die Mutter des Kindes sind, ist die Wirksamkeit oder die Anerkennungsfähigkeit der Ehe für die Abstammung Ihres Kindes unerheblich. “Mater semper certa est.”
Sie können mit der Geburtsturkunde beim deutschen Konsulat in Ghana (wenn Sie dort leben) für Ihr Kind einen deutschen Pass beantragen.
I am from nepal .I have complain about my wife who is in Germany under aupair visa .we have 1 daughter n the problem is she is getting married to German nationalality .we are not separated till now .how can I stop this marriage from my country. She got au pair visa with fake documents .pls help me
I’ll be happy to answer your questions, but because they have nothing to do with German citizenship and because this thread already has more than 650 comments, I’d ask you to put it underneath my general FAQ: https://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/faq-andreas-moser-lawyer/
Hi Andreas… This a great site and I applaud your patience and understanding to some of the questions (and your sense of humor too!). I have an interesting one for you. I am a US Citizen. My Maternal Grandparents emigrated from Germany to New York around 1929. They adopted my Mother after they were in the US, somewhere around 1938, when she was 5 or 6 years old. Her birth certificate interestingly was “painted” over in white paint as to not disclose the real parents. I guess adoption was a little trickier back then! But we do know she was born in NY State. I don’t know if my grandparents relinquished their citizenship from Germany. Obviously both my parents are US Citizens. Fast forward to today and my husband and I have the possibility of a job transfer to Berlin. My question is – would I be eligible to obtain German residency and/or citizenship from my grandparents, even if my mother was adopted? Would the fact that I still have ancestral family in Germany help – if not for citizenship but for residency? To just add a little more to the mix… my husband is a UK citizen and we live in the US (Florida). He still holds a British Passport so if all I have read recently is correct, he will not need a visa for Germany as he is an EU Citizen. Thank you for your insight and for your website!
I’ll answer the easy part: Because you are married to an EU citizen, you don’t need any visa or residence permit either. You can stay in Germany as long as he stays there. (EC regulation 2004/38) Once you get to Germany, you can apply for a document which will prove your status, and with that you will have an easy time travelling throughout all of the EU, Schengen and many other countries which accept an EU or Schengen visa for visiting their territory (e.g. many countries in the Balkans do that).
The citizenship question is trickier. First of all it would depend on whether your grandparents still had German citizenship at the time of the adoption and then on the details of the adoption process itself. We would need to do a lot more research for that. But as you can move to Germany without any problems, we will have plenty of time.
Hello Mr. Andreas, While searching on information on german visa-nationality, I got to your page which is very informational, though I did read most of the questions and answers, I still would like your opinion on my case: my grandmother was born in a danube swabian town in former north yugoslavia, from ethnical german parents, the whole town was german but were expulsed by the communists of WW2, and finally after some very hardship years my grandmother landed in Venezuela.
As her granddaughter, do you think it is possible for me to get some visa consideration from the german goverment for the danube swabian descendants , and is there a chance of getting documents involving her nationality (ethnical german) from german archives about the people that lived in US-German refugee camps in Germany.
Thank you very much, Anita
As a Venezuelan you don’t need a visa for Germany for stays of up to 3 months. For anything beyond that, your chances depend on the purpose of your visit. Without any remaining relatives in Germany, the family history won’t be any factor.
As to citizenship, this depends on a lot of factors which we would need to research: Did your grandmother have German citizenship? Did she lose it in Venezuela (e.g. by becoming Venezuelan citizen)? Was she married? When did she have your father or mother? And so on.
Regarding the documents, do you know which DP camp your grandmother stayed at?
Hi there,
I stumbled on this post online when I became curious about my future relationship with my now german boyfriend. It is quite serious and we have been dating for over a year now (flying back and forth between Australia and Germany in short periods). I’m wondering what the best action to take next would be if we were wanting to get married or have children or even just live together permanently in Germany or Australia… I’m aware that by becoming a German citizen I would then lose my Australian citizenship but would this then mean I am unable to come back and live here if we decide to later on?… is there some way I can gain dual citizenship or he can gain dual citizenship? We both have very strong family ties in both countries and curious as to whether or not there is a way to avoid not being able to stay in both countries for extend periods? I’m aware that if we have a child together it will receive dual citizenship due to one parent being a citizen etc but really more interested now in the best way for us as a couple to move forward. Would we have to essentially pick one country and stick to it? Good to know so I can get my head around things first before making some tough decisions.
Thank you :)
The child would have dual citizenship and could keep both.
As to you, obtaining German citizenship is only an option if you speak German and if you live in Germany for at least three years. So in order to give the best advice, I would need to know more about both of your plans and options.
Hello Andreas. My boyfriend is Italian, he lives in Munich from September 2010, and he will move now to Aachen from October 2014. I am from Colombia, live and work as a researcher in Netherlands since October 2010, and have a job contract until October 2015. I would like to live in Aachen while working in Netherlands. What kind of residency permit in Germany applies for me? Thanks for your help.
Would you consider getting married? (I am usually against marriage, but it would make it much easier for you.)
Not now. But my point is, already being a legal resident/worker in Netherlands, is there any way that I do not have to ask for a “residence permit” in Germany, but rather only “register” there as my living place. I mean, I do not care about the marriage benefits (taxes, health insurance, and so on) because I already have everything here in Netherlands, so I do not really need my boyfriend to register me as a partner. We just want to share a house. Do you know if there is any other way?
In that case, I would recommend to simply live in Germany without any official registration. Nobody will notice and if anyone ever asks, you say you are visiting but kive in the Netherlands. Likewise the Netherlands won’t notice that you are not living there anymore.
The only practical problem you need to solve is the forwarding of your mail. Either you can set up automatic forwarding or you may have to ask your landlord or flatmates to keep the mail for you.
i born in Eritrea i stayed almost all of my life time in Sudan. so i am now in Germany. so, what kind of question do i expect to get citizenship in Germany.
Hi,
First of all, congratulations for such a helpful site!
I got married in Germany. But I got divorced from my Dutch husband within only 1 year of marriage because he was violent to me. The court for the domestic violence against me will still happen, but there was the first court already and the judge considered a murder trial from my ex husband against me. But there will still be a court about that.
I’m living in Germany for 4 years now. The authorities allowed me to stay with the visa of 5 years, till 2015. I already have B1 and politics exams that are required to get the passport. But I depend on money from the government right now. I wrote recently 7 books and I’m going to count on that as a valid profession to make money.
I would like to know if it’s possible for me to get the German passport as soon as I prove that I can support myself with the job as a writer.
Or is is possible that they renew my visa in 2015 for a permanent visa, even if I rely on the money from the government?
Best wishes,
Fe
I wonder how there can be a “murder trial” if you are alive.
Based on your language level and the integration course, it sounds like you could apply for German citizenship after 7 years in Germany. Because you still have 3 years to go, I would say we should hope for the best and hope that you will earn enough as an author. It doesn’t make much sense to worry now about what will happen in 3 years’ time.
As to the residence permit question, I would prefer to write a different set of FAQ on that because this one already has too many comments. To avoid the number of comments from skyrocketing too quickly, I want to limit them to citizenship-related comments.
I will put up a similar list of FAQ on residence permits as soon as somebody mails me one of the books from my wishlist to motivate me.
Hi,
My wife is a German citizen and I am Egyptian. We both live in Montreal, Canada. You said I need to live 3 years in Germany while have been married for 2 years. We have been married now for 1 year and if we move to Germany I still have to live there for 3 years to apply for citizenship? Or can it be before? We are planning to leave Montreal in 12-13months ( our job contracts will end). So by then we will be married for a little over 2 years.
Yes, usually you would be required to live in Germany for 3 years in that case.
Hi,
I am an American citizen who lives in Germany and I would like to have German citizenship. I have been married to my wife for over 3 years who is a German citizen and I have a child who is dual national(American and German). I was wondering what would happen if I gave up my American citizenship? Will the German government automatically give me German citizenship if I give up my American citizenship because I would be considered a stateless person?
No, that would be a bit too easy. You will need to apply for naturalization in Germany and in the course of this process you will be asked to waive your American citizenship.
we have been refused the name declaration for my child to obtain her fathers name saying that they do not recognize the marriage certificate of the country we got married in they said there is no problem in giving her the mothers name but no to the fathers name what do you advice to do in the future if we want the child to carry her dads name .(dad is not German) thank you very much .
Because that’s a rather complicated matter (it depends on where you will live ad on the citizenships involved), I recommend that you contact me by e-mail to describe the case. I will however have to charge my consultation fee of 200 EUR in that case.
I am Syrian, I live in Damascus right now, I had my bachelor degree lately, I am planing to go to Germany to work and complete my study, and I am thinking about trying to get the German citizenship, I’ve read a lot about it but I am still confused about one thing, if my cousin is a German citizen, does it have anything to do with getting my German citizenship or not, and if not, what advantages do I get if I have German relatives in Germany?
Having relatives in Germany might help with getting a residence permit, especially if you could get into the resettlement program for Syrian refugees. Germany has vowed to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees (as of now) and they will prefer those who are educated, have family ties in Germany and possibly even speak a bit of German already.
For citizenship, it won’t help because that will be assessed merely on your personal situation.
Hi! my name is Nick and I am very hopefully that I might be able to gain citizenship through ancestry. My great-grandfather was born in Leipzig and my great grandmother was born in Alsace (to a german family and may have been germany at the time), is there a possibility that I may be able to gain citizenship? I am an American and desperately want to start a new life in Germany!
There is a possibility, but it’s unlikely because usually somebody in your ancestral line did something to lose German citizenship (e.g. by applying for foreign citizenship before giving birth to their children). We would need to look at all these details for each generation.
However, for starting a new life (which is always a good idea), you don’t need citizenship right away. Residence in Germany (or any other EU country) would suffice at first and you still apply for naturalization later.
Thanks for the reply! So to get a “residence permit” is it strict like other EU countries in that I would have to get a job first before getting the residence permit? I assume that would be the case. But I could be wrong. And also, me being American, it would be hard to find a job in the first place
There are plenty of other options for a residence permit, but as this thread has already gotten very long with more than 500 comments, I would like to keep them strictly to the issue of citizenship. I’ll publish a separate list of FAQ on residence as soon as somebody mails me a few books from my wishlist for my efforts.
Hello Andreas, this is on behalf of a friend of mine, who lives in Colombia, South America. His great grand father fled Germany during WWII because he was in disagree with that regime at that time, so the Nazis went after him; due to the persecution he found refuge in Colombia. His last name was Hanssen, but he changed it for the reasons mentioned above. Before he died, he said to them to find his descendants back in Germany, he wanted them to regain the German nationality. Due to the ius sanguini characteristic of the German law, my friend is wondering if is there any chance to obtain German nationality; and he asks if do you know any association or ONG in Germany that help to reunite families. Please let me know, Thanks in advance
Thank you for your posts! It’s a valuable compendium!
My comment comes with a question (duh): Does Germany has a naturalisation program similar to US “persons with extraordinary ability”? No, I don’t play football very very well. :) I’m a scientist (a physicist to be more precise). I couldn’t find online any specific information about that when it regards to German naturalization…
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Cheers!
There is no general program for that. It all depends on the specific case.
The difference between football players and physicists though is that you can also work in Germany without having German citizenship. You only need residence (while football players need German citizenship to play in the German national team). After living in Germany for a while, you can then of course apply for naturalization.
hello sir ,
i m 17 years old and my sister 21 years old indian girls, but our birth place is german . i was 5 year old and my sister was 7 years old. my father and mother were depoted by german government . but goverment was providing citizenship to me and my sister . but our parents were not agreed that time. now my mother has dead and father left us . so can we get the german visa . we have birth certificate of birth place german.
i am indian i am a student. i change my religion from muslim to cristian religion now my parents all relatives left me and they also stop my all expences like living,food, insuranace etc after my studies and they are not accecpting me and support me and some bad people threat me if i go back to india they will kill me because of changinging religion so i can not go back to india and but in my hand i have 1 year german visa for stay in germany. now what must i do for stay in germany and get the german citizenship. please please please help me i need information i am scare now
My great-grandfather was german if I can get his birth certificate and bring it to the german embassy do you think I can get german citizenship.
No, that’s not enough.
Please read the above FAQ and the subsequent questions and answers, where situations like yours are addressed in detail.
Hi Andreas,
I am wanting to attain German citizenship (by descent) and/or a German passport for myself and ideally for my children also.
I am a 28 year old born in Australia in 1985. My father, an Australian permanent resident, was born in New Zealand in 1950.
My mother, born in Recklinghausen, Germany, in 1957, left Germany when she was approximately 3 years old (approx 1960) to live in Australia, with her German born mother and father (my grandparents). My grandparents were “invited” by the Australian government (as were all Germans at that time) to come and live in Australia (the place they advertised as “the land of opportunity”).
In order to live in Australia at that time, I am almost certain but not positive, that my grandparents had to renounce their German citizenships. If that is the case, and they DID renounce their German citizenships, would I still be able to apply for German citizenship by descent and/or a German passport myself, being that my mother was born in Germany but has lived in Australia since approximately 1960 to today? Or am I ineligible, if my grandparents did in fact renounce their German citizenship, thus renouncing my mothers German citizenship as a result (either “automatically” or with my grandparents consent, as since my mother was only about 3, she was still technically a minor and as my grandparents were responsible for making decisions on behalf of my mother at that time, would that mean that they would have had to renounce my mothers citizenship in the process of renouncing theirs, or BECAUSE my mother was a minor, responsibility to renounce her German citizenship could only be that of her own authority?)
I really need to know about this and it’s quite expensive (for me anyway) to obtain such information from a legal representative here in Australia and it will also be an expensive and a lengthy time consuming process to apply for German citizenship and/or a passport, only to be told I am ineligible for both things.
I would appreciate any help/information with my query.
Thanks in advance.
We should first find out whether your grandparents and your mother DID indeed renounce their German citizenship. Although they might also have lost German citizenship without renouncing it explicitly (§ 25 I StAG). In both cases it depends on the details of your grandparents’ citizenship application what happened to your mother’s citizenship, so I would need to take a look at these records.
Hi Andreas,
I was born in 1944 in NYC – was adopted through a private adoption. My adopted parents were at that time both German citizens. I have 2 birth cirtificates – the 1st one issued on the day I was born is the one which states my biological mothers name, no fathers name, and the 2nd one which finalized the adoption was issued in August 1947 with my adopted parents names on it. My adopted mother became an US Citizen in 1947 and my father in 1948. Would I be able to obtain a German passport along with (and/or) German citizenship?
Hi Andreas,
My grandfather was born a German citizen but served his required time in the US Air Force during WWII. Is this an automatic case of losing his citizenship? I read that if the military service was required, they didn’t lose it.
Thanks for your help!
Was he already a US citizen at the time? If so, then he most likely already lost his German citizenship upon applying for naturalization in the US.
No, he was born a dual German/US citizen as his father was German and naturalised after he was born.
It depends on the laws in place at the time of World War II, which I would need to research.
a question to Andreas Moser
Hallo Andreas,Ich habe im April 2000 die Australische Staatsburgerschaft angenommen.Leider war ich mir nicht bewusst,dass ich dadurch die deutsche Staatsburgerschaft verliere.
Ich habe vor wieder in Deutschland zu leben,wahrscheinlich nicht nur vorübergehend.
Bin ich berechtigt auf einen deutschen Reisepass?
Meine australische Staatsburgerschaft will ich unbedingt behalten.
Meine Eltern,Grosseltern, Urgrosseltern usw. waren alle deutsche Staatsbürger
Besteht für mich irgendeine Möglichkeit einen deutschen Reisepass zu erhalten?
Ich bedanke mich im Voraus für eine Auskunft
Gruss
Jurgen
Das ist schwer. Innerhalb von 12 Jahren hätte ein Antrag auf Wiedereinbürgerung unter Beibehaltung der australischen Staatdsbürgerschaft gestellt werden können, aber die 12 Jahre sind jetzt auch schon rum.
Jetzt ist die Wiedereinbürgerung natürlich noch immer möglich, aber Deutschland würde dabei den Verzicht auf die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft verlangen, wie bei jedem anderen Einbürgerungsbewerber auch. Sie müßten besondere Gründe darlegen, weshalb Sie beiden Staatsangehörigkeiten benötigen (nicht nur wollen).
Danke Andreas,Die besonderen Grunde weswegen ich die australische Staatsburgerschaft behalten muss sind folgende :
Meine beiden Kinder sind Australier und haben ihre eigenen Familien hier(meine Enkelkinder).
Meine beiden Kinder sind hier geboren,meine Ehefrau ist Australierin
Ich bin Rentner und erhalte meine Rente hier von Australien ,wo sie mir zusteht.
Sind diese Grunde ausreichend für Dual Citizenship?
Danke für Rat und Auskunft
Gruss Jurgen
Relevant wäre es, wenn Du die australischen Rentenansprüche durch Aufgabe der australischen Staatsbürgerschaft verlieren würdest. Das müssten wir belegen.
Die familiären Gründe sind wohl nicht ausreichend, weil Deine Kinder unabhängig von Deiner Entscheidung Australier bleiben können.
Danke Andreas, Auf alle Falle wurde ich meine australischen Rentenansprüche verlieren.
Ich werde über die deutsche Botschaft hier in Australien den Antrag stellen.Oder ist es besser den Antrag in Deutschland zu stellen?Kannst Du mir sonst noch einen Rat erteilen? Danke für Rat und Auskunft
Gruss Jurgen
Hello Andreas,
I left Germany when I was a child and am attempting to regain my German citizenship from outside Germany. I’m now a US citizen.
I recently changed jobs and would like to know is there a minimum ( or recommended) amount of time I need to be in a job in order to apply for German citizenship?
Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
I currently live in South Africa, my great grandfather was Irish/British which seems to have closed the door there. My mother is currently engaged to a German gentleman and he has randomly offered to perhaps adopt me as he is very fond of me but my age is 30, my question therefore is he assumes that he can take me across to Germany if my mother and him leave soon is there possibly a way for me to get across that way? or at a stretch can I apply for descent if I am adopted by him?
Thanks for any info
Unfortunately the answer is “no” on both accounts.
Adoption: Irrespective of the question how easy it would be to facilitate the adoption of an adult (in German law it requires a genuine father-son relationship, § 1767 I BGB), German citizenship is only bestowed upon adoptive children who are minors (§ 6 StAG).
Descent: Descent would require that you had a German father (or mother) at the time of your birth, so any later adoption would not change that.
Of course you could still move to Germany without citizenship, but for any longer stay you would then require a residence permit (e.g. based on a job or as a student).
Thank you for the response,
It seems I may just be stuck on this side of the world away from my family thanks to all these laws. Unfortunately my real father applied for his Irish citizenship but I was unaware of the age limit years ago so I never applied before I was 18 otherwise I’d be an Irish citizen and it would not be difficult then to travel to my family who will be living in Germany. This is one of those moments where it feels terrible but that’s life hey
I know. If you read the comments above, there are so many people who have lost citizenship because they parents failed to apply for them or register them a long time ago, it’s really heart-breaking because it does severely limit one’s options in life.
Maybe I can move to South Africa and we can switch passports if we look similar. :-)
Hi Andreas. A quick question for you: I was born in the USA in 1969 to German immigrants, (both my parents were German citizens at the time of my birth.) I was in the US army from ’86 to ’92. My father became a US citizen in 2000. Can I still get German citizenship? Can my children? Thank you for your blog! It’s things like this that make the internet worthwhile…
Well, you actually had German citizenship from the time of your birth (apparently without anyone noticing).
§ 28 StAG states that a dual citizen loses his German citizenship if he volunteers for military service in the armed forces of the other country without prior approval of the German Department of Defense. But this only came into effect in 2000, so I would need to research whether there was a similar provision before 2000, which is unfortunately one of the services I would need to charge for because it’s hard for me to get hold of the old statutes now that I am outside of Germany. – If you inquire with the German Consulate or somebody who has access to the law prior to 2000, they should be able to answer that quickly and easily though.
The legal status of your children would then depend on whether you still had German citizenship by the time they were born.
Dear Andreas,
I appreciate you,your blog has been very informative.
However, I would like to know what is required of me to get a German passport at the German Embassy of my country. ( I contacted you yesterday morning on twitter :) )
I was born to Nigerian parents in Germany in 1982,lived and left with my parents in 1989 Also my Dad had been in German since 1974,he studied there and worked there before leaving in 1989. He did not apply for (citizenship or passport)
I would like to know if I can also apply for German Citizen, based on the principle of Birth, through naturalisation, and having lived there almost 8years.
Thanks Andreas. Waiting for your reply.
As stated in no. 4 of the above FAQ, citizenship by birth when born to two foreign parents was only enabled in Germany in 2000, too late for you.
I have another set of FAQ specifically on naturalization from abroad, but I don’t think you have close enough ties to Germany for that. Your time in Germany was a long time back ago, and unless you have maintained close contact, attended German schools, worked for German companies or clients and so on, I don’t see a strong enough case here (yet).
Hi there Andreas!
I am very frustrated on applying my German Citizenship, my Dad is german and he passed away on 2011. I never knew that my acknowledgement was never filled up or signed by my dad although he has filled his name and signed my birth certificate as the Father, my mom got her widow’s pension fixed though because they were married. Now we are still here in the philippines and I never got a chance to go to germany because my citizenship can’t be fixed by the embassy here in the philippines.
Will I ever gonna get my german citizenship or Dual in my case since i’m half filipino? Without using my acknowledgement papers? Just the birth certificate where he signed his name and family book that is registered in germany, also with my name on it?
I have been searching ways on how to, I hope this would be one.
Hi there
Im australian citizen…my sister married to germany citizen man in 2004…they have one 8 years boy…could you inform me what are the requirements to get germany passport for her….she is not aware about these…..she has some medical problem….had kidneies failure issues while she was pregnant……her husband Does not look after her very well….She is 39 years old..thanks..plse reply ..i ll wait for reply……
Sincerely
From canberra( australia)
Where does she live?
She lives in mettlach..
Then the residence requirements in no. 6 of the above FAQ apply. She would also need to pass the language and immigration test, not collect any welfare and Germany would require her to give up her Australian citizenship (no. 5 of the above FAQ).
hai, I am already 4 years in Germany as an international student. I am 26 years old. When I was 23 i was adopted here. My parents are German. My German Mom who is 76 years old and my father who is 66 years old. They need my help always. I was in the foreign office and they told me I will not get permanent residence permit because adult adoption has no right. My question is is there no chance for me to get permanent residency. Or Do I have to wait some more time for it. Cant i Apply for permanent residency permit as humanity reasons as my Mom is dependent on my help as she is Sick. As a student I can renew my visa. but I want to have my permanent residency. is the no chance no law that i can get my permanent residency permit. I need your help and kind information.
Because there are already more than 700 questions on this thread on citizenship, I’d like to keep the ones about permanent residence separate. As soon as somebody mails me a book from my wishlist, I’ll be happy to start work on that.
Hello, I would like to know how can i apply for a german cityzenship, im originally from Peru, ive been married to a German for over 3 years and lived in Germany for almost 3 years, i already did an Integrationskurs and German level C1, currently applying to universities, what are the steps i need to folow?, and if is possible to change my last name to my husbands, since im Peruvian, my nationality did not alow this at the time of marriage,
It will be really helpfull if you could provide with some information,
Thank you!
Sofia
Congratulations, C1 is an extremely high level!
You can apply at the “Ausländerbehörde” of your local municipality or county.
As to your name, you can choose German law according to Art. 10 II EGBGB. § 1355 III 2 BGB allows you to do this after the wedding, but requires that your declaration will be notarized.
Hello Andreas,
I´d like to know your opinion on my possibility to apply for a German citizenship
I´m the 4th great grandson of a German citizen who emigrated to Chile on 1888, his son moved up North to Colombia and two generations later my mother was born on 1950. I was born on 1976 and I have a certificate issued by the Chile that states that he never asked for or was granted the Chilean citizenship… but none of his descendants asked thereafter for the German citizenship.
I read on one of your answers that; “If you were born after 1973 or 1974 then having either German parent gives you German citizenship. That parent however must still be a German citizen when you were born.”
So since my mother had not applied for and received the citizenship at the time I was born I am eligible?
Thanks in advance and congratulations for the website!
Hello Andreas,
My husband is trying to become a dual citizen USA/Germany. He was born in the US to a German mother who was married to his American father. He was born in 1964 and his mother was still a German citizen up until 1979. My husband speaks some basic German and is working on getting better.
My question is:
Is the pre-1975 law still in play? (we cannot find this info on the German Embassy website) and would he be able to obtain his citizenship through the naturalization process only or would he be already considered a German born citizen? How long would this process take (8 years?) and in his case would he be able to keep both citizenships?
Regards, Julia
Hello Julia,
that situation is addressed in no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad. In brief, the discrimination against children born to German mothers prior to 1975 is being remedied (in part) by allowing easier naturalization, including the permission to hold dual citizenship.
Thank You very much!!!!!!
Hi there, my name is Julia and I am German ( was born and raised there) my husband is American. We live in the USA. Is there a way for him to get German citizenship without actually living in Germany?
Thank you
See no. 7 above and my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
Servus Andreas,
My name is Goran and I’m since August 2011 until February 2014 living and studying in Germany, as a Serbian citizen, with a regular Aufenhaltserlaubnis. In Feb 2014 I’ve received Croatian (EU) passport and registered at city hall service.
So I’ve a question for you: In August 2016 could I apply for a permanent residence, because I lived in Germany for 5 years continuously or I’ve to live 5 years from the date when I became EU citizen.
Thanks in advance.
Because this thread on German citizenship has already more than 700 comments, I would like to keep the issue of residence rights for EU citizens separate. As soon as someone mails me one of the books from my wishlist, I’ll be happy to set up a new list of FAQ on that subject.
Hi, Andreas,
First of all, thank you very much for all of your efforts on this blog to inform us of German citizenship options!
We are Jewish, and my great grandfather emigrated to the US from Germany in about 1880. I understand that there was some significant anti-Jewish disruption around that time, and many, many Jews apparently fled the country as a result around then, so I am assuming that that is what brought him (and 12 or 13 siblings) to the US.
I don’t know offhand if my grandfather was born yet at the time of my great grandfather’s naturalization in the US, but I don’t think so. Some of the siblings were naturalized fairly soon after arriving here and others not until quite a bit later, but I don’t remember which was which at the moment.
The details of why they came here were never actually mentioned that I recall, but it is quite apparent that they all came here because they really had no other choice; in short, they apparently were actually refugees, although not perhaps actually classed as such at the time.
They lived in an area that had historically been particularly friendly to the Jews, and they were clearly well-established and prosperous for the region, with the family house still extant and preserved, so *something* major and negative had to have changed to have driven them all away.
I speak very little German, but my father did speak it moderately well, and we grew up with a very strong attachment to our German roots, aided by daily life being peppered with an assortment of German comments from him which feel as natural to me as breathing. Dad was in communication with the people who have maintained and preserved the family home and the Jewish heritage of the area, and did visit, as did his father and grandfather; I’m just trying to find the chance to do so myself. I can no more separate the German part of myself from the American, female, or Jewish; it is just as strong a part of my identity.
So with all of this, is there any chance that German citizenship could have been retained through my father and now my brother and me? Or any chance we might (re)gain it now, perhaps on the basis of my great grandfather having *had* to leave the country?
The special provisions for re-establishing German citizenship of German Jews and their ancestors (Art. 116 II GG) relate only to those who lost German citizenship between 1933 and 1945 (the time of the “Third Reich”). There are no special provisions for German Jews who emigrated before 1933, possibly because anti-Semitism before 1933 was not state-sponsored, at least not Germany-wide and not as official policy. In fact, during the time that your great-grandfather left Germany, Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe moved to Germany because they deemed Germany to be more welcoming. This, ultimately, was one reason why too many Jews in Germany stayed for too long in the 1930s because they had (been) assimilated so thoroughly that they couldn’t believe that something like the Holocaust would happen in (seemingly civilized and sophisticated) Germany. I mention this to point out that your great-grandfather’s decision to emigrate was a clever one.
In your great-grandfather’s and grandfather’s case, it is however likely that they lost German citizenship prior to 1933 due to naturalization in the US and/or due to failure to register with the German Consulate at least every 10 years until 1913 and/or our inability to prove that they did so if they did and/or military service for the US. If you want to be absolutely certain, you would need to research this paper trail in great detail, but in my experience, if more than 100 years have passed there is almost always something that severed the legal ties to Germany. I am sorry about the negative news, but I wouldn’t want you to spend a lot of time, effort and money on this.
Because you don’t need a visa to come to Germany, I hope that this won’t prevent you from visiting your ancestral home and maintaining that strand of your identity.
Hey Andreas,
Is there any way to apply for German citizenship via internet. I am from Montenegro buy the way. Please give me some advice on this, thank you in advance.
No. It’s only 2014. :-)
My grandmother and grandfather are German citizens.
My grandfather is deceased now. I’m not 100% sure if my father
Ever got his passport/citizenship but he is also deceased now.
It there a way I can qualify to get a German passport?
I was born in Namibia 1986 which is a German colony.
I would appreciate any advice…
I thought Namibia hasn’t been a German colony since 1915.
Obviously, we would first need to find out if your father was a German citizen by the time you were born. Do you know if he ever had any other citizenship(s) and how and when he obtained it/them?
thanks for the correction. i meant to say was a german colony.
he was born in Namibia, i dont know if he had german citizenship. is there a way to find out?
Can i not obtain one from my grandmother?
If you answer my question above, I might be able to begin to figure out if your father had German citizenship. I would also need to know what year he was born, when your grandfather came to Namibia, when your grandfather and father received any other citizenship, when you were born and with which citizenship.
No, you cannot receive German citizenship from your grandparents. One of your parents must have been German at the time of your birth.
Hi :) I’m Bosnian but I was born in Germany in 1995 and my parents (both are foreigners) lived and worked there almost two years maybe 3 months left to 2 years of living there,but they had to leave because back then you had to live in Germany for 18 years before you get passport and there was no way they could stay since all refuges had to leave Germany. Is there any way I could get German passport?
Unfortunately not. (Except of course through the normal route of naturalization.)
But I hope that Bosnia will become a member of the EU in our lifetime. :-)
Hallo Andreas,
I was born in Germany in 1980 and have I a German Birth Certificate.
My Mother was at the time and still is a British Citizen (by birth, born in England). It is worth noting that my Grandmother (my mothers mother) was a German citizen at the time of my mothers birth.
My Father was at the time and still is a German Citizen (by birth, born in Germany). My fathers parents were both German citizens (by birth) at the time of my fathers birth.
My parents were not married at the time of my birth and never got married after my birth. Both of their names appear on my birth certificate.
Technically I was born stateless, based on German and British law at the time. In 1986 I moved to England with my mother, my name was simply in her passport as a child.
In 1995 I immigrated to Canada as a landed immigrant and in 2001 I became a Canadian Citizen.
Since living in Canada I have also acquired British Citizenship through decent (I am “registered” as a British Citizen not “naturalized”). Therefore, I currently hold dual Canadian and British Citizenship’s.
I am interested to know if I would be eligible for German Citizenship also, without giving up my other Citizenship’s? From my research I understand having dual German and British Citizenship’s should not be a problem (both are EU countries), but the fact that as a stateless person I voluntarily naturalized as Canadian citizen could be a problem.
From Wikipedia search I understand that ‘special rules’ exist for those born before 1 July 1993 if only the father is German and is not married to the mother. The father must acknowledge paternity and must have married the mother before 1 July 1998.
However, my fathers name is on my (German) birth certificate, is this not evidence enough that he acknowledged paternity? Why should it matter if my parents were married or not?
Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
A birth certificate is no official acknowledgement of paternity and does not establish legal paternity at all.
But in your case, the problem is the naturalization in Canada. Either you were German before and you lost German citizenship by getting naturalized in Canada; or you would be required to give up your Canadian citizenship now if you wanted to get naturalized in Germany.
Whether your parents were married or not unfortunately matters because the law at the time of your birth applies to ius sanguinis citizenship cases, as unfair or strange we may meanwhile deem it.
Thanks again for your feedback. Sorry if this is a stupid question but how can i find out if my father was a german citizen? My mother says she doenst remember… My father was born in 1954.
i’m trying to speak to some family from my dad’s side for infomation. Currently all my uncles and aunts from my dads side including all my cousins have german passports. this is why i decided to try apply as well. i mean if all of them have passports the might be a chance i can get one too…
See my two answers above.
Ok here is my situation… My Grandfather Johann Engel and Grandmother Elizabeth Rheinhardt (Reinartz) both from Germany, Grandfather died in 1939 of June, they had two children born in Germany and two in Canada and my dad in USA, I am lost as to locating any ancestry or my Greatgrand parents, dad stated Grandma was born in Aachen and Grandpa in Berlin, am I or any of my siblings eligible for citizenship in Germany? Also, how can I go about finding my Grandfather’s family, I was told he had brothers and I have seen a picture of an John Engel that could have passed as my Fathers twin but 10 years younger… Any help would be appreciated
hi, my fiances brother is married to a german girl and has two children, he has also lived there for 1 year . when will he be able to get a german passport?
I recommend to tell your fiancé to tell his brother to read question no. 6 of the above FAQ.
Andreas, I have a similar question to the Chilean, whose question was never answered.
I found my distant ancestors that were born in Baden in the late 1800s and then moved to the US. (There are no records that they ever tried to naturalize in the US). I have everything going back to the 1700s: parents names, cities, christenings, arrival dates, when they passed, — Can I somehow be eligible for a German passport?
I’ve always sort of liked Germany, even though I couldn’t technically prove that I was a decendant from there. At least now I can.
Additional info:
I’m a US citizen by birth, but naturalized Brazilian due to marriage.
If you were born a German citizen (a big IF after so many generations have passed), you lost your German citizenship by getting naturalized in Brazil (§ 25 I StAG).
Hi Andreas,
Even though I am fluent in German, I am posting here in English for the benefit of other readers.
First let me say Thank You for the great help you provide and the work you do. It is very much appreciated!
Born in Germany by German parents, I moved from Germany to Canada in 1997. Became Canadian Citizen in 2000, unfortunately had to give up my German citizenship.
In the next few years I would like to move back to Germany, the question is can I regain my German citizenship or is it lost for ever. I don’t know if it is important but I also still have relatives in Germany.
Looking forward hearing from you.
Thank you very much
Wilfried
You can always apply for re-naturalization in Germany, that’s not a problem. But Germany would ask you to give up your Canadian citizenship, unfortunately.
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Hallo,
Your blog is quite informative, but I’m having difficulty finding an answer:
My mom was born to her German mother and American father out of wedlock in Bremen in 1949, but moved to the United States a few years later – she’s in her mother’s German passport photo. I presume her mother was naturalized as an American once her parents got married. My mom has a German issued birth certificate, and never completed paperwork to become a United States citizen or has voluntarily renounced her German nationality. Although because she doesn’t have a green card I imagine that she too was naturalized as a young child as she involuntarily came to America and grew up here. If not, then would she have been naturalized when she married my American dad?
All these years later, is it possible for her to be eligible to apply for confirmation of her nationality, though she has been away from Germany for some years? Is she eligible for anything? As I myself am her daughter by birth, would I also be eligible for some form of citizenship or dual-citizenship so that I may obtain a passport?
If you could please respond it would be greatly appreciated.
Danke,
Anna
It really depends on when and how your mother was naturalized. The exact circumstances of this are necessary to determine whether she lost German citizenship in the process. (At first sight, it seems like she did, making her unable to pass it on to you.)
Hello, I am moving to Germany(US citizen) with my family. I know that after 5 years of working and living there we have right to get permanent visa . My older daughter is 14, so after 5 years of residence in Germany she will not be a minor, but adult, are they going to see her as part of our family and give her same visa as to us, or is she going to have to go through the visa system separate from us, her family? Our other daughter is only 5, so there is no problem for her. This is really going to help us with decision of going or staying, so I will really appreciate if you can give me an answer to this question. Best regards, Emma.
Because this is not a question on citizenship, but on residence, I’d like to keep it on a separate list of FAQ (this one already has more than 700 comments). I am always happy to start a new FAQ once somebody mails me a book from my wishlist in order to motivate me.
I received my German passport (born in Canada to German parents) and now my adult Canadian born son is awaiting his passport. Does having a German passport mean you are automatically a German citizen? If so, would we (as Canadians in possession of German passports) be able to work anywhere in the EU without visas or work permits?? We are particularly interested in working in the UK. thanks!!
While a German passport is no definitive proof of German citizenship, it is a strong indicator, and the Germany Consulate wouldn’t have issued you German passports if they didn’t believe that you were German citizens.
So, yes, you are free to move, live, work anywhere in the EU. Please have a look at my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU, where you will see that this also extends to your non-German partners and relatives.
Great writing! Clear and informative!
Thank you!
I know it’s actually not as 100% clear as it could be, but I need to leave some ambiguities, so that some people still need to book a paid consultation. ;-)
(I am so honest. At least for a lawyer.)
Hello Andreas,
My boyfriend and I are planning to get married soon. He is a US citizen, I am German, I have lived in the US for 4 years now on a student Visa. We would like to stay here for a while, but he also wants to have the German citizenship without giving up his US citizenship. He has two houses here and does not want to give everything up. Is there any exemption that could apply to him so we could both have both citizen-ships? Please help, thank you!
He is not required to give up his houses in the US if he naturalizes as a German citizen, but German would indeed require him to give up his US citizenship. Also, he would need to speak German of course and meet all the other requirements.
When you apply for US citizenship, you should apply for a “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” in accordance with § 25 II StAG before you apply for US citizenship. Otherwise you will automatically lose your German citizenship.
thank you so much for the quick reply! so there is actually no way for him to keep both? can he live in germany or in the EU and just be a resident while he’s married to me so he doesnt need to give up his citizenship? does he have the right to work and all that?
Sure, residence doesn’t require citizenship. Please have a look at my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU.
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Hello,
I was born in Brazil and my parents died in a car accident when I was 1 year old. My father was German and my mother was Russian. I got no idea of what citizenship she had. I do not know if they were married. I know where he’s from and his name is on my birth certificate. I was born in 1988. Is there anyway I can get German citizenship?
You would need to find out if your parents were married, or if your father ever legally acknowledged paternity if they weren’t.
And then we’d have to determine if you might have lost German citizenship later, e.g. by getting naturalized in another country.
His name is on my birth certificate. Is that enough? I never got any other citizenship. I just have the Brazilian one because of jus soil.
No, being on the birth certificate is not enough (§ 4 I 2 StAG). But as I said, if your parents were married, no acknowledgement of paternity is needed.
In case my mother had German citizenship, would her name on my birth certificate be enough? I got no idea if she had. In that case, would I just need to send a translated and notarised copy of my birth certificate with a copy of her German birth certificate to the authorities? How long does it usually take?
I’m looking for my grandparents. I don’t know if they’re still alive. I’m having a hard time to find them. In case I do, is it possible for them to officially recognise me if we get a DNA test?
Instead of answering lots of hypothetical questions, let’s find out what citizenship your mother had and if your parents were married. First things first.
Do you know how I may find if they were married? Or how I can find if she was a German or citizen from another EU country? Is there anyway to find out if my grandparents are still alive? I got everyone’s name as they’re all on my birth certificate. I’m a little bit lost on that and don’t have that much money to invest. :(
My fee for an initial consultation is 400 EUR.
I can’t invest that money, unfortunately. I know it takes years and a lot of hard work to become a lawyer. I know it’s definitely worth it. I’m trying to do everything on my own and I can see how hard it is. I’m unemployed and I want my German passport so I can work in the EU. Do you know any forums I can ask those questions?
Thanks!
There are plenty of forums, but this blog here really is the best. As far as I know, it’s the only one where you have a hot-shot lawyer answering questions.
The research you are about to do is not too hard, it’s just time-consuming (hence my fee). Start with the little you have and work your way back from there. Remember that as long as your parents lived in Germany, the local authorities there had records of them.
Good luck!
Dear Mr. Moser,
About a year ago you answered a question about a descendant of displaced Banat-Schwabischen persons residing in a European. I am a second-generation descendant in similar circumstances, except my family emigrated to the US after WW2. I was wondering if it were still possible for members of my family (my brother, father, and I are all interested) could possibly make a case for citizenship.
My grandmother is a Banat Swabian, born in a Serbian area of Yugoslavia, and displaced after World War II. My great-great-grandmother and great-grandmother were dispelled along with her and the rest of the family. She even had a cousin who was orphaned and forced into the orphanage/work/concentration camps. She was young at the time and does not clearly remember the details, but believes she had German citizenship at one point.
By the time she was fourteen, her family moved to the US. Here, my great-grandparents ran a Austrian-Hungarian/German restaurant that passed through my grandparents and aunt. The restaurant is now closed, but I still have learned many of the family recipes. Furthermore, my father was taught German as a child and spent two years living and working in Augsburg. I myself learned German as a young child (first word was heiß!), spent five years at a German-language grade school, took German at a weekend school for many years, spent a month in Germany on an exchange program, and spent eight years in a cultural dance group. We also maintain contact with our (distant) german cousins and visit every few years.
We have a decent connection with our cultural heritage and the country itself. I personally would love it if I were able to have citizenship and live/work in Bayern for some years (if not more!) of my life.
Thank you for any help you are able to give!
I should say that it was not me who answered that question, but a guy named Thomas. I have no idea why my picture shows up next to his name. I am personally not an expert on the BVFG (Expellee Law), so someone else might be able to answer that more quickly.
In your case, we would need to examine four options: BVFG, citizenship by descent, naturalization, and lastly residence in Germany. That goes a bit beyond what I can do for free, and I would charge 250 EUR for an in-depth analysis of your case.
I wasborn a US citizen. My paternal grandfather’s mother was from Germany. Would I be entitled to citizenship? If so, I am getting married in the US in May 2015 to a US citizen, would my husband also be able to have citizenship?
No on both accounts. See detailed explanation in comments to similar questions above.
i was born at bonn, germany in 1977,my parent was living leggly, after 4 year my birth i go pakistan, can get my nationalty. or other option to go back.
No. Before 2000 there was no ius soli component in German citizenship law (see no. 4 of the above FAQ).
Hi Andreas! I have a son his father is German but im still married and my annulment is on going. I got pregnant when my BF invited me for 3 months to stay with him in Germany we have ultrasound and records from OB Gyn in Germany. My son used his father Surname on his Birth Certificate here in the Philippines with his Signature and Acknowledgement of paternity at the back of his BC. We want our son to get German passport. What can we do? Im still married here in the Philippines and just waiting for the decision of my annulment. I know that in German law the legal father is still my current husband even we are separated for 9 yrs already. What can we do to get German passport for our baby? Please help me.. Thanks.
I want to say I appreciate you supplying this info, you’re doing a fantastic
job with the website…
Okay, so I’m trying to find out if I can get dual citizenship. My parents were members of the American Army and were stationed in Germany at the time of my birth. Being the child of two Americans, I acquired US citizenship at birth. When I got older, my mother told me I was eligible for dual citizenship but they had turned down my German citizenship. I was wondering if 1: my parents correctly understood the laws, and 2: if they did, can I request that I be granted dual citizenship? I am planning on attending a German university and there are a few differences between how foreign students and German students are dealt with by the university. I wanted to clear this up before I start finalizing plans. Any help is appreciated!
The only ius soli component of German citizenship law is covered in no. 4 of the above FAQ. US servicemembers rarely have permanent residence status (because they are exempt from German immigration law in accordance with NATO SOFA and the Supplementary Agreement thereto), meaning that their children would not qualify for citizenship through ius soli.
Dear Sir,
Am Lebanese man, married last year for a German citizen ( Same Sex ), Do i need Level A1 Ger man Language?
& in my country can’t applying for a family reunion, cause same sex it’s a shame here & not accepted, & employes in the German Embassy, Lebanese too, so it will be good for me to applying from Lebanon.
Kindly if you have any solution for my case, will be appreciate.
Best Regards
Elie
There are exceptions for the A1 requirement if you have a university degree and there is a likelihood that you will be swiftly integrated in Germany.
However, in my experience it is easier to pass the A1 test (which is very basic) than to convince the embassy that you qualify for an exception.
You have to apply for the family reunion visa in the country of your residence. Don’t worry about what people at the embassy think. Nothing what you did is a shame. If anybody thinks that your private life is their concern, that’s the real shame.
Thanks for your quickly reply,
Yes i have Bachelor degree in Accounting & am certified public accountant.
I learned the language German here in goethe institute , i took 55/100 & they need 60/100, cause i haven’t too much time to give more attention or to do another exam.
Regarding for the people in Embassy you are right but you don’t know the arab minds here against same same, so if you have any other advice.
Best Regards
Dear Mr. Andreas
I am Armenian, I live in Yerevan, I was born in Syrian so I am also Syrian and I have also a Syrian passport, my issue is that I applied for a university in Germany and I got the acceptance and I passed the language tests perfectly and everything was fine, but I didn’t get the visa, they refused to give it to me on my Armenian passport with no explanation.
P.s. I used to travel to Germany from Syria every summer for 7 years using my Syrian passport.
So do you have any idea why I didn’t get the visa?
a slightest information will be helpful for me
Thank you so much in advance Mr. Andreas
Because these FAQ on German citizenship law already have more than 800 comments, I would prefer to keep questions on student visas separate. I will put up a separate list of FAQ as soon as someone mails me one of the books from my wishlist for doing so.
Oh my bad luck!
thanks anyway
It sounds more like bad luck for Germany because a bright and motivated student won’t come. I hate this restrictive visa policy.
Oh thank you Mr. Maybe I’ll find a way, without losing my opportunity to complete my study! I will do my best.
Pro-tip: getting married to another EU citizen is the easiest way.
Hi,
I have a question about that doesn’t seem to fit in any category.
I was born in Germany in 1985 while my father was in the US military. My parents were neither American nor German citizens at the time. When our family left Germany in 1990 no other country wanted to give me a passport to leave, including the country my parents originated from. Because of this, German officials stated I was German. My birth certificate is also German and not the American ones given to American children born in Germany. Is there a way to verify what my actual citizenship was at the time and would there be a way to get my German citizenship back if I lost it?
It’s hard to answer questions on citizenship if you don’t mention what citizenship both your parents had at the time of your birth.
What about people who are born in 1987 to a foreign parents pls help get some information .I was taken to Africa when I was young and I was living with a woman that am not related to her and all the time I spend there I cannot get that country citizenship and. Later on I asked the woman.about my parent she dont even know weather my parent are in germany or not that make to find my way to the world .I was in Libya later the war break out there that is how I came to Germany but I don’t know what to do
Dear Andreas,
Very informative website..Kudos to that first!..
I have a small question on acquiring german citizenship. Following is my stay in germany
Sept ’08 – Feb ’10 (1.5 years): Master studies on a stipendium
March ’10 – Sept ’10 (0.5 years): Worked in france
Oct ’10 – Jan ’14 (3.5 years): Phd studies on a stipendium
Feb ’14 – till date (0.5 years): working in germany
Except for 6 months interruption, I have stayed in germany since 2008 till date.
Since I received a scholarship for my studies, I never had to pay taxes.
I would be happy to know your views on if I would be eligible to get a german citizenship this year. My german level is A2/B1.
Thank you very much, Your response is much appreciated.
Forgot to mention, I currently hold an Indian nationality.
Thanks :)
Paying taxes is not required for acquiring German citizenship.
But unless your language level is at least at B2, you will need to accrue 7 years of residence. It would help if you use the next year to raise your level of German. The higher, the better.
Thanks Andreas for such a prompt reply!. Do you have an idea if the break of around 6-8 months in france in 20100 would make my previous stay in germany invalid?..Thanks again!
It wouldn’t: § 12b II StAG states that up to 5 years of a previous stay can be counted towards the residency requirement.
I am 27 years old and I have a daughter 7 years old. We both have German passports and I would like to know what type of aid we can have to learn German in Germany, we live in South America for the moment. We would like to move to Germany, the education is outstanding and it will be great for my daughter.
There is really no particular aid for Germans to learn German, because it is assumed (wrongly in some cases) that they already speak it.
But of course you can move at any time, without any need for a visa or anything, and then you can settle in Germany. If you need any financial or housing assistance, you will receive it without any problems. There is no legal difference between German citizens who have lived in Germany all their lives and those who arrive later. The education is really good, and it’s for free, even up to university level, so you will have plenty of chances to learn German.
Hey, thank you for this post it is very helpful!
But i still got an unanswered question..
I live in israel and my girlfriend lives in germany, she was born there.
We are currently in a long distance kind of relationship and visit each other every couple of months.
We want to know if we marry each other will i be able to live with her in germany and hopefully get a citizenship in the future?
Will it make stuff easier for us?
We have little or non at all knowledge about these rules and procedures.. Thank you!
Thanks
Shalom Vedo,
you forgot to mention if your girlfriend has German citizenship or not.
The citizenship question is really answered in the FAQ above. Regarding your move to Germany on a spouse visa, I would like to set up a separate list of FAQ because there are already more than 700 questions on this page. I will do that as soon as someone mails me a book from my wishlist in ordeŕ to motivate me. (Coincidentally, there are quite a few which relate to Israel. ;-) )
Yeah, she has a german citizenship, she’s a german national, born and lived in germany for her whole life.
I would like to help you in getting those books for exchange of information about how can i immigrate to germany, contact me by email and we’ll proceed from there (:
Thank you! 📚
Hello Andreas, Several years ago my former wife (a Japanese national) and myself (a German and Israeli national) divorced via the Japanese authorities. Due to the complexity of the process the divorce was not reported to the German authorities, and therefore we are still considered married by these. Last year I married again – this time to a Chinese national – and also this was not reported to the German authorities. My new wife and myself are now expecting a child, and I wish to know whether this child would be entitled to hold a German nationality (in spite of the fact that my marriage to the child’s mother was not reported). Thank you.
Hello Andreas, Thank you for the great help!
I was told recently that as a German citizen from Abstammung and a Canadian citz by jus soli that I can’t take another EU citizenship through my mother’s side. Hungarian simplified naturalization or Slovak preferred naturalization. If I did take another EU citizenship I would have to renounce my German citizenship? Law as of 2012?
I know you have stated before no purpose in having 2 EU citzs but one never knows when that 3rd reisepass will come in handy.
You don’t lose German citizenship by acquiring another EU citizenship, section 25 I 2 StAG.
Hi Andreas,
Thanks a lot for helping people with your posts.
My question to you is about the duration and possibility for me to get a German permanent residence (PR) or settlement permit and later citizenship. My situation is following:
1. I lived in Germany for 5 years (2008-2013) and finished my doctorate from a German University (in the last two years of my PhD, I also paid taxes and contributed to the German social security).
2. I am not an EU citizen but married to a German citizen for the last two years and currently we are living in the US. My wife is not working at the moment and might not be able to get a job in Germany soon (she wants to start her own business; will take some time to start).
3. I have got a job offer from a German company in Munich (contract for three years; 2015-2018). I would again be paying taxes and contributing to the country’s social security.
4. My German language skills are not excellent, but suffice for basic conversations.
Thanks you
Hey, my oma was born in Germany and when my mother was born she was still a German citizen. Im born in Canada, and a Canadian citizen. I also have a UK (EU) passport as my dad was born in England. Am i also eligible for a German passport since my oma was a German citizen at the time of my mothers birth? My mom was born in Canada. Thanks!
Also, my Oma was married when my mom was born and my parents were married when i was born. Thanks again.
Not if your mother was born before 1975. Until then, mothers could not pass on German citizenship.
Yeah i realized that after i asked. Damn, thanks!
how I can go in Germany with German citizen? please tell me how I can do it? THANKS THANKS I live in Asian country
Im impressed by ur vast knowledge of this issue.I would to know if i have any immigration right in Germany.
I was born in Germany in 1991 by foreign parents and taken back to Nigeria but i would like to go back and do my master’s degree program.I have all documents at the time of birth.
Your advice will be highly appreciated.
Love all the great info. Can my brother get back his German citizenship? Born to an unwed German mother in Germany in 1955. The father was an American citizen and were married shortly after my brothers birth. He had dual citizenship from birth. They moved to American shortly after his birth with an American passport. At age 18 (at the height of the Cold War and not much German speaking skills other then Bavarian curse words) Germany sent him a draft notice that said report for duty on this date or check this box to renounce your German citizenship. He checked the box. Can he get German citizenship back?
hallo Andreas,
I lived in Germany for 4 years and got my PhD then I went abroad a stayed outside Germany for about 8 months, I applied for new visa and I am now in Germany again and preparing to take the approval to work as a pharmacist in Germany. My german is good I passed the B2 level.
Is there a chance for me to get the permenant residence or the citizineship counting if I find a job soon or I will have to wait for more 5 years to be able to apply , I mean would the 4 years that I stayed in Germany on the first place counted.
thanks alot
Hello Dina,
yes, the 4 years that you spent in Germany previously can be counted: § 12b II StAG.
I found your section on obtaining citizenship through ancestry a little unclear. In my situation, my grandfather was born in Germany but was adopted at a very young age by an US soldier. Does this mean me and my father both have the opportunity to claim German citizenship? I know my grandfather is now a US citizen for certain, so do I lose that opportunity?
Criticizing my writing as “unclear” is not the way to get your question answered.
Hallo Andreas,
i am egyptian and have been married to a german citizen for 4 years
In which we have lived the first one year in egypt before we decided
To move to germany,where i obtained a 3 years residence permit
(Aufenthaltserlaubnis) .
Our marriage persisted for 2 years but was interrupted in the third year And i was denied my one year residence extention.
Ubon Reconciliation with my wife ,i was told in the (ausländerbehörde)that i will be
granted a 3 years residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaunbnis) again, and now my question is :how long should i wait before i can apply for the german Citizenship?
Ps .I have a full time job and i can finencially support myself,i have attented an integration
Course and passed the B1 and orientierung test and have no criminal record.
Your reply will be highly appreciated,
Alex
Hallo Andreas,
My name is Leroy. I am in a sticky situation and I require your assitance. On January 31, 2017 I have to meet with the Auslaenderamt because my German Citizen wife puts me out of the house and told the Amt that she doesn’t want to me with me anymore.
I don’t know what to expect in the next few days when I will go to the Auslaenderamt interview. I have my Aufenteilstitle card for one year and it was renewed for an additional two years. November 11, 2018 will make it 3 years of the marriage. I am working a full time job now for the since the past 2 months and paying taxes.
Will I have to leave Geramny? If yes, will I be given time to leave or wiill the Auslaenderamt put me back on a plane back to my caribbean home? These are questions going all day in my mind. Please help asap. Thnaks.
The Ausländeramt will probably rescind your residence permit, but they will give you time.
Depending on your job and your income, you can base your residence permit on that or you could apply to university and try to get a student residence permit.
But generally, it’s a sad situation indeed when your residence permit depends on the marriage. You are really at the whim of your partner.
Hi Andreas, I’ve been reading your posts which I have found to be quite helpful but I just have a few specific questions. I’ve tried contacting my local consulate but they keep directing me to their website which does not actually have the answers I’m looking for.
I am a Canadian citizen currently living in the UK and I would like to obtain German citizenship in order to stay here once my student/mobility visa runs out instead of trying to do so through the notoriously difficult UK visa system.
My married grandparents emigrated from Germany to Canada in 1957 and my mother was born in 1960. My grandparents were granted Canadian citizenship in 1963 and lost their German citizenship as a result. My mother grew up and married my (Canadian) father and I was born in 1989. From what I can tell of the embassy website and your article this means I qualify for citizenship via descent but I would just like to be sure. Also are there any other requirements (i.e. language) I would have to fulfill in order to obtain citizenship/a passport? I will learn German if I need to and might do so anyway. Thank you!
You are absolutely right with your assessment UNLESS your mother was included in her parents’ naturalization in Canada in 1963, because then your mother also lost her German citizenship in that process. If she already had Canadian citizenship from birth, that would have no adversary effect on her German citizenship.
If you are German by descent, you do not need to fulfill any other requirement because you already ARE German and in fact have been for all of your life (without knowing it). You could apply for a certificate of citizenship and subsequently for a German passport.
Well she was born in Canada so that would make her a Canadian citizen by birth unless for some weird reason she was included, either way I will have her check. Thank you so much for your help!
hey im adnan nd i am from pakistan but cruntly live in berlin germany..my question is that my wife is from england nd she lives here since last 4 years i do a asylum in berlin now we hav a baby here can i get the visa ??? pls tell how to …
If your wife has British citizenship, you may find my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU quite helpful.
My 2nd great grandfather and 2nd great grandmother came to the USA in 1917 and I show no record of naturalization. They both died young in a train accident in Connecticut on their way to my great grandfathers bootcamp graduation. Would I inherit their German Citizenship?
That’s very tragic.
You would have German citizenship if they and all ancestors in between passed it on, none of them applied for naturalization, none of them lost German citizenship for other causes, and if German citizenship was not (attempted to be) passed on through the maternal line before 1975. In other words, I would need a lot more information to answer your question.
I charge 200 EUR for an individual consultation.
Dear Andreas, you are a bevy of knowledge on German citizenship! Question, My wife, daughter and I are all US citizens but I along with my daughter have obtained German citizenship and passports through my family that lost theirs during the war. How can my wife obtain a German passport if we do not live in Germany? If this is at all possible is there someway to expedite the process? It would make traveling, especially throughout the EU so much simpler! Thank you, Robert
You will find the answer to exactly this question in my FAQ on naturalization in Germany from abroad.
Hmm, well it’s doubtful my wife will learn to speak German and she’s not a fabulous soccer player nor has she recently been working for an Iranian nuclear facility so it sounds as though her prospects for obtaining German citizenship, short of moving there full time, are not good. I was hoping if the other members of the immediate family already have citizenship that this would be a loophole. Thank you. Robert
I have a question (but not really one I think can be answered). I, like a few other of the posters, was born in Germany in the ’70s on an American military base. It was Landstuhl, to be exact, just like Sonia Ensz from up above. Both of my parents were American citizens at the time. According to my mom, they were told I had dual citizenship and had to make a choice when I turned 18, just like another poster said. My mom was just literally talking about this a couple days ago at Thanksgiving dinner.
You mention that ius soli was not around for that time period and I have no interest in obtaining German citizenship anyways. So really, I just (rhetorically) wonder where the snafu was. Why were American military people giving out the wrong info back in the ’70s. Were they just making stuff up or were they given bad info by some German authorities? I know you can’t answer as to why people were told something 30 years ago, but just reading similar stories to my own makes me grin and wonder.
I generally wouldn’t trust American mothers with information regarding German law (unless they had a German law degree of course). The same goes for all other non-lawyers, whether they are mothers or not, German or American.
That’s the real problem. Having a baby in a foreign country is a tough thing to do. On a military base, you just trust what the superiors tell you. The superiors were wrong.
Hi Andreas, my great-great-grand father was german and came to Venezuela (South America) many years ago, I’m not so sure about the year
How can I know if he lost his German citizenship?
In Venezuela there is no record of him, the only venezuelan’s document which says something about him is my great-grandmother’s birth certificate which states that he was her dad.
I already have my great-grand mother, grandmother and father’s birth certificates.
Do you think the German government keep a record of people who lost or not their citizenship? And if they do,
do you think it is possible to know if they lost their citizenship voluntarily or because of the nazi-regime?
I’ll appreciate your help on this matter.
I would really need to know the years involved to answer that question exactly, but applying for Venezuelan citizenship would have led to the loss of German citizenship for example.
In your case, you most likely do not have German citizenship because before 1975 it could only be passed on through the father, not the mother. The line thus would have stopped with your great-grandmother.
My grandfather was a German born in Germany. Came to South Africa married a coloured lady…my grandmother. They had five kids together.. My father being the eldest. Married my mother a coloured lady…
Do I qualify for a German passport
Sorry if this was asked before. Does the time I spend studying a phd in germany count full or just half? Thanks
Full.
My child has been in Germany for the past 5year and he will be 18years 2015 he schooling in Germany can he apply for citizenship. Thanks
I m from pakistan. I m living in Germany since 2006.i have 2 sons. One of them is german national. How I can get a german passport for me and for my other son ?
By applying for naturalization.
Hello…
My question is…. My wife was born in Germany to a now EEA national father who then was resident in germany and at the age of 2years her mother brought her to ghana.and has been living here since.Just last year december she went to join her father in u.k. Can she clain German citizenship or what???
What was the citizenship of her father at the time of her birth?
What was the citizenship of her mother at the time of her birth?
What year was she born?
The both parents had a permanent residency at that time. She was in 1992,left Germany to Ghana in 1994 and went back to stay with the father who is an EEA national in U.K just last year December.
Born in 1992******
Hi Andreas,
I am writing from a small device, and so far I could not read all Q & A, and after writing a longer question the posting made the device to crash.
So concisely: one Transylvanian Saxon grandmother in any circumstances can give me any hope of attaining G. Citizenship?
Regards,
Georg
Do children who are German nationals at birth who acquire U.S. citizenship via the U.S. Child Citizenship Act of 2000 lose their German citizenship? This Act entitles minor children of a U.S. citizen parent to become U.S. citizens automatically upon entering the U.S. as lawful permanent residents with the U.S. citizen parent. The child would not have received citizenship at birth but has this special entitlement by virtue of having an American parent.
Thanks for all the info!
Just as a bit of extra info, in the situation described above, the child would retain legal ties to his German parent.
If it happens automatically, there is no loss of German citizenship. German citizenship is only lost if one (or one’s parents) actively applies for another citizenship.
I see. So is the Wikipedia entry on this topic wrong (topic: “German Nationality Law”)? See final paragraph below:
“Other cases where German citizenship can be lost include:
Persons acquiring German citizenship on the basis of birth in Germany (without a German parent) lose German citizenship automatically at age 23 if they have not successfully applied to retain German citizenship. If it is desired to maintain a foreign citizenship, application must be made by age 21.
A German citizen who voluntarily serves in a foreign army (over and above compulsory military service) from 1 January 2000 may lose German citizenship unless permission is obtained from the German government. From 6 July 2011, the permission to serve above compulsory military service is automatically given for the armies of EU, EFTA, and NATO countries and the armies of Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.[10]
A German child adopted by foreign parents, where the child automatically acquires the nationality of the adoptive parents under the law of the adoptive parents’ country. (For example, a German child adopted by Americans prior to 27 February 2001—the effective date of the U.S. Child Citizenship Act of 2000—would not have automatically lost his/her German citizenship, because the child did not automatically acquire United States citizenship by virtue of having been adopted by U.S. citizens.) An exception applies where legal ties to the German parent are maintained.”
My mistake, I see now that you discussed adoption by foreign national parents above. So if I understand correctly, automatic naturalization through adoption is considered an exception to the general rule that one does not lose German citizenship if one acquires a foreign nationality automatically. Is that right?
Thanks again for all you do!
My wife’s mother was born in Germany and she married my father in law there in 1957 and moved to the US. She is an American citizen and now does not have her German citizenship. My wife and I would like to live six months of the year in Gernany and six months in the US. Since her mother was a natural born German and she still has relatives there would there be any options for dual citenzenship or residencey fit us?
Dave
Dear Sir, i am a Chinese citizen living and owning a company in Dubai United Arabic Emirates。 i am planning to get married with a Chinese girl who has German Permanent Residency and has been living in German for 4 years, with a child who has German citizenship. Chinese girl i am planning to get married and me, both of us like to get German citizenship。 i like to know if that is possible, and if we stay in Dubai after getting married, is it possible still we could German Citizenship ?
I have a separate list of FAQ on applying for German citizenship while living abroad, but you don’t really qualify for it, I am afraid. The ties to Germany are minimal (one child which is not yours and a previous stay in Germany of your spouse).
I have a strange question regarding German citizenship, and I bring it up for the possibility of being able to come to the EU from the US with less hassle and red tape.
My father was a DP from Ukraine, born in Regensburg in 1947. He’s a naturalized US citizen now, but does his birth in Bavaria give me jus sanguisis? I believe my great-grandma was German but moved to Ukraine, so I do have German blood but it’s much more difficult to prove. Can you provide any help or clarification on this topic? You can respond to me via my email address, and thank you for your time.
What a coincidence. I went to law school in Regensburg.
If you were born after your father’s naturalization in the US, there is no chance because he would have lost German citizenship in the process.
If you were born before your father’s naturalization, it depends on whether he had German citizenship at the time.
That is a coincidence. I was looking through pictures of Regensburg the other day and it looks amazing.
My father naturalized here as a teen, probably 10 years before I was born. Thanks for getting back to me so promptly. I appreciate the help.
Thank you Andreas for your wealth of knowledge that seems to have helped so many.
I just started the process to regain my citizenship with the German Consulate in Los Angeles.
I was born in Berlin/Charlottenburg in Feb. 1958 and put up for adoption. I was adopted to wonderful American parents, they have both passed away.
The consulate advised me the usual, that you have spoken of earlier, that I may be eligible for dual citizenship and can get a German passport.
But what interested me in their email reply was , “In some cases you might still be a German citizen.”
Per the consulate’s request, I have sent them notarized copies all of my documents, to include a copy of my birth certificate which lists my mothers name only, who I have tracked down and she passed away in Sept. 1994. I have my original passport which was issued April 1959.
I was naturalized as a US Citizen.
But it is that one statement from the Consulate which interests me, “In some cases you might still be a German citizen.”
What do think of this statement?
Thank you, Eric
You only lost your German citizenship if you were naturalized on your or your parents’ request. If your naturalization occurred automatically, i.e. without an application, than you would not have lost German citizenship.
Hey Andreas,
You are one in a million i must say. Your advice and tips are of great help. Thanks for everything.
I have a question, i completed my Bachelor of Arts here in Germany and i got a job (I am doing anerkennungsjahr) i have lived in Germany for the last 8 years, this is my 9th year). I want to apply for German citizenship do i quaify? Do the years of study count?.
p.s i have never received any social money and i have rented my own apartment.
Another question am married and i would like my husband to join me. Can i apply for a reunion visa or what do we require for him to join me.
I will appreciate if you could help me.
Thank you for your kind words!
Yes, the time spent as a student does count.
The question on family reunion depends on your citizenship, your husband’s citizenship and a few other details. Because this thread on citizenship is already so long, I’d like to set up a separate list of FAQ on family reunion. I’ll do that as soon as someone mails me one of the books from my wishlist to do so. ;-)
Hi Mr Andreas
you write time spend as a student is not count in this replay but just little bit down u wrote in another comment Study time will count,, its to confusing please clarify this.. thanks
Mhh, I don’t find the other comment. I thought I wrote everywhere that the time spent as a student does of course count towards the residence requirement.
Hi Andreas! Thanks for helping us!
I’m from Venezuela and I have a German passport because my grand grandfather born in Germany and left Germany because of war, my grandfather have passport, and my mother too. Can I apply for the citizenship? I have plans too move to Germany after i graduate, My grand grandfather obtein another citizenship after my grandfather born. Is there any issues? Thanks!
What does it say under “Staatsbürgerschaft/Nationality” in line 3 on the plastic page of your German passport?
Have lived in Germany for a year then travel out and stay out for a year, came back now living for 2years, my son was born here and I’m divorce, currently on support from welfare, possible to apply for a German passport?
I’m amazed at your wealth of knowledge (and how well you explain it to others!) My grandfather emigrated to the U.S. around 1934 as a German Jew after his family’s business was expropriated by the Nazi regime. He married an American and did not pass citizenship to his daughter (my mother.) I’m interested in applying for German citizenship under the ‘victim of the Nazi regime’ process and am trying to track down the necessary documents. Do you know if he left voluntarily (even though it wasn’t his choice and he had the foresight to see what was happening) would I still be eligible? Also, do you know if he automatically had to give up German citizenship by marrying an American and at some point getting American citizenship? I am trying to find out if he became an American before or after my mother was born as I know this is important. Thanks! Kathi
Hello Kathi,
yes, he would have lost German citizenship by naturalizing in the US.
But Art. 116 II of the German Constitution also covers Jewish citizens who left Germany voluntarily if they lost German citizenship due to Germany’s racist and anti-Semitic laws between 1933 and 1945. In 1941, Germany had passed a regulation according to which all Jewish Germans automatically lost German citizenship if they resided abroad on 27 November 1941.
This would obviously cover your grandfather. It might also have been the case that his German citizenship was rescinded before that, but this is what we would need to research.
Now the question is whether your grandfather lost his German citizenship through the Nazi laws (in which case you can refer to Art. 116 II GG) or through naturalization (in which case you couldn’t invoke Art. 116 II GG because your grandfather also would have lost German citizenship if he had not been Jewish).
Thus, the timing of all these events is rather important. Good luck with the research!
Hello – my grandfather was a German citizen who was born in Germany in 1909 and moved to the United States in 1926 and at some point he became a US citizen. My mother was born in 1939 in the United States. What is the best way to find out when he became a US citizen so I can see if I’m eligible for dual citizenship in Germany? What other documentation will be required? Thanks!
The easiest way would be to ask him.
Alternatively, you could check your mother’s birth certificate for her father’s citizenship (f it indicated there).
Or I guess a good stop would be the place where your grandfather would have gone to get naturalized, what would now be the USCIS.
I v a question pls, my elder 6ta got married to a nigerian who is a german citizen by naturalization. He promised 2 take them 2 be with him at germany but now he has abandoned both mum n child back in nigeria( the child will be 3yrs old by june dis year, my questn is dis, is there nway she can report him 2 d embassy 4 dem 2 reach out 2 him n mk him do d ryt tin or is dere n oda way 2 reachout 2 him? Dey got married @ a registry in nigeria n she wud lyk d child 2 growup wit d father n herself in d same place. Tanks
There is no way to force the father to live with the mother and the child.
If the father was German when the child was born, then the child also has German citizenship. Child and mother (as the child’s guardian) can therefore move to Germany anytime they want.
Thanks for the useful website…
Hello Andreas…
It would be a pleasure if you could help me to find the answer.
My now 15 years old son was born in Germany on November 1999 (unmarried : I am a Thai and his father is N. Ireland / UK) I lived in Germany round 20 years with unlimit visa (Studied, worked, paid tax etc. like a normal German people). We left Germany year 2005. My son went to N. Ireland visiting school from then on until now. On my side : I stay in Thailand and lost my German unlimit visa.
His Dad passed away 3 days ago. I am now trying to get a visa from UK Embassy to see my son. I might get a ‘ Familie Visa ‘ to stay for long term but I am not allowed to work in the country. How life goes on without work ??? By the way, I decide that my son should finish his collage in N. Ireland first, which takes another 2+ years and he has some relative to look after him (just a bit)
I have a German Boyfriend. When I go to Germany, I only get a short term visa. My questions are :
1. Is there a way for me to get my unlimit visa back ? If not …
2. Would German Embassy give me at least 1 year multi Schengenvisa. This is the way I could stay closer to my 15 years old son – Just an hour fly to N. Ireland. Do they have to accept the situation between me and my son ? That a 15 years old boy still needs Mum…
3. Does my son have the right to visit University in Germany or ‘ Apply ‘ for German Citizenship ? when he finishes his collage (he should be 17 / 18 years old till then).
Thanks for your answer in advance. It would be a great help from you. Or if you see other way, please advice…
Best regards,
Pex
That’s a bit much to answer for free. I charge 200 EUR for a consultation.
Please give me another price.. 200 Euro is too high for me duing this suffer situation. If I had, I would pay… but right now I can’t afford. Kind regards,
Alternatively, you could mail me a few books from my wishlist.
I have raised my fee to 400 EUR now. You shouldn’t have waited that long.
Hi Andreas, great info you got here,, I’ve read this article and the one about naturalization, and its clear that you need to prove your bloodline (male) in order to obtain citizenship, But I have a problem there, maybe I can pick your brain, ? maybe? Here are my facts:
My Opa : German born in Aulie-Ata URRS (at the time)1915.
His father, german born in Rosenheim 1878
At some point Opa emigrated to Mexico.
Got married.
My Dad was born in Mexico 1948 (his birth certificate states that his father is German). Yet never applied for German citizenship. -or any for that matter-
many years later, I was born 1980 (mom and dad were and still are married).
The thing is,, Since Opa and Oma are now deceased, I don’t have access to any documents proving Opa’s nationality. No birth certificate, military papers or old passport. All I have is my dad’s birth certificate, and his marriage certificate to my mom.
You think this is enough to go to the embassy?
Thanks in advance for your time.
I checked out your wishlist and i’m more than happy to contribute to the cause!, but where should I send you one? a particular address? email me with details.
That’s very kind of you! My address in Romania is at the bottom of my wishlist. I will still be in Romania until May 2015.
Hi,
I was born in Germany before 2000 to non-german parents. My dad had lived there for 5 years as a diplomat. Neither of my parents has/had German citizenship. I currently hold a diplomatic passport but I would trade it in for a German one. I also speak German. Am I eligible for citizenship/and or could the requirements for naturalization be waived for me?
cheers
a) Only if you still live in Germany.
b) Why would the requirements for naturalization be waived for you? Are you offering useful intelligence?
Thanks for the timely response.
I don’t still live in Germany but what if I visited frequently/moved after graduation?
As for the naturalization thing I was wondering if they would waive the residency requirement of 3-8 years because I was born there and visit frequently.
cheers,
You would need to move to Germany, then you could have up to five years of your previous residence counted towards the residency requirement (§ 12b II StAG) if that time was conducive to your integration, which would be the case if you were learning German back then. Because the time is already so long ago, it is however unlikely that the full 5 years would be recognized.
Hello Andreas,
Firstly, thank you for your very helpful information! Please help with my questions if you have time and if possible I would be happy to use your paid services if needed.
My Grandparents on my fathers side and my father were all born in Germany; my father in 1949.
They emigrated to Australia when my father was around 6 years old and claimed Australian citizenship for the family (thereby giving up German passport/citizenship as far as I am aware).
Years later the family moved back to Germany however they retained the Australian passports (except for an uncle who got his German one) and would simply get it “visa stamped” every couple of years and had no problem living and working back in Germany.
My father moved back out to Australia and I was born in Australia to him and an Australian mother. My father returned to Germany for 13 years after divorce (only coming back 1 year ago to Australia) and still did the same ‘visa stamp’ thing with his Australian passport while there.
I personally lived in Germany on my Australian passport for 6 months a couple of years ago. I also asked years ago the German embassy in Australia whether I could gain a German citizenship/passport but he said no, although he was a very angry man having a bad day!
Could you please tell me what options I may have? I also have my father here who would be willing to help (as long as he doesn’t lose his Australian passport/pension – over 65 now) by reclaiming his passport if it could help me – although I would rather do it myself if possible.
Thank you so much!!
Tim
Hello Tim,
because you were born to two Australian parents in Australia, your only chance to obtain a German passport would be through naturalization. You would need to give up your Australian citizenship in that process, and the easiest way would be to do it after moving to Germany. Could you study or work there?
Hello Andreas,
This page is extremely enlightening. Thank you for sharing.
My Great-grandfather was born in Germany in 1867 just outside of Hamburg. He emigrated to South Africa around 1912. To the best of my knowledge, he never applied for South African citizenship.
I have managed to obtain a copy of his birth certificate from Germany. I have also obtained the unabridged birth certificate of my grandfather, which specifies that my great-grandfather and great-grandmother were married in Cape Town, the marriage certificate of my grandparents, my father’s birth certificate and my parent’s marriage certificates. According to this page <> that seems to be required. Unfortunately I have been unable to obtain a copy of my great-grandparents’ marriage certificate, at the time in South Africa records were not centralised. Will this be a problem given that my grandfather’s birth certificate states that they were married, and if so, is there some other documentation that can be supplied in lieu of the marriage certificate?
Secondly, the page I linked to specifies ” If applicable: Determination of Citizenship Status from the Department of Home Affairs, to prove that the German great-grandfather never applied for or acquired South African citizenship.” What would be deemed “applicable”? I will most likely apply for the determination of citizenship in any case to be sure, but unfortunately that will take a very long time.
I would very much like to know more about it.As i have the same situation …My great granddad…also from Germany and got married in Cape Town.
Firstly i would like to know how and where dud you get their birth certificates,marrage certificate and how much did it cost and how long did you wait?
I am very interested in Dieter’s conversation… i have the same related story as his… Just a few questions Dieter? How long did it take to get the certificates,how much did it cost you,and whether did you get it from?? As i too would like to apply for a dual passport (German.) Sent using CloudMagic
Hello Andreas,
I would like to thank you for your detailed account on German Nationality laws here. You have done an extremely helpful job here for many.
I have a query related to the nationality law that i am unable to get answers to from anywhere. I hope you understand this situation and come up with a solution.
I was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1992 to foreign parents. We left Germany 3 months short of completing the “8 years” requirement. Now when I was 18, I checked up with the laws but unfortunately they had been changed. An application was required by the government by 31st December, 2000, in order for me to be considered as a German national. Unfortunately no such application was sent by my parents due to unawareness of the changes in law. Right now, I hold a German birth certificate, but not the nationality. What I want to know is that is there anyway of I obtaining German nationality on this basis now? Are there any sort of relaxations here due to my place of birth? Would they accommodate me in any way?
I would be highly obliged if you could enlighten me on this issue.
Thanking you in advance.
If you move to Germany, settle there and apply for naturalization, up to 5 years of your previous stay can be counted towards the residency requirement (§ 12b II StAG). Because your last stay was already so long ago, probably less than 5 years would be recognized, but particularly if you still speak German well based on your childhood spent in Germany, then you can chop a few years off the residency requirement.
hello Andreas i Im currently doing a phd at bonn university, i am going to finish this year and i have a good comand of german at least B2. If i get a job here.how much more time do you think i going to need to apply for german citizenship? Thanking you in advance
Hi there I am Australian and my Girlfriend is German actually born in Sweden and moved to Germany as a teen but now a German citizen
I wanted to try and find out the best way for me to be able to stay and work in Germany I am not highly skilled meaning university degrees although if I can stay there once I learn more German I would consider going to university for such a thing but first I am trying to learn the language
Now I would think the easier way for me to stay as a Resident and not citizen is for us to get married but I think we are both not ready for this so I am trying to find some correct information on how I would be able to get to stay in Germany with her as long as possible I can travel for the 90 days visa free but only being able to do this twice a year and the cost involved of flying back and forth I am looking for something more permanent
She has a job as a medical assistant at a hospital and has her own apartment so I would have somewhere to live but I would like to try and find work also I dont mind what work I do as long as it allows me to stay with her
In case it may help I have a British mother and French father (deceased father though)
So having British heritage and being Australian I should have no problem staying in England and I am not sure but I may even be a dual citizen with UK which if this is the Cass being a EU country I might possibly be able to live and work in Germany easier
I could also apply for British citizenship and then use this for living in Germany but I dont want yo give up my Australian citizenship
Anyways perhaps most of my things I have said are incorrect I am not really sure where to look so if you could provide some advice
As stated I do have tertiary qualifications in IT but not university level I also dont have savings but as I mentioned until I can find work my girlfriend would be willing to help me I can live with her and she works I dont need much so shouldn’t be too much of a burden and hopefully temporary anyways
I would like to know, if there is a chance obtaining German Passport by investing in Germany? if yes, how it will go further?
i would like to know if my german citizenship can be reinstated and my passport be renewed by the german embassy here at the philippines? i was able to obtain a german passport(kinderpass) but unfortunately it expired and when i tried to renew it the embassy did not allow me to. in my philippine birth certificate the local civil registrar mistakenly registered the nationality of my father as australian instead of german, if the philippine courts approve my petition to change that to german will the german embassy here recognize that?my father is a german national who died here at philippines, i have the pertinent documents to prove that he is indeed a german national. thank you very much and GOD BLESS
That shouldn’t be a problem. You could also prove your father’s German citizenship with other documents, e.g. his previous passports.
My husband is 48 years old. He is a US citizen. He was born in Germany in 1966 to a German Mother (who at the time of my husbands birth was not yet an American citizen) and an American Father in the US Army. His parents were married in Germany in 1964. My husband lived in Germany until age of 12 or so and then his parents moved to the United States. He has had ties to Germany his whole life with his Aunts/Uncles/Cousins and Grandparents being German. He also speaks fluent German since he lived there until he was 12. He has always been interested in obtaining duel citizenship. Is this possible?
I have spent years researching and am completely confused on the rules and how to go about this.
Thank you in advance for your guidance and help.
Yes, this is possible.
See no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
Hello Mr. Moser. Can’t thank you enough for this info, it’s been really helpful.
Would you mind answering a quick question?
I’m trying to get German citizenship for my father. His grandfather was born to a German/English immigrant couple that got married here in Argentina. He and his father were born here too.
The problem is that the German consulate will not accept Argentinian documents as proof of my father’s German ancestry. They told me I need “German” documents to prove it. It certainly is possible for me to get them, but it would be quite difficult (and maybe expensive).
For example they ask me to get his great grandfather’s German birth certificate, even though I have lots of other documents that state he was a German citizen (and remained such until his death) like passenger lists, marriage certificate, national id, passports, his son’s birth certificate, etc. They all have information like year and place of his birth and all that, but since they’re documents issued here, they’re not enough. Some of these documents were even translated to German and presented to the Embassy at that time (they have official stamps & signatures).
My question is simple: is this true? Doesn’t sound very logical to me. What’s the point of having all these documents issued here if they’re not valid for whatever reason. What should I do?
Thanks for your help.
That’s actually true. Non-German documents cannot prove someone’s German citizenship.
It’s also logical, as Argentinean officials who issued these papers were probably no experts on German citizenship law. They just took anything for face value what your grandfather told them.
Argentina does not have any authority to make binding judgments on who has German citizenship, just as Germany couldn’t issue paperwork about someone’s potential Argentinean citizenship that would be binding on Argentina.
Thanks for your quick reply.
Hi Andreas,
I would like to congratulate you on a very great blog and for helping everyone.
I see that your knowledge is really remarkable regarding this topic and that it is fair and unbiased.
In 1998, I moved to Germany to study and I spent around 3 years studying till I got my master degree in Engineering then I got my green card and worked in a German company for another 2.5 years. I got a good offer to join the branch of same company in another country in Asia which I could not refuse and I moved there. When I was moving in 2003 I was informed that if I decide one day to come back to Germany the years I spent in Germany will not be counted in case I want to apply for a permanent residency or the citizenship. Now i have seen in your recent answers that this is not the case, so either the information was wrong or the law has changed since then. so what happened?
Then I checked the law you referred to “STAG 12B” and it says maximum 5 years not mentioning anything about studying. Also what I know is that you need to be working and paying pension insurance for 60 consecutive months to get permanent residency which is needed to apply for the citizenship, so how come studying years count? Also I checked another law “AufenthG 9” which mentions the studying time but will be counted as half and not full for the residence permit. So what do you think, which is the right one? or are these different?
the last question if you are still holding in there :) is that when I was told previously that these years will not be counted I decided then to take the pension insurance back as I did not make any sense to leave it there. Do you think that this may make a problem in counting the years I spent in Germany in case they are actually counted?
Thanks for your patience
The AufenthG and StAG must not be confused. StAG is the citizenship law, while AufenthG is the immigration law.
You do not necessarily need a permanent residence permit (“Niederlassungserlaubnis”) to apply for German citizenship. It is one of the possibilities to meet the residency requirement, but just one.
Citizenship (the subject of this FAQ) does not require any payment of pension contributions, so your refund won’t directly hurt an application for naturalization, but it might postpone getting one of the residence permits (the subject of another FAQ, one day) that you need, thus making you eligible for naturalization much later.
Thanks a lot Andreas, I think I will overcome the residency issue with blue card for 21 months then I get the hairdressing. I hope then I will be able to count my previous years of study and work. Myvqurstion now in citizenship and the 12B law, it says “kann” And not “ist” and here I mean the 5 years you mentioned. Does this mean that it is up to someone decision and not a must to count the previous years?
Exactly. § 12b II StAG raises a possibility for up to 5 years of a previous stay being counted, but no guarantee. The general guideline is that they should be counted if they were conducive to integration, i.e. if you were learning or speaking German at that time. Payment of pension contributions might also have helped in this case. Another factor is how long ago this time was (and again how well you still remember German from back then).
Often a compromise is made and just part of the applicant’s previous stay is counted.
Am a Indian citizenship but living in france.but my grandfather is a French nationality.I came for my daughter treatment .my both uncles my father elder brother and younger brother are living in france.pl help me sir.whether there is possible
I don’t see any connection to German citizenship law.
Hi,
I am a Singaporean of Chinese-Eurasian descent. My great-great grandfather was of German descent and from Berlin who came to Singapore and married a Chinese Singaporean in the late part of 19th century. we have the records too to prove it and DNA tests can confirm links to relatives from their side. Is that eligible for German citizenship?
Only if there is an unbroken chain of legal (not biological) paternity on the paternal side (maternal side OK from 1975 on) and none of the ancestors lost their German citizenship before they could pass it on.
Over so many generations, citizenship was usually lost one way or the other, most often by getting naturalized in another country.
Hi Andreas, is the German citizenship lost as soon as someone starts the process for naturalization or only after naturalization is granted? My great-grandfather (paternal side) was born in Germany and came to the USA in 1923. He was in the “first papers” stage of naturalization when my grandfather was born in 1933, although the process took 6 more years to be complete. Was it too late for citizenship to be passed down?
German citizenship is only lost once the other citizenship is granted. Otherwise there would be a period when a person has no citizenship at all.
It sounds like your grandfather was born with both German (ius sanguinis) and US (ius soli) citizenship. Normally, both these citizenships would have been passed on through the generations.
Hi Andreas,
I became a U.S. citizen by marriage in 2007 and did not know at the time that I will loose my German passport by excepting the U.S. citizenship. So I would like to recover my German passport but do not know how to could you tell me how I can do so or referral me to a attorney that works with cases like mine thank you in advance.
Hi Andreas…
I was born in Germany in 1960..My parents & grandparents are also German…
In 1966 my grandparents…my mother (now deceased) & siblings all moved to Australia…Leaving behind many relatives including my father (now deceased), siblings, Aunt’s & Uncle’s etc..
I was naturalized at the age of 16 years (my mothers choice)..
I married an Australian at the age of 19 years…Had 2 children from that marriage…
One was born in 1981 & the other in 1983….In Australia…
The child born in 1983 wants to go live in Germany next year to continue his career..
Can he get a dual citizenship as seeing I was born in Germany but Father Australian born…
And would I be able to obtain my German citizenship back also…
Very hard to find out any information about this..
Thank you
I would be very interested in Andrea’s reply to you Liz as I am very much in same situation. What I believe is that we are not eligible to German passports because our mother’s renounced our citizenship when they took Australian citizenship for us – unless we renounce our Australian citizenship. My father even lives permanently in Germany yet I am not eligible! I think your son may be eligible for citizenship but not a daughter? Just their silly and sexist laws. Anyway, will be interested in what Andreas has to say. Cheers
What sexist laws? There is no distinction between son or daughter in German citizenship law.
What silly laws? If both parents are only Australian and give birth to a child in Australia, of course the child is Australian, not German.
Apologies Andreas but I was sure I read somewhere that a daughter/granddaughter was not entitled to German citizenship but only son/s & grandsons. Liz the primary thing is “As the German citizenship is based on the principle of avoiding dual citizenship, dual citizenship will only be granted by way of utmost exception”. Check out this site http://www.australien.diplo.de/Vertretung/australien/en/04/Nationality_20and_20Citizenship/Page__Information__on__Reacquisition.html which should give you the information you require.
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my son is German and American citizen but we went to Germany because my I wanted my ill son having a better life he was chased by a German his illness got worse he wants to go back home to the state it is his home my husband was a soldier that is how we meet in Germany and got married he was stationed here my son did nothing wrong he is nerve ill it got worse after he was chased He belongs back to the states help us please
1. Punctuation would really help.
2. I don’t understand the question.
3. But I think I understand that it’s not a question about German citizenship law.
Dear Adreas,
Thank you for your wonderful work.
I am a Scientist and working at the TU -berlin. I have stayed in Germany for 11 years and 5 months (did my PhD here and then post-doctoral work) and have payed taxes for 7.7 months. However, since I knew only basic german then, I did not apply for permanent residency or citizenship.
Now I have attended B1 course at the goethe institute and can speak better (good for B1 level).
My questions are :
1. Do I have to have Permanent residency first to have German citizenship? or I can just directly apply for citizenship
2. Do i have to take integration course ? I have lived here already more than 11 years and someone told me that if you stay more than 8 years I do not need it
Please help me our here.
Thank you.
Also, its better to hire a trained lawyer for this purpose. Could you recommend me one in Berlin?
No, you really don’t need to hire a lawyer to hand in your application.
I am sorry, totally forgot to tell you that I am an Indian
Dear Andreas,
I was born 1967 in Germany, live two years in Nagold , and back in Serbia, my parents is non German.My question is did I have any rights like, perimt to live in Germany, citizenship or……
any rights.What good lawyer can do for my case.
Unfortunately that was too long ago. No rights can be derived from your birth in Germany if none of your parents were German (this only changed in 2000).
Dear Andreas,
My grandmother was born in “East Germany” during the east west split, and met my grandpa who was English on the west side. She and her brother, and I believe aunt or mother then immigrated to the United States. (That’s my dads side) On my mom’s side, my great great grandpa was from Germany and immigrated with his family to the US. Seeing I have fairly close ties to Germany on each side of my family, on these foundations, is there a possibility of gaining German citezship in any way?
It depends when you were born and if one of your parents had German citizenship at the time of your birth.
I would need to know far more details about naturalizations, marriages, births, emigrations and so on. Because I would also need to research the citizenship laws of the GDR, I would need to charge a consultation fee of 250 EUR in this case.
Hello Andreas,
Thank you so much for your awesome blog. I have been following it for a while and only recently read this post which has got me (quietly) excited.
If you don’t mind could you comment on whether I am likely to have an application for a German passport approved given the following?
I was born in Australia in 1987 and am an Australia citizen.
My father was born in 1962 in the Seychelles and retains that citizenship.
My paternal grandmother was born in Germany in 1940 and retains German citizenship.
My mother and her ancestors going back to the ill-gotten offspring of some thieving convict are Australian.
No one in my family, including myself, has ever applied for any other citizenship, been adopted, renounced a citizenship or been a member of foreign armed force.
I am going to live in Germany soon as German language student (my fiancee is German and I would like to be able to speak her native language) and a German passport would make life a lot easier.
Cheers,
Tor
It sounds like none of your parents was German at the time of your birth, so you did not acquire German citizenship.
If you get married, you can apply for naturalization after living in Germany for 3 years.
Good morning. My dad and his family were born in Germany and they fled Germany just before the war started as my grandfather was arrested by the SS for writing anti Nazi article sin Das Berliner Newspaper- long story, they were forced to leave and had a choice of friends who could help them get out as passes to leave the country wer needed to go either to England, USA or SA and as both USA and ENgland werent taking any Germans in he came to SA and became a SA citizen by naturakization and years later from a second marriage I was born. Would I in any way have a claim on German citizenship?
halo
i am from india….i am studying in germany since fours still now i am studying here… its been 4 years i am here in germany…
i spend more than one year doing the language course in germany and now i am studying in english university,,,,,
i speak quite good german language too….
now, i am thinking to make a german citizenship to stay a long time here in germany, how is it possible,,, i dont want to discountinue my study also….is there is any possibility of getting german citizenship by continuing study too??
please reply me
I am a Canadian citizen currently engaged to a German citizen, with intentions of living in Germany for a considerable amount of time (he has a young child, and I am willing to relocate to Germany so that he can fulfill his parental obligations) before possibly returning together to Canada. I am about to be medically retired from the Canadian Forces and will have a pension (therefore, I will have economic (secondary) ties to the country, despite severing my primary (residency) ties), but I will continue to work as a civilian and would like to do so while residing in Germany.
Would I be able to apply for dual citizenship, seeing as how my federal government ties can’t be severed as easily as any civilian ones (with respect to my medical benefits, insurance coverage, pension, etc)?
I will have a separate FAQ on dual citizenship coming up next month which will address questions like this.
I was born in Germany before 2000 to non-german parents. My mom had lived there for 5 years during the war in Bosnia. Neither of my parents has/had German citizenship. But my grandparents have.I also speak German. Is there any way that I can get passport? I’m really good student and I’m offering useful intelligence. If there is way, who should I contact? I’m 18 years old.
Mistake I’m now 17 years old and will be 18 in June.
Hi, i am from pakistan can i get immigration freely to germany, my uncle is citizen of germany? as any possibility if my uncle gives surety or any thing else as guarantee?
I was born in Germany in the late 60s, of a Nigerian father and German mother. Then it was required that both parents apply that the child be German. Mine didn’t. We moved back to Nigeria in the early 70s. I was back in Germany (Nigerian passport),in 1989. Married (German ) in 1990 for 14years. I was granted the German citizenship through an accelerated application in 1993(3rustag) and renounced the Nigerian citizenship. in 2005 after a torrid divorce I travelled to Nigeria, where I have lived eversince. I remarried in 2007 and we are blessed with two children. Due to my circumstances (,I speak the Nigerian languages fluently) I never bothered about extending my Nigerian residence permit and the Nigerian govt allows dual citizenship so I got a Nigerian passport. my German passport expired in 2010 but I felt I could renew whenever. Last year i went to apply for a new passport at the German consular and was told I had been officially living illegally in Nigeria, I would have to provide residence permit on the passport before it would be renewed.. I want to know how this situation affects my children. What chances do they have of getting the German citizenship. It have they lost it forever.
If you had German citizenship at the time your children were born, then they automatically git German citizenship at birth.
hello , my name is Iyad and I’m from jordan residing in UAE at the current time , I got married recently to german lady here in dubai. I lived here in dubai for 18 years then I traveled to jordan to complete my bachelor study for 7 years, then I came back here to dubai and I started my career here for more than 3 years. My question is : what are the required document to get the permanent residency visa in Germany and to get the german passport as well ?
I’m not sure if you can answer my question or not, but I’ll ask it anyways. My Oma was born and raised in Germany. In 1947 She had a daughter my mother with an American soldier Got married to a different soldier and moved to the United States. My Mother stayed and was raised my her Oma in Germany. My Mother came to the United States when she was 15 years old. As far as I know both my Mother and Oma eventually became United States citizens. My question is does that entitle me to dual citizenship or do I already have dual citizenship and not know it? Thanks for any answers or advice.
It depends whether your mother still had German citizenship at the time of your birth.
Thats where I get confused. My mother had US citizenship through her American soldier father So I was wondering if she had both.
Hi Andreas, I´ve tried to find a case like mine above but I couldn´t.
Me and my husband are Brazilians (and still living in Brazil) but we both have dual citizentships. Besides the Brazilian, I have the German citizenship and my husband has the Portuguese one. We have a baby, she was born in Brazil last year, and we would like to give her multi citizenship. Is it possible? Does Germany permits it?
Thanks and congratulations for your blog!
Hi Andreas,
I am a Tunisian who was born in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1987. My parents were Tunisian immigrants who studied and worked in Germany from 1983-1995. I was raised in Karlsruhe for 8 years but at the end I had to leave with my parents who decided to relocate to another country. I still have adequate German language skills which, i believe, can easily be improved by attending few courses. I am currently in the UK doing a postgraduate course. Am I eligible to apply for a German citizenship? Thanks!
Not directly, but if you could move to Germany, up to 5 years ofvyour previous stay can count towards the residence requirement (which is between 6 and 8 years, depending on your language skills).
Thanks Andreas! This is indeed what I am planning to do.
excuse me, i have read you article about applying german citizenship.
can i ask a further question, do you know is that any day requirement to stay in germany in a year(mean that how many day can i leave outside germany during a year)if i want to apply for the german citizenship? thank you
If you are absent from Germany for less than 6 months, your stay in Germany will be considered as without any interruption (section 12b I 1 StAG).
Hallo Andreas,
I and my wife are citizen of Bangladesh. We were lived in Germany from 2005 to 2009 for the purpose of achieving PhD degree. There was a child born at 2008. My child has German birth certificate. Now we all are living in Bangladesh. My question is that, “shall my child eligible for German citizenship after 18 years old, if she apply?”
No. See question no. 4 above.
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Good day,
I want to apply for the german passport.
I am a South African citizin as my parents and grandparents are. My great-greatgrandparents were German citizins. What is the possibility that I could get a german passport and what is needed to get the passport.
Regards,
Anke Klingenberg
We would need to see if your great-grandparents passed on German citizenship to at least one of your grandparents and they to at least one of your parents.
I would need to know far more details about your family history to determine that. From the other questions and my answers above, you will see what parameters we are looking for.
Hi,
My great great grandparents were also german, but my great grandparents did not pass their citizenship to my grandparetns. Is there still a possibility?
thanks,
No. Once the line is broken, that’s it.
I’m born in Germany 1997 with non-german parents. My mom had lived there for 5 years during the war in Bosnia. Neither of my parents has/had German citizenship. But my grandparents have. I also speak German. Is there any way that I can get citizenship? I’m really good student and I’m offering useful intelligence. What is the possibility that I could get a german passport and what is needed to get the passport? Please answer me.
Why do you think your grandparents didn’t pass on their German citizenship to (one of) your parents? If they did, even unknowingly, your case would be much stronger.
How they could do it? I think they haven’t done it
I would need to know much more details about all of your family’s history. I charge 200 EUR for a consultation based on this.
hello, I have a question not addressed here…I was born in Hanover Germany, I was adopted by American parents in 1960 ( i was 2 years old at the time) and arrived in the US with a german passport. I was later naturalized an american citizen. I would like to know if it is still possible to renew my passport or to get my german citizenship back? How would I go about doing this?
Thank you,
Marlies Maneru
liesemaneru@gmail.com
Please check my FAQ on reclaiming German citizenship.
Hai Andreas
I am a student in Germany. doing masters. but it is not going well. can i apply for Asyl . I am from Bangladesh. I accept the christian religious here and for me it is very dangerous to go to my home country as it is a muslim country.
thank you
Hello Andreas,
I’m a 17-year-old living in the United States. At my birth, my father was a U.S. citizen and my mother was a German citizen. Since then, my mother has gained U.S. citizenship through naturalization. Considering that I am a minor, did this cause me to lose my German citizenship?
Thank you!
Hi
I was born in England and both my parents where born in England aswell but my mums dad who was born in England but instantly moved to Northern Ireland. Then he left the army in Germany and he has been there for 30 years and has a wife and 2 kids
But my mums mum is not my granddads current wife
Does this mean I can claim to be German
This sounds like you haven’t read my FAQ above.
Hi Andreas, thank you SO much for putting up this much valuable info online.
I have a situation somewhat similar to Kathi’s (https://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/faq-citizenship-law-in-germany/#comment-18221), but with a couple of twists. My grandparents emigrated to Brazil in 1935 due to racial issues — he was jew, but a romanian citizen, and she was german, but not jew. They were already living together for some years and decided to flee after repeatedly trying to marry and sistematically failing the Kafkaesque maze used to keep them from marrying, and after their shop was attacked they finally fled. In 1948 they both naturalized as brazilian citizens, but my grandmother still received a retirement pension from the german govt. later in her life (I don’t know if this makes any difference in understanding her status).
What are my odds at acquiring german citizenship under art. 116, given my grandmother was forced to flee, but without being herself jew (and not being married to one at that time, but only because of the persecution already in place)?
Thanks a lot!
PS: I see you have a South America Lonely Planet guide in your wishlist, but just in case, is there anything more specific I can help you with your trip? I live in Rio de Janeiro.
Hello Felipe,
thank you very much for the book you sent me and your offer to help me in Brazil! Unfortunately, I will only be in the north of the country on my first trip, so I won’t come to Rio this time.
Now to your question, which I coincidentally answer from Romania, where your grandfather was from:
Unfortunately, your grandparents’ case is one of the many cases which fall through the cracks of the law.
While it is absolutely understandable that they fled the discrimination in Germany – in fact, it showed the foresight which many others lacked -, Art. 116 II GG only addresses Germans who lost their citizenship between 1933 and 1945 due to “political, racial or religious reasons”.
Many non-Jewish German emigrants also lost their citizenship, particularly if they were politically active or if they wrote articles or gave speeches against Nazi Germany. 39,000 people were expatriated this way. In typical German fashion, all of this was well documented in 359 “Ausbürgerungslisten”. They are available as a book – http://www.produkte24.com/images/catalogs/1221/pdf_3366.pdf – but I don’t know of any online source. Of course one could also manually go through all the lists in a German archive, but that’s the only way to find out if your grandmother was on that list. The more politically active she was, the higher the chance.
But we have another problem: Art. 116 II GG is supposed to put you in the position you would be in if your grandmother hadn’t lost her German citizenship due to persecution. But until 1975, German mothers could not pass on German citizenship (only German fathers could). So, even if she had kept her German citizenship, her child would not have been born with German citizenship, but with either Romanian or Brazilian or both.
I am very sorry that I don’t have any better news.
Hi Andreas, thanks a lot for your answer. It will spare me an incredible amount of energy and time, even if it is not the answer one might expect.
AFAIK she was not politically active at all, so my odds are probably near 0%. I’ll be in Berlin in a few weeks and I’ll take a look at these books nonetheless, if I happen to find them in a public library.
Too bad you’re not coming to Rio — drop me a line when you do!
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for this wonderful, informative site!
I haven’t had time to read through all the comments yet, so this may have already been answered, but here goes anyway!
My great grandfather may have been German – I suspect he was born there, but am unable to prove it until I have my grandfather’s unabridged birth certificate (application already in progress). My grandfather, father and I were all born in Somerset West, South Africa, in 1921, 1949 and 1980, respectively. All (apart from myself, obviously) are now deceased, and all are naturalised South Africans. If my great grandfather was indeed German, would ancestry still pass down through the generations, and hopefully, to me? If so, what would I need to prove that ancestry would’ve passed down from generation to generation?
Kind Regards,
Anton
Hi Andreas – I’ve been following a couple of your pages for a while — thank you for your generosity in providing so much information! My question lies somewhere between Family Law and Immigration Law. I am American, and my boyfriend of the last six years is German. We live in Germany (except when I have to leave for 90 days to reset my visa), and the people at our local Ausländerbehörde know us VERY well. They’ve been asking us for the last two years when we will finally get married. The last time we were there, I asked how long it would take, once we got married, for me to be allowed to work in Germany, and the Beamter there replied “the next day”. Is that true? We are now planning to get married, and I am getting ready to go to a job interview, and need to tell them when I would be able to start working.
Also, it seems like you are no longer working as a lawyer. Could you recommend a good family lawyer in Hessen to help us with an Ehevertrag?
Thank you!
Once you get married to a German citizen living in Germany, you immediately qualify for a residence permit according to § 28 I AufenthG. This comes with a full work permit. I wouldn’t guarantee “the next day”, but this is indeed something which doesn’t take very long.
I am sorry I cannot recommend any individual lawyer, but maybe my tips on finding a good lawyer will be of some help.
Please am a Nigeria by birth. Am a German by nationality. Have been marry to my wife getting to two years now and we have a son together. My qeution is . My wife have a Aufenthalts. I want to know if my wife need to get unrefritetgenemigung before apply for Germany nationality . My wife from Nigeria . We live together here in German . Düsseldorf
I became a US citizen a few years back so that my German husband could get his green card. I did not know at the time that I would loose my German citizenship with this automatically. I want my German citizenship back because we want to move back to Germany in the future. Can I still get my German citizenship back and if yes, would I loose my US citizenship then?
thanks
Hey, I am an Indian National, residing in Germany for 4 and a half years now. I studied engineering masters here and now doing a second masters. I am married to a Dutch national since one year but we are living together since two and a half year. I speak very good German , have successfully completed the integration course with the exam and am not dependent on welfare of German government. I want to apply for German citizenship, do you think that would be possible now and if not, would at least a permanent residence permit be possible to get? And when do I become eligible for German citizenship in case now is not possible? Please guide me with your kind advice. I would be deeply obliged by your kind concern.
Regards.
Hello Andreas I am Stefanie Antwi Debrah and I am a girl of 28years old.I was born on 7th September 1986 in Germany but i came to Ghana at tender age around 3 years and I can not go back.My Parents are still living in Germany and my father has a German citizen passport.I am also a physically challenge that is I can not walk,i use a wheelchair.please I want to go back to Germany,can you please help me
Hallo Andreas,
I think i will get more answers to my questions now and big thanks for this article.
Here’s my case. Ich bin Filipino mit Deutsch contract since 2014November from a global affiliated German company based in Dusseldorf.
More than year back I have been staying in Germany as a trainee for the said company since October2013 with the AUFENTHALTSERLAUBNIS valid until October2014. It has extended until such time i got the full German Contract for NOV2014-OCT2016. Then the German government gave me the BLAUE KARTE EU valid from FEB2015 until my Filipino passport expires(because it will expire same year). They will give me new BLAUE KARTE after my renewed Filipino passport comes from Berlin. I am currently abroad doing the jobs and kinda learning Deutsch every time i get back to Germany for reporting and stuffs.
Questions are: What level of Deutsch do i need to acquire for me to get the German passport? And if its possible for you to enumerate specifically for my case on how to get the passport systematically. This passport is needed for my career especially that my jobs are located on a countries where German passport holders DO NOT need visas at all and i am planning to bring my wife and kid in a year or two in Deutschland. It is really killing me to leave alone in my flat without my wife and kid.
Answers would greatly help me Herr Moser. Thanks in advance.
Kind Regards,
Gadiel Lucas
Hallo, i have a little question. Im married by a german citizen and we are living recently in the Philippines but my husband from time to time going home in germany to his parents and he still paying tax and residence to his parents. My question is he want to bring me in germany and he is retired . He dont want me to work in Germany.Do i need A1 German language course?We talk in english.
Yes you do. But don’t worry, A1 level is really easy to achieve.
hie there i am zambian national, i married a german woman in 2010 in germany,. i moved full time living in germany, with my german wife in 2011 november.now almost 3 years and 7 months together plus we just had a child in january 2015..now she wants separation from me.first i was given one year visa than after i was given 3 years visas called AUFENTHALTSERLAUBNIS.my visas expire in november 2015.can i apply for permanent residency or german passport.i have never claimed any money from the stadt.i have been applying for jobs since i came to germany.currently i dont have job..please kindly guide me what i must do. i like to stay in germany.
i have done A1 LEVEL PLUS A2 i passed i have also done politic course exam i passed also i have passed a exam called einbugerum test plitics of the rgion i live in germany..
Great info, My Grandfather and Grandmother are from Germany. One Aunt and One Uncle were born in Germany and the other Aunt and Uncle were born in Canada. My dad was the only one born in the USA. I have been doing search but got stuck at Bremen the port they left to travel to Canada too. I have tried many sites and now teaching myself German so I can search German sites. Grandma never told us anything and I never got to know my Grandpa because he died when my Dad was young. I want to know his family if only to talk to them through emails. I am lost and about to just give up. One day maybe I will or can afford a trip to my Grandpas Country. They left there around 1914, but I could never become a citizen because I can’t lose my USA citizenship.. Thank you for the information
Hi andreas i want to ask some question. Im pinay and my fiance is german we plan already about our marriage here in philippines and our requirements already in german embassy for checking.and now im 4 month pregnant from my german fiance.we apply already the family reunion visa and vatershaftannirkinnung and i have appointment on june 2 2015 in german embassy.i want to ask if i born here in phil if our child is get 2 passport.german passport und phil passport? Danke
Hello Andreas, I’m getting ready to move to Berlin to marry my German girlfriend. I was married once before. (A mistake) I’ve been reading so many bad things online, how hard it is to marry in Germany esp if you’ve married before? She is also on the heartz social program. I want to go to Berlin and work, even if I’m just washing dishes till my Deutsch gets better and I get a good job. Can I buy a one way ticket to marry her in Berlin without a visa? I heard they won’t let you leave the usa without a visa or two way flight? If I have all the “right” papers is there a chance I can be denied for marriage? (No criminal record, no debt) I also wanted to get health insurance when I get to Berlin, now I have none. What do I do to make this work. Is it impossible? I will do whatever it takes to make this work out! I BELIEVE in us. Thank you, J.
Hi Andreas, Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Recently I went to German Embassy London to renew my Daughter’s German passport, which she got because I’m a German. I was told that I have to pay £650 to send documents to Lagos in order to legalize my marriage, before they could issue renewal of her passport.
I asked them what has my wife and our marriage certificate got to do with the renewal of the passport. I have evidence they have previously sent the marriage certificate to Berlin before issuing her the first passport.
I was not given any reasonable explanation other than that it was not spotted in the first time and now the marriage certificate and other documents has to be sent to Lagos for legalization before further renewal . My Daughter is stateless now due to this.
My wife is not interested in going to leave in Germany. I do not understand why they are asking to for this , and in all the required documents on the Embassy website is not a requirement, though they need the consent of the mother which is always endorsed and present at the embassy office.
Thanks for assisting me.
1) Your daughter is not stateless. A passport does not bestow citizenship, nor does the loss of a passport remove citizenship. A passport is only a travel document.
2) You are absolutely right! Your daughter is German if she was born to a German father. Period. It doesn’t matter if you were married, if you are married now, to whom or where you got married or anything else.
3) I would file the application for the passport with the documents that you really need to supply (proof of your own German citizenship at the time of your daughter’s birth, her birth certificate and your wife’s power of attorney if your daughter is a minor) and ask the Embassy to deny your request in writing if they so insist. Then we’ll take it from there.
Thanks Andrea for the hope your response has given me to pursue this case.
If your German is good, Please read their responses I previously got from the Embassy last time they refused to renew my daughter passport. In my last attempt they only only asked to do what this email requested.
Sehr geehrte Frau Olih,
sehr geehrter Herr Olih,
wie Ihnen bereits bei Ihrer Vorsprache in der Passstelle der Botschaft London
mitgeteilt, habe ich mich
beim zuständigen Standesamt I in Berlin erkundigen müssen, ob Ihre nigerianische
Heiratsurkunde einer formellen und materiellen Überprüfung durch das Generalkonsulat
in Lagos unterzogen wurde.
Dieses war laut Auskunft vom 18.10.2012 nicht der Fall.
Für die Erstbeantragung eines Reisepasses für ein eheliches Kind ist die
Überprüfung der nigeranischen Heiratsurkunde zwingend
vorgeschrieben, was leider bei der Passbeantragung für Ihr erstes und zweites Kind
aus dieser Beziehung übersehen wurde.
Das entsprechende Merkblatt welche Unterlagen vorgelegt werden müssen, wurde Ihnen
bereits bei Ihrer Vorsprache ausgehändigt.
Die Kosten variieren je nach Entfernung vom Generalkonsulat Lagos zum
Ausstellungsort der Urkunde und betragen ca. 650 EURO in britischer Währung.
Sobald Sie die Unterlagen komplett haben, können Sie mit mir einen
Termin zwecks Abgabe der Unterlagen
vereinbaren.
Da der Passantrag für Ihr Kind nicht weiter bearbeitet werden kann, ist
eine umgehende Vorsprache von Ihnen in der
Passstelle der Botschaft London notwendig.
—
Best regards
Mit freundlichen Grüssen
I.A.
Theo Vortkamp
Attache
Passport and Visa Section
German Embassy
23 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PZ
Phonr 020-78241456
Faxnr 020-78241449
Sehr geehrte Frau Olih,
sehr geehrter Herr Olih,
die Überprüfung Ihrer nigeranischen Heiratsurkunde in formeller und
sachlicher Hinsicht ist zwingend vorgeschrieben.
Das hätte bereits vor der Ausstellung der Reisepässe für Ihre anderen
zwei Kinder geschehen müssen.
Eine Passausstellung ohne diese Überprüfung ist nicht möglich.
In Ihrem eigenen Interesse sollten Sie nunmehr die Unterlagen und die
entsprechende Gebühr umgehend der Passstelle der Botschaft London
vorlegen.
Das entsprechende Merkblatt haben Sie bereits erhalten.
Best regards
Mit freundlichen Grüssen
I.A.
Theo Vortkamp
Attache
Passport and Visa Section
German Embassy
23 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PZ
Phonr 020-78241456
Faxnr 020-78241449
Hyman O schrieb am 23.10.2012 11:19 Uhr:
> sehr geehrter Herr Theo Vortkamp, Danke für die schnelle Antwort,
>
> Bitte, ich möchte nur für die Erneuerung meiner ersten Tochter
> Passport ohne Heiratsurkunde Legalisierung bewerben Sie sich jetzt
> aufgrund der finanziellen Status.
>
> Bitte noch eine Bitte zu klären: Ich konnte nicht finden meine
> ursprüngliche Alter Erklärung Zertifikat, aber ich fand die Kopie der
> deutschen gesetzlichen übersetzte Version.
>
> Würden diese Anfrage vor möglich sein, vor meinem einen Termin bei der
> Botschaft.
>
>
>
> Thanks for the quick response’
>
> Please I would like to apply just for the renewal of my first
> Daughter’s Passport without the marriage certificate legalization for
> now due to financial status.
>
> Please one more request to be clarified: I could not find my original
> age declaration certificate but I found the copy of
> German legally translated version.
>
> Would these request above be possible before my making an appointment
> to the Embassy.
>
>
>
> Mit freundlichen Grüssen
>
> Hyacinth Olih
>
Mein Deutsch ist hoffentlich mehr als nur gut. :) Schließlich bin ich auch Deutscher.
Wenn ich mich mit Ihrem Fall näher befassen soll, müsste ich allerdings meine Beratungsgebuehr von 200 € berechnen. Ich hoffe aber, dass Sie auch ohne dies in Anspruch zu nehmen einen deutschen Pass für Ihre Tochter erhalten werden.
Haben Sie denn einen Staatsangehörigkeitsnachweis für Ihre Tochter? Oder hat sie auch noch einen Personalausweis?
I am in africa in angola luanda
Am from guinea. Conakry
A
Bón. 1984
My okpetion is business
I want garmaney. Passport
How to applying. For application
In afr
Hello Andreas,
Im in my 2nd semester here in Germany now and intend to earn the citizenship later on. And i have 2 questions if you could help me with it would be so great:
1. I have to stay in Germany at least 8 years, does that includes my time of study? In case it only counts up to the time i start to work and pay tax, would that count if I work and pay tax during my study?
2. Within that 8 years, i couldn’t leave the country AT ALL, or is there a time allowance?
thank you, im so looking forward to hearing from you
Welcome to Germany!
1. Your time of study counts.
2. There is no problem if you leave for periods of up to 6 months at a time, e.g. for holiday or visits to your family or internships.
hello sir,
i am ashraf from Bangladesh. my sister live in Germany. she want to invite me for a short time visa. now what kind of paper i need to submit in German embassy. im 31 years old and single. i have a small business. is their any possibility to get a visa?. can my sister apply for me a residence permit visa??
pls reach me as soon as possible.
Thanks
ashraf
Because this has nothing to do with citizenship law, it will have to wait until I put up FAQ on visitor visas.
Hello sir,
how r u??? i don’t get any answer from u about visitor visa. what kind of paper i need to submit in embassy to get a visitor visa if my sister invite me???.
and i have a question that in my passport i use my father name- md korim & mother name – shahena begum but my sister use in her passport father name – korim and mother name- mosammet shahena begum. is their any problem to get a visa for both name titles differences.???
pls reach me as soon as possible.
thanks.
Hallo Andreas, I hope you could give me some feedback about a situation that I have not been able to clarify searching through the internet. My deceased grandfather was born in Mexico in 1903 from a German father and Mexican mother, so he had both a German and a Mexican citizenship by birth. He lived most of his childhood and early 20’s in Germany, then he came back to Mexico where he got married and had children. I’m pretty sure my granfather had a German passport, at least before his 21st birthday. My question is if you know if back in the 1920’s did Germany required citizens with dual citizenship (even by birth) to opt for the German or the other citizenship at age 21, or if they were able to keep both forever? I ask you this since I read that at least now there are certain situations in which some German citizens are required to choose. I’m interested in obtaining the German passport and I believe I would qualify for it as long as my grandfather was not forced by Germany back then to declare one nationality or the other (and thus continued to enjoy his German citizenship until he had my mother). I REALLY appreciate any feedback you could provide me.
There was no requirement like that in the early 20th century.
The current requirement to decide between German and foreign citizenship ONLY relates to children who have NO German parent and who receive German citizenship through ius solis.
Thank you very much for your help! I’m about to send my application to confirm my German nationality. I hope it all goes well.
Hello! I am an Indian living in Germany on study visa with my Indian wife. It’s our second year in German… If we give birth to a child here then can we eligible for citizenship of German?
No.
You will have to go through the normal naturalization process.
Hello Andreas,
My grandparents moved from Germany in 1953 to the US and my father was born in 1956. My grandparents became naturalized US citizens 1959. I have my fathers birth certificate and my grandpa’s US naturalization paper . It would appear to me that since my father gained US citizenship at birth three years before my grandparents he would also have automatically gained German citizenship through my opa as well. My question is since that the chain wasn’t broken then I would be eligible for German citizenship as well. I am currently studying mechanical engineering at a US university but, I would like to be able to intern in Germany and eventually move there after completing my major. Knowing the information that would give me citizenship what is the next step in the process to apply to have German citizenship? Is it something that can be done abroad? Also my grandpa was actually born in Prussia does that make a difference, his naturalization papers say Germany and as previous citizenship, he also served in the Germany military during the war.
Thst sounds like you do indeed have German citizenship.
You can contact the closest German consulate and apply for a citizenship certificate, with which you can then obtain a German passport.
Hi
I am Kosovar citizen and my fiancee German citizen, she is University student, we want to get married this year but we are afraid if she can take me there because she is still student, is this possible, or can her parents guarantee for me until i get a job there ?
And can i live in their house until i get a job and take an apartment for me and my wife ?
Thank you very much.
Denis
This is not about citizenship law, so it will have to wait for my FAQ on family reunion visas.
Hi Andreas
I’m a South African Citizen with a German Grandfather, through which I am eligible for a German passport. My sister applied for her German passport 13 years ago through the German embassy in the UK and was finalized within 8weeks. As I was told by the German Embassy in South Africa my application will take between 2-4 years. Someone the told me that my I could get some ‘blue’ or ‘green’ document form my sister that she can obtain from the German Embassy in the UK to speed up the process for the reason that my sibling has already applied and the process on verification has already been done on my Grandfather.
Please could you advise on what form they are talking about. The German Embassy in South Africa is not very helpful in this matter
Tank you
Renier
Hello there, Im Junius 25male single, I just wanna ask if it is possible for for my visa to be approaved, the situation goes like this… My grandmother(84y/o) anually get invitation to go to germany by my auntie(my grandma’s daughter) via visit visa, but this time, my auntie planned and wishes me to accompany my grandma by the time of visit.. My question is what is my percentage of getting approaved/denied, and if so i got approaved, what are the important reminders, etc. Thankyou and Godbless u.
This has nothing to do with citizenship law, so it will have to wait until I put up FAQ in visas to Germany.
Andreas,
Maybe you can help me clarifying this for me. My great grandparents both German citizens moved to Ecuador my Grandfather was 3 years old and also a German citizen at the time. in 1938 due to persecution (my great grandmother was of Jewish descent) My grandfather and his mother renounced their german citizenship. We have letters that my grandfather wrote to his friends about the persecution that he was suffering. Would that apply for me and my family to get German citizenship?
Thank you for your guidance.
If citizenship was renounced instead of or before being taken away, it cannot be reinstated.
HI ANDREAS
HOW ARE YOU
COULD YOU EXPLAIN MAIN PROCESS TO GET CITIZENSSHIP IN GERMANY.
MY SISTER 39 YEARS OLD LIVES THERE FROM 10 YEARS MARRIED WITH GERMAN CITIZEN. SHE LIVESIN PERL..ISOLATE FROM ALL THINGS..
SHE GOT CERTIFICATE A LEVEL…
HAS ONE KID 9 YEAR OLD.
STRUGGLING WITH MEDICAL ISSUES( BOTH KIDNEY FAILURE).
PLSE ANY SUGGESTION IF POSSIBLE .
YOUR SINCERLY
VARINDER SINGH. ( AUSTRALIA )
From:”The Happy Hermit” Date:Sat, 30 May, 2015 at 3:30 PM Subject:[New comment] 10 FAQ on citizenship law in Germany
Andreas Moser commented: “If citizenship was renounced instead of or before being taken away, it cannot be reinstated.”
She needs to get at least B1 level of German.
Hi Andreas,
Thank you so much for the FAQ and also the comments’ answers, it’s really useful.
My Question is, I have the permanent residency in Germany but I have been living and working in Germany for only 6 years, I am expecting a baby next month, will he get a german passport or I must have completed the 8 years for that?
Best.
Hi Andreas,
My wife is German citizen we got married 1 year ago and we are staying outside Germany working in Gulf so any possibility to apply for permenent residance and can i get the german nationality in the 3 yrs or i’ve to live there this 3 yrs.
Thanks & Regards
Farouk
I was born in Germany in 1975, both my parents are british and my Father was in the British armed forces.Does this make me German and Is it too late for duel citizenship?
You have only British citizenship, with no claim to German citizenship. (See the above FAQ on why.)
Hello. Could anyone help me? My father was German, lived his whole life there. My mother was a Philippine citizen. I was conceived in Germany but born in the Philippines. They were unmarried. I was born in 1978. I am now an Australian citizen living in Australia. My father has passed away already. I have 3 half sisters/brother in Germany that i have a relationship with but its costly for me to travel there often. I want dual citizenship with Germany Australia but none of us children have any documents from our father. We cannot obtain them. Is there any chance for me?
If you gained Australian citizenship by applying for naturalization there, you lost your German citizenship in the process (§ 25 I StAG).
Hi Andreas. Thank you for your response. Im not sure. My mum married an Australian in 1979 and we arrived in Australia 1980. does that mean it is naturalisation?
Hi Andreas,
I just moved to Stuttgart and I have a child with my boyfriend, who is German, and we are in the process for applying for my baby’s German passport. We went to some office in downtown to “register” and we were told that he needed to apply for “joint custody” in order to get my baby’s passport. I don’t understand any German and I am depending on wathever he is telling me. Now we are talking about splitting since our relationship is not working out and I am depending on whatever he is telling me in order to stay legal in this country. I was reading on-line about the requirements to get my baby a German passport and I don’t see the joint custody for anything. I am not sure if he is telling me the truth or he is doing something else.
I am a US citizen and my baby as well. For what I have read, my baby has dual citizenship by birth. I really need your advice.
thanks
You are right. A child born to a German parent receives German citizenship, irrespective of whether the German parent has (shared) custody or not.
Hi Andreas,
thank you very much for your prompt respond. Also, if we signed the joint custody what pros and cons I would have to consider with it?
Thanks.
That’s more a question for my FAQ on child custody law.
hello Andreas,im a 20 yars old albanian student,my father is blind my mother has one leg with problem we cant live here ,is there any posibility for me to come and work in germany ??
Hi Andreas,
Sorry to bother you again but I think I was asking you the wrong question.
Since I don’t want to get married and my son is “a German citizen” through his father who is a German national, hence what do I need to do with my son in order to get a german resident permit?
Does my son need to get his certificate of citizenship and just with that I can get a German resident permit? or do I need his German passport in order to get the German resident permit?
I would really appreciate your answer.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Lina
That’s more question about residence permits, so it will have to wait until I put up FAQ on residence permits. (Or you would need to book a personal consultation, for which I charge 200 EUR.)
Hi There,
Both my grandparents were born in Germany just before WWII and left Germany after the war ended and came to Canada. They are now both Canadian citizens and have been for a long time and voluntarily gave up their German citizenship. I am interested in obtaining a German passport but still keeping my Canadian passport is this possible?
Any insight would be most helpful!
Thank you,
Tianna
My German girlfriend currently works in South Africa. She is going back to Germany next year December. I am a South African citizen wanting to go with her. How will it work and what documents would I need ?
Thank you
That’s not a question on citizenship, but on immigration, so it will have to wait for my FAQ on visas and residence permits.
hey my name is Julius.Have a question how far back will the ancestral visa go and how do I find out if I can get it I am the 5 generation so I don’t know how to proceed pleas can u help me
Hi. Me and my husband are considering immigration. My grandfather was a born German. They immigrated to South Africa when he was small. Can we immigrate to Germany on a ancestry visa? Or not?
There is no such thing as an ancestry visa.
We would need to determine if your grandfather passed on German citizenship to your mother/father and of they passed it on to you. For that, I would need to know far more details. If you go through the questions and answers in the comments above you will see the kind of details I am looking for.
Hello Sir,
I just found out your Website and just thought maybe you can help me.i am a Philippine citizen but i am living here in germany because i just give birth of my son.but i am not merried.i get my Aufenthaltstitel for 3years.but we just wanted to have a vication in my country is that posible or i must only stay here.i hope you can give me advice..
Thank you
This is a question on a residence permit, not on citizenship, so it will have to wait until I put up FAQ on residence permits in Germany.
I would like to know. I did my exams for Einbürgerungstest and l past 31 out of 33.but l didn’t pass the B1 test, l am working for 8 hours. I even don’t have time to go to school. What is going to happen to my case.
Just retake the B1 test.
Hello. I’m taking Deutsch language lessons at home right now. I will be marrying my girlfriend in Germany. Are Americans exempt from the A1 language test for the residency permit? I was hoping to move to Germany and take German courses. It’s very important for me to learn Deutsch. I have money saved so I can just focus on learning and getting integrated into life there for a little bit. Thank you for your web site. Lots of good reading!!
The only reason I won’t answer this question here is because it’s about a residence permit and not about citizenship. Because there are already more than 1000 comments on this thread, I like to keep things a bit organized.
I will put a separate list of FAQ on German language requirements as soon as someone mails me one of the books from my wishlist in order to do so.
Hi Andreas,
I was wondering if you could help me. My ancestors emigrated from Germany to Brazil in 1852. I have applied to German citizenship through Dublin Embassy, where I was living at the time. This week I received a reply from BVA asking for the ‘Konsulatsmatrikel’ to proceed with the application. Unfortunately, my ancestors do not have it. As far as I know, the Konsulatsmatrikel was obligatory in the period between 1871 and 1914. They gave me the option of presenting other documents, such as ‘Staatsangehörigkeitsurkunden/Heimatscheine, deutsche Pässe oder Militärunterlagen für den Großvater und/oder dessen Vorfahren’ but they all seem to be impossible to find or have been lost throughout the years.
My question is: if I decided to file a lawsuit, do you think it’s possible to obtain the citizenship? Have you heard of any precedents?
Thanks a lot!
What would the lawsuit be based on? You would still need to provide the evidence that has apparently been lost. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is, but if you can’t provide the evidence or convince the Consulate otherwise, then they cannot rule in your favor. The burden of proof is on the applicant.
Hi there i have a question …I did take on the New Zealand citizenship and now I like to be reinstated to the German citizenship where I was born …..is this a right I have or what are the options or possibilities ?
Hi
I am from Irak, I came to Germany in 2009 and did my master in Sachsen then moved to Bonn for a permanent contract job. I have German B1 level and a permanent residency and passed the Einbuergertest; I am planning to take B2 level soon.
My question is that I am trying to get the German citizenship after 6 years. but after calling the immigration office in Bonn, they mention that I need to do a volunteer job for at least 2 years to collect the citizenship. Because I have flexible job (means I can work from anywhere with my laptop) , I was wondering if I should move to any other states that can give me the citizenship without these volunteer jobs? if yes, could you please advise
Hello Mr Andreas,
First of all i would like to say thank you for helping in such detail cheers to you.
i have a question which is i am a Pakistani national (Electrical Engineer) by profession and currently doing Masters in renewable energy management and will graduate in nov 2015, i recently got married to my lovely wife who is German national and now i have intentions to apply for a spouse visa but i have some concerns over work limitation like they have on student visa maximum 20 hours a week.
my question is : i am currently doing my thesis in a German company and have fair chances to get a job afterwards in the same company if i get this spouse visa am i allowed to work if yes are there any limitations ? beside that am i allowed to work full time freely
secondly, for spouse visa do i have to show some finances ?
any help from your side would appreciated. thanking you and kind regards
Haris
This has nothing to do with citizenship law.
but i saw you answering the same questions above which had nothing to do with this citizen category
1) If the same question has already been answered, then it shouldn’t be asked again.
2) Maybe I had more time back then.
3) Maybe someone sent me one of the books from my wishlist to put me in the mood for answering.
There are many questions and answers on your blog, which is great btw, however, after perusing I don’t see the question I have. If the answer is yes, I would be interested in pursuing your services to move this forward.
I would like to see if it’s possible to obtain a German citizenship. A few steps in between though. My father was born in Germany, adopted at the age of 4/5 by Americans stationed in Germany, and he lived in Germany until he was approximately 20 years old (and my American grandmother who adopted him lived in Germany until her death in 1975). However, after adoption I know my grandparents had him naturalized to the US at some point. Is it possible for him to obtain his German citizenship (and thus after, me obtain mine by virtue of his?
If your father was naturalized as a US citizen BEFORE you were born, you were not born as a German citizen.
Your father as a former citizen might be able to to obtain German citizenship again, but that would not extend to you.
Thank you for your response but FYI This information was inaccurate. Hired a lawyer who lives in the US, but a member of Karlsruhe bar. Holding now citizenship certificates for my father myself and my son.
Excellent, congratulations! Or Glückwunsch, as you would now say. ;-)
Bitte! :)
hello,
my boyfriend and i just found out that we are pregnant.
i have been illegal in Germany (from the USA) for about 9 months now, he is German.
and we want to get married ASAP so that we can obtain the proper medical care as well as to have the freedom of being a legal. We want to get married in Denmark where it seems to be the easiest and least bureaucratic but from what I can find on the internet, it is nearly impossible to marry while illegal.. What is your advice? Is it possible we can marry,, and where?
thanks
I’d be so happy to answer that, but it’s really not a question on citizenship law and there are already too many questions in this thread.
If you mail me just one of the books from my wishlist, I would set up a new set of FAQ on getting married.
I was born in Germany but moved to USA when I was 6 or 7 and have lived their since. I’m trying to move back am I still considered a citizen or do I have to go through some kind of a process?
Classical case of forgetting to mention the most important information.
moved to US in 2002 I was born in 1996 i’m 18 now.
Keep thinking!
Reading the FAQ and comments above will help.
my mother is a Polish and my father is from Peru.
Sorry, but three attempts is really the maximum I can grant for free.
If you send me one of the books from my wishlist, I will take the time to explain what I need to know, so that I can answer your question.
Very interesting article and blog. I was born to a German mother in Germany 1964 but have received US citizenship at the time. I currently live in the States. Am I eligible to receive German citizenship? Thank you so much for all the information. I would have never known without reading your blog.
Yes. Please see no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
Thank you for your time to reply, Andreas. Your site is invaluable to me.
Hi
I am from Irak, I came to Germany in 2009 and did my master in Sachsen then moved to Bonn for a permanent contract job. I have German B1 level and a permanent residency and passed the Einbuergertest; I am planning to take B2 level soon.
My question is that I am trying to get the German citizenship after 6 years. but after calling the immigration office in Bonn, they mention that I need to do a volunteer job for at least 2 years to collect the citizenship. Because I have flexible job (means I can work from anywhere with my laptop) , I was wondering if I should move to any other states that can give me the citizenship without these volunteer jobs? if yes, could you please advise
Hello Andreas :)
I am sure you get the same questioned asked over and over again and I have read through most of the blog to try and find my answer but I am still struggling to figure out the yes or no in my case. Both my grandparents on my mothers side left Germany just after the end of WWII to flee the after effect of the war and came to Canada. When my Opa and is family landed in Canada they were forced to make the choice between their German citizenship and go back to Germany (according to my Opa because of the Nazi regime Canada did not want any Germans fleeing the their country to still have the ability to have certain ties to Germany) or revoke their German citizenship and become Canadians. Of course they chose the safest route and gave up their German citizenship.
So my question is, would I be able to apply for my German passport since my grandparents families had no choice but to give up their German citizenship? Or because both my grandparents were Canadians when they married and when my mother was born the line was broken and I wouldn’t be able to go through decent? If it is possible am I still able to keep my Canadian citizenship?
I am 25 and born in Canada and both my parents were born here as well. I am very proud of my German heritage and would love to live there one day or even visit frequently as I still have a lot of family that lives there.
I apologize for all the questions but I just can seem to find a clear cut answer and I really don’t want to go through the whole process with the Consulate here in Canada only to find out that it is not possible.
I appreciate any insight :)
Thank you!
Tina
Hello Andreas,
I (Ziad from Syria) have been married with a German for 2 and half years. we spent the first year in UAE then we moved to reside in Germany. I am about to finish Master program here in Germany and I have never sought help from the government.I have B2 certificate also. can I apply for citizenship now or in 6 months. Please advise :)
My 21 year old son (American) has a Great Great Grandfather that migrated to the US via Ellis Island from Germany. It is his mother’s (my wife) Great Grandfather and she herself is 1/2 German. My son wants to attend Medical School, possibly in Germany where we believe the tuition would be affordable (if not free for citizens…don’t know yet). Would he qualify as a German Citizen?
I would need to know the exact details of the whole line, when everyone was born, when they emigrated, when they got married, naturalized and so on.
But you don’t need to be a citizen to benefit from lower or no tuition fees in most countries in the EU.
In Germany, the bigger problem is getting a spot. Your son’s German would need to be fluent.
Bug many Eastern European universities offer medical studies in English. I currently live in Targu Mures, Romania where many Americans study medicine. I think the fees are 5,000 € per year and living expenses are very low (I pay 200 € for a fully furnished 3-bedroom apartment).
Andreas, Thank you so, so much for your reply! I had heard that there are several programs for English speakers on the EU, but I was not aware that Germany was NOT one of them (my son is not bi-lingual). And I actually was also looking for particulars on other countries, so your comments regarding Targu Mures are very valuable to me. Thanks Again. Very, Very, Helpful!!
Hello
I born in germany in 1980, my parents was live there for more than 10 years and the have residence visa, the left Germany in 1982, and the don’t hold German passport, can i go back and live in germany again?
This is more a question on immigration than on citizenship, so it will have to wait until I put up those FAQ.
Hi. Your article was very informative .
My husband is a blue card holder since 24 months and now according to the blue card rule he can apply for permanent residence. And my baby is to be born in December 2015. So if husband gets his permanent residence can my child attain a German passport or not ?? Or does my husband need to have a German passport to aquire one. We are from India.
Either one of you would need to have German citizenship or you would need to fulfill the requirements set forth in no. 4 of the above FAQ.
If you haven’t been in Germany long enough, you can of naturalize after 6-8 years.
We have been living here for 2.5 years and my husband has permenant residence. So that means we have to stay for atleats 8 years for the child to get citizenship ?
At least 6 years altogether, but you have already been in Germany for 2.5 years, so it’s another 3.5 years. The main thing you need to do is learn German. The better your German skills, the more easily and quickly it is possible to obtain German citizenship.
Hi Mr. Moser,
My name is Veronica Hauschild married to a German national for almost 17 years. I just want to know if he could apply or get me my german passport even if i haven’t live in Germany ever since we get married . I will deeply appreciate your prompt response. Thank you.
He can’t. You need to do that yourself.
You will find everything on that in my FAQ on getting naturalized while living abroad.
Hello Andreas,
I am a US citizen, born to American parents in the United States. My maternal great-grandfather was born to German parents in the US. I know his father naturalized at some point (dates uncertain), though his mother never did. My mother was born in 1953, and I was born in 1987 (I am 27). Is there any path for me, other than naturalization, to German citizenship?
I would need to know the exact dates of emigration, naturalization, birth and so on of each generation.
Hello Andreas,
My great-great-grandfather (Leopold) (b. 1851 in Germany) emigrated to the US from Germany in 1870. My great-great-grandmother (Auguste) (b. 1854 in Germany) emigrated in 1871 and married my great-great-grandfather in 1872. They had my great-grandfather Charles in 1886. My grandfather Raymond was born in 1922, and my mother in 1953. I was born in 1987.
I believe Leopold naturalized, but I have yet to find documentation of it. Auguste never did.
Hello andreas,
I will really appreciate if you help me to get to my birth place. My name is Jumman. I was born in Germany 1982 Mainz was the place. I have got all my birth documents. My both parents are Bangladeshi citizenand they are separate ages ago. My life is full of struggle. I am in UK now doing my MA. I really want to settle in Germany but don’t know whether m I eligible for the nationality.
Please reply. Many thanx
1) The citizenship question is answered in no. 4 above. The answer is “no, because you were born before 2000”.
2) For moving to Germany, you don’t need German citizenship. I will put up a separate FAQ on immigration one day. You may want to check out my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU in the meantime.
Hello Andreas, i am an Albanian citizen , i was born in 1996 in Germany ,my mother and I were registred like we were from Kosovo but we really are from Albania.I lived there for 16 months and my mother for 2 years and 2 months ,then we turned back in our country.I still have my certificate of birth .Do I have any chance to get any german permit or passport? thank you
No. Before the year 2000, being born in Germany did not establish German citizenship (and in any case, your mother had not lived there long enough).
Hi Andreas,
My grand mother (the mother of my mother) is German but lived most of her live in USSR (her descendants migrated from Germany to Russia in the 19th century). In 2004, she moved to Germany with all the rest of our family and they all obtained the german citizenship right away. Therefore, I was wondering if there is a way for my mom and me to obtain the German citizenship through my grand mother. We have the Canadian citizenship.
Thank you!
Hi andreas, I am a kosovar citizenship, now I am in germany to work for 3 months like a student here, my girlfriend is from germany, and I want to marry her, I want to know if I am able to marry her and stay here, or I should go to marry her in kosov to ? :)
Thank u!
You can get married in Germany or in any other country within the Schengen zone that you can travel together. Denmark is known for easy and quick marriages without demanding too much paperwork. ;-)
My mother was a German citizen, married to an American military man when I was born. I was born in the U.S. My mother became a citizen of the U.S. Years after I was born. I am female, do I carry a Dual Citizenship since my mother was German and American father. I was born in 1962. My mother became a U.S. Citizen in 1966. Thank You
Because you were born before 1975 you did not automatically acquire German citizenship (it had nothing to do with you being female, but with your mother being female).
However, you can now apply for German naturalization without living in Germany and without having to give up your US citizenship. Please see no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
In my experience, the biggest hurdle is that applicants need to be proficient in German, but then that’s something one can learn.
please help me, I am in a crises, I love this guy, he is from Germany but is workimg and staying in the UK for 15years now. I am a south african.we met on facebook, and have never met physically, but now he want us to get married and that is the day we shall meet.i have been requesting him that we should meet first md look at the legalities involved as he wants me to move to the UK where he works.but he is just rushing into buying and making preparations for the wedding, and according to him he will bring his people and my gown and everything from abroad, this soumds very strange to me but I love him a lot, though it soumds weird and scary. please help me because now im not sure if its culture differences or difference in beliefs.
Nobody should ever get married, let alone on the first date.
Hi Andreas,
Thanks a lot for the informative article. Unfortunately I couldn’t found the answer to my personal concerns, maybe you can help me out. I am have a Dutch Nationality while living an working in Germany, my girlfriend is Russian and studies in Germany but can only stay as long as she keeps getting a visa. In order to get a more permanent solution in the long term I believe there is the option for her to stay in Germany (via visa) for three years, marry me for at least two years and then get a German (or Dutch?) passport. My questions is: How long should I have lived in Germany in order to get this arranged?
Thanks in advance!
Because you are Dutch, you are exercising your freedom of movement rights with the EU. If you get married, your wife will have a residence permit from day one.
Check my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU for the details.
Hi. So here’s a brief description of the situation. I was born in Germany, raised in Canada (military father). I want to be with a man in Germany. Here’s something extra, I have a2 year old son. I want to take with me. ANY idea what the first steps are to dealing with this?
This is really not a question about citizenship law, is it? You may want to read through my FAQ on international child abduction if you don’t have sole custody.
Am from ghana and I born with hungarian woman in germany .can I get residend of stay and work here
This is not a question on citizenship law either. I am not sure I even understood your question, but you may want to take a look at my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU.
Hey.
I’m 19 years old I was born in germany. In 1995 my parents ain’t german I have a birth significant tghat I was born there I have 2 uncle. Live in germany and have. Citizenship and they also have children s my mom was in the political asylum is there any chance that I can get a german. Citizenship
Unfortunately not. See question no. 4 above.
There’s no way whatsoever I remember I have my papers from the hospital I was born in
Papers from hospitals are really irrelevant in citizenship cases.
And I have birth certificate
Hi Andreas,
Have a nice day hope everything fine and good there. I am Pakistani national and i have German national girl friend and we are in relationship May 2014 she gonna visit and marry me in Pakistan next year May or June 2016 I have to ask after we become husband and wife i can be with her in Germany ? what is the process and what kind of documents i have to required or she have to required? Also what kind of Visa for this. Please kindly reply my questions i will be really thanks full if you already reply above so please copy and paste or if u like to post FAQ link so please .
Thank you
Regards .
Hello Ali,
I will keep this brief because it’s a question about immigration and not about citizenship law.
Once you will get married, you can apply for a visa for family reunion and you will be entitled to a residence permit in Germany pursuant to § 28 I AufenthG.
All the best!
Hi Andreas thank you so much for reply just one more question. before i apply for Family Reunion Visa she have to register me there council in Germany there she live ? and after she do that she will sent me any kind of document for submit with my application in embassy ?
Thanks
Regards
My husband is german passport holder he acquired the passport on asylum based from afghanistan and got married in pakistan but the union council in pakistan asking for his pakistani id which is not possible as he borne in afghanistan. On the other hand nikaah is registered in bride union council where the nikah was solmnized. Is there any clear law about this conflict?
This is not a question about German citizenship, is it?
Please take a look at my general FAQ on how to work with me as a lawyer.
My Grandparents immigrated to the US around 1928. My father who has since passed away, was born in Hamburg. He was just under 2 when they came to the US. I have the original documents of their passports, marriage license, birth certificates, etc. My father became a naturalized citizen of the US and served in the US Army during WWII. I am learning German, and am very interested in trying to obtain a dual citizenship. Is it possible, and where is the best place to start?
Not possible because your father had lost his German citizenship before you were born (by being naturalized in the US).
Thank you for taking the time to create and maintain such an informative site. I’m sure you are correct, but I think I am going to explore it anyway. I have never failed to achieve a goal. Something in my gut is telling me to try. Who knows where it will take me…
Trust me. If you aren’t qualified for abstammung, naturalization is the only way. When it comes to citizenship, blood can’t be broken but when the laws work against you, you can do nothing. This is many countries and not just Deutschland.
Hello,
Is it possible for me to reclaim my German citizenship given my situation?
I was born in Germany in 1951. Both my parents were German citizens, however they were not
married. My mother immigrated to the US in 1953, but I was left in Germany with my grandmother
until we also immigrated to the US in 1958.
My mother became a US citizen around 1960 but I did not. A couple of years latter; when I was
11 years old, I was made a US citizen through naturalization.
The question is, since I was a minor at the time would I still be considered a German citizen given that I did not renounce my citizenship it was renounced for me?
The second question is, what do I need to do to get my German citizenship back?
Thank You
W. Walther
Hello Andreas,
I’m an iranian and moved to germany on 3.10.2010 to Complete my Masters dergree in petroleum engineering,
I have done several internship in the petroleum industry in germany and paid the tax,
On 15.03.2014 I started to work as a petroleum engineer in germany, Niedersachsen,
I was told by Bürgerbüro that I can apply for German nationality 3 month before finishing 6 years of being in germany, and I can get it in 6 years, which means on july 2016 I can apply for it.
But my problem is, my contract is going to finish on 15.03.2016 and because of low oil price the company is not willing to prolong my contract But finally I could convine them to prolong it at leas one year to be able to get the nationality, by this case my salary will decrease and they want to know what is the minimum salary that I have to have in order to be accepted from Bürgerbüro.
Can you clarify me in this issue?
Thank you very much in advanced.
Kind regards,
Mina
Salam Mina,
and welcome to Germany!
There is no fixed minimum income requirement when applying for citizenship. You only need to show that you are able to “support yourself”, meaning that you earn enough to pay the rent and all your other expenses without too much hardship.
Let’s hope the oil price will increase again in the meantime! :-)
Salam Andreas :),
Thanks alot.
Hi,
I understand that if you are a German and obtain another citizenship through naturalization you lose your German citizenship. My father got a certificate of naturalization but he was on his mothers application and was a minor at the time. Did he lose his German citizenship?
Yes. §§ 25 I 1, 19 II StAG.
Hi,
I was born in Kenya to a Kenyan mother and German father, though they were never married…i have visited my father a few times in Germany. I am now turning 22 and also married to a German man. I want to claim my Germany Citizenship through descent before 23, how do i go about it?
If he hasn’t officially acknowledged his paternity, he needs to do that.
If he has, you go to the German consulate and apply for a certificate of German citizenship and/or a passport.
Hi Andreas. How is this done? How can a father acknowledge his son’s paternity? Isn’t a birth certificate with the name of the father enough?
It depends on the jurisdiction, but in Germany, the birth certificate has almost no legal significance in these cases. Being named in a birth certificate (which can be changed later anyways) does not establish paternity.
If the parents aren’t married, paternity is established by an official affidavit of paternity, signed by the father in front of a government official, or by a court order.
Dear Andreas: Here in Brazil there is a legal presumption that if the aleged father goes to the Registry Office and declares that a child is born and he’s the father, that’s enough evidence of parternity. Do you think German Authorities (v.g. Consulates, BVA) should accept that in cases of unmarried parents?
§ 4 I 2 StAG requires that the paternity is recognized in a way that is valid under German law.
But the procedure you describe for Brazil is pretty much the same procedure as for the German affidavit of paternity. Therefore I think it should and will be recognized. However, for anyone reading this who is about to have a child or has recently had a child, I would recommend to declare paternity in front of the German consulate as well (or to sue the father for paternity if he doesn’t cooperate).
I was born in Leonberg Germany in a German hospital to a German mother and an American father: my birth certificate is German and I lived on and off in Germany until 1977 and now wondering whether or
Not I am able to return to Germany to live; is this possible?
In order to live in Germany, you need either a residence permit (for which there are many ways), be married to an EU citizen who lives in Germany, or have German citizenship.
Let’s focus on the last possibility: If you were born before 1975, there is a way for you to get naturalized. It’s detailed in no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
Hi,
I’m Indian and thinking of moving to Germany but it will be great if one goes to another country with the citizenship. I’m 19 years old and I have one of my uncles in Germany. If I get adopted by him will that make me a citizen of Germany? However, I don’t know how to speak or understand dutch. It is not difficult for me to learn new language. I’m also looking to go to Germany on a study base but I have to come back to my home country as per the Germany study rule.
I just want to know that if I get adopted by a german citizen will that makes me a german too?
1) Only adoption of a minor bestows German citizenship.
2) Dutch is the language in the Netherlands, not in Germany. Don’t learn the wrong language.
3) Germany does not require that you leave Germany after your studies. Of course you can try to find a job while you study and then get a residence permit based on that job immediately after your studies.
Hi Andreas:
I’m Glen from Chile.
I have in mind travel the next year to Germany after to complete my English improving from USA.
So I’d to try to get the citizenship in Germany personally because my grandfather born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1921 I could obtains and had in my hands the original certificate of birth of my grandfather and with the certificate of birth of my mon. I thinks this could be enough.
Do you know something? Where I need to go? could you think is possible to get it?
Any kind feedback is appreciate because I start today with my personal investigation, thanks in advance.
Regards.
pd: so sorry is my english is not very well
Hi Andreas
I was born in Namibia (former German colony) and am a South African citizen.
Is there any possibility for me to obtain German citizenship?
Enjoy your travelling.
Regards
Johan
Namibia hasn’t been a German colony since 1915, so unless you are more than 100 years old, that doesn’t help you much.
I am a few years short of 100. I have German ancestors – can that help? It also goes back a few years: My great, great …. grandfather emigrated to South Africa from Germany in 1868. Only 147 years ago.
Theoretically, you may be German by descent. Realistically, over such a long period the chance is high that German citizenship was lost somewhere. If you read through some of my answers on other people’s questions above, you will come across all the different problems.
Thanks Andreas.
What legal method can I use then to obtain citizenship in any EU country?
It seems as if you kowo your way around the applicable rules and regulations.
Regards
Johan
Because the answer depends on your personal circumstances, you would need to book an appointment with me for that. I charge 200 EUR for a consultation.
Dear Andreas. I assume your talking about the Konsulatsmatrikel? I am a lawyer myself in Brazil and I have some cases that are denied because of this rule. Don’t you think there should be a legal way to supress that obligation?
No, I actually don’t think so.
This was a law in effect until 1913 and in citizenship law we always apply the law in force at the time. If citizenship law gets changed retroactively, it leads to a huge mess because it would have implications on other citizenships, tax law, family law, inheritance law and so on.
To me it’s quite logical that if someone lost German citizenship at a certain time, he/she cannot pass it on anymore afterwards. I don’t see any entitlement by their great-grandchildren to pretend that their great-grandfather didn’t do a mistake. If someone gambled away the house in 1912, we also don’t give their great-grandchildren the house back.
Considering how easy it is to obtain German citizenship through naturalization, I also don’t see a need. Germany is one of the few countries which allows you to get naturalized without living in Germany (§ 14 StAG) or alternatively, it’s not too hard to get a student visa to Germany (no tuition fees) and then you can take it from there.
I agree that the law cannot retroact. But I think there are some cases that should be treated differently, by instance:
1. German immigrants were allocated hundreds of kilometers away from any German Consulate, in an era that there were no electrical power, no railroads, no comunication at all. How was a colonist living in the deep inland of Brazil, in poverty, be able to go to a major center like Rio or São Paulo to register his residence to avoid loss of citizenship?
2. Many German immigrants arrived in Brazil prior to 1871 and there were no Prussian Consulates at that time. How were them supposed to register if there were no Consulates?
3. Some German Consulates in Brazil admit that they lost the Matrikel book so all information was lost and there’s no way to prove that someone did register.
4. The matrikel was a controversial matter and many jurists fought it. The result was the chance of the Rustag in 1913 to abolish it. There’s an article in the 1913 Stag that allowed persons that lost his citizenship because of the 10-year period to regain the citizenship by application. Shouldn’t that be extended to their descendents like is done with the descendents of those who lost the citizenship during the Nazi-era (art. 116, 2, GG)?
5. Aussiedler and East-Europe ethnic Germans can easily obtain German Citizenship even if their ancestors never were citizens of the post 1871 Germany. Shouldn’t this be also considered discrimination against the former German citizens that lost the citizenship because of the 10-year rule?
I do have some other reasons and a lot of clients in this situation. I’d really need a good lawyer in Germany to face this issue. When in Brazil, why don’t we have a chat? Please come to my Office in Curitiba and have a cup of Brazilian coffee.
I think you have very good reasons to show that the requirements of the laws before 1913 were tough to meet in many cases, but a great many laws in the past were rubbish, yet we don’t unravel all of their consequences.
The descendants of the victims of the Nazis are a completely different case because (a) they were stripped of German citizenship by an active act of the German government, (b) they couldn’t have done anything against it, (c) many were rightfully afraid of returning to Germany after the Holocaust after narrowly escaping death, which is why this is extended to descendants.
For a discrimination case , we would need the different treatment of two very similar cases. Being persecuted because of one’s religion is a completely different matter than not finding the time to go to a consulate once every 10 years.
The cases of obtaining German citizenship are completely different as well because these are not based on one’s parents’ citizenship. A discrimination case cannot be based on the comparison between ius sanguinis cases with naturalization cases.
We also have to keep in mind that there was/is no entitlement to keep German citizenship (now: if the person has another citizenship), just as there is no entitlement to become naturalized (except when meeting the requirements of § 10 I StAG).
The argument for which I always had the most sympathy is the one with the lost/destroyed archives of the consulates. It seems unfair to hold it against the applicant that he/she cannot prove something if the (potential) proof was destroyed by the German government or by force majeure. But this alone is not enough to shift the burden of proof. One would need to substantiate the likelihood that someone registered, for which the courts have set a very high bar (https://openjur.de/u/109181.html). And then we also have to consider that there are other ways of proving someone’s continued ties to Germany, for example if they renewed their German passports.
If we were to argue for the burden of proof to be shifted, we would also open another can of worms: If all applicants who lived in the districts of consulates whose archives got lost/destroyed were to benefit from the assumption that they registered (although there seems to be statistical data implying that most of them did not), we would discriminate against people who (also) didn’t register but lived in districts were the records were kept.
I would very much love to meet with you, but on my first 3 months in Brazil, I will only go north from Salvador and then into the Amazon rainforest. But I hope that I will return to the south of Brazil after touring the rest of South America.
Please keep in touch if you ever come to Curitiba.
If you visit the former German colonies in Rio Grande do Sul you’ll see that they kept their Deutschtum alive but it is very obvious that they had no means to visit a Consulate and register.
Still about the Matrikel, the 1867 law on the Consulates, said that the responsabilitiy of keeping the books was on the Government side. Besides, the person had to pay for the matrikel certificate, which was optional (since the proof was the book itself), and the validity was for just one year. So there was no point in getting the Matrikel certificate.
But I do have a good reason for the fall of the Matrikel requirement: Gisele Bündchen could claim German citizenship! :-)
Hi I am a south african with a south african father born in 1932 to a german father born in 1857 in koensigberg prussia a kosher birth which did not have to be registered until 1876. My grandfather was brought by his parents to south africa when he was 2 years old and left with family. He lived in south africa until his death in 1960 he died at a 103 years old, this man looked at himself as a german and even though he would have been naturalised after 1870 (if you lived in south africa for 10 years you became a south african). He never registered or got a tax no he never paid tax or left the country, he married a south african women. (Marriage date I don’t know). They had 14 children together, what are my chances of getting a german passport?
Hi Janine. Have you had any success with your concern on applying for German passport. I am in the same predicament and my question has also not been answered on the blog. Regards Brendan
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for your blog.
My mother was born in Germany in 1951. Her mother was German and her father was Polish. They immigrated to Canada in 1953.
Is it possible for my mother to obtain German citizenship (passport)? I also would like a German passport and would like to apply after she receives hers.
Look forward to hearing your response.
Best,
Sarah
There is a possibility for your mother (see no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad), but it would not extend to you, nor would you benefit from it, because your mother was not German at the time of your birth.
Andreas — Hello! i am writing about my husband who shares your name. He was born in Brazil to German parents, has his citizenship documents and has had numerous passports. He became a naturalized US citizen in 2004, and renewed his German passport without incident in 2005. We just went to renew it and were shocked to be told because he naturalized, he is no longer entitled to German citizenship. This is surprising as he already had a passport renewed after becoming an American, so this is the first we heard of asking for permission and the like. We are wondering what to do? Is there some grandfathering provisions? alternately, we are wondering if we can get any traction on the willingness/hardship exceptions because he was required to take the US citizenship as I am a diplomat and it would not have been possible to have diplomatic protections without it. Not to mention certain economic hardhship without it.
Any thoughts?
There is a theoretical possibility to regain German citizenship without living in German (§ 13 StAG), but it is quite hard. This is in the discretion of the Federal Republic of Germany, so there is no entitlement.
And even in these cases, he would be asked to waive his US citizenship. There is a theoretical possibility to be allowed to keep the US citizenship, but he would need to show very good reasons. I would need to know more about the specifics of your case, but between the US and Germany there is really no “economic hardship” if you have only one citizenship. Quite the contrary, by having both, people usually have to pay more taxes because of the USA’s extraterritorial taxation of its citizens.
I am not sure what you mean with “diplomatic protections”. Art. 37 I of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations does not require that a diplomat’s family members have the same citizenship as the diplomat. In any case, we would need to show specific hardships to be expected in the future, not some theoretical hardship.
Thanks for the prompt response. Before answering the above I wanted to know when the requirement to ask for permission before taking another nationality came into force. As implied above, we were not informed of this by the German consulate in Brazil and even obtained a 10 year passport after he naturalized.
As for the economic hardships and other, US strongly encourages spouses to naturalize when serving overseas to enjoy full protection. Cannot get the dip passport otherwise. For this reason, expeditious naturalization procedures exist. Additionally, for him to work in the missions overseas with me the vast predominance of jobs require a citizenship and a security clearance. Hence the economic hardship….real not theoretical.
Thanks again….
§ 25 I StAG has, with minor amendments not relevant to this case, been in force since 1913. Because the German consulates are not involved in US naturalization proceedings, they usually don’t have a chance to warn their citizens about it. But also, because the law is publicly available and quite straightforward, they don’t have any such obligation. I assume that the number of Germans applying for naturalization in the US is quite high, so one must wonder why the US authorities don’t warn applicants about this effect.
The issuing of the passport probably happened because the German consulate didn’t know about your husband’s naturalization. This happens all the time, but does not establish precedent as it is the applicant’s fault to fail to inform the German consulate.
Regarding the economic hardship, we would need to show that you are or will be posted in countries where your husband couldn’t find work otherwise. Obviously this also depends on his qualifications. ‘Hardship’ requires a different level of proof than ‘convenience’ or ‘preference’.
The diplomatic passport is usually nothing more than a ‘convenience’, unless your husband would have been denied a visa to your host nation otherwise.
Lastly, we would need to show why it would be in both his and Germany’s interest to have him re-naturalized. The arguments regarding the security clearance and the available jobs most likely would have been enough to obtain permission in accordance with § 25 II StAG, but now we face a much higher standard.
My grandmother was a Volga Deutsch, escaped from Russia during the Russian revolution, went to Germany then eventually emigrated to Canada. She then married an British man (my Grandfather) and they had a child in Canada, my Mom. My Mom then married a Canadian and I was born in Canada. Would I have a claim to German Citizenship?
Thank you
Unfortunately not.
– Until 1953, German women lost German citizenship by marrying a foreigner.
– She would have lost her German citizenship if she naturalized in Canada.
– Before 1975, German mothers could not pass on German citizenship (only fathers could).
Hi Andreas. My great-grandparents were born in Bomst, Posen in 1850, then known as Prussia. The family boarded the ship Waldrham and set passage for South Africa. He eventually died in 1936, and the death certificate states nationality as South Africa. I know that after 10 years outside the borders of Germany, one loses German citizenship, at that time. What are the chances of applying for German citizenship based upon a motivation that in 1858 there was no German embassy/consulate to place one’s name on a register to to retain German citizenship. Were they perhaps informed that they stand to lose there citizenship if they sail to South Africa. The German Empire as a state only came into existence in 1871. What are the chances of applying for citizenship?
thank you of the advises regarding our concern you are of great help!!
Thank you!
If I was to be adopted by a family of two foreigners of which one is holding a german citizenship, would I too get a german citizenship?
Only if you are a minor.
hello,
i’m non Eu with Egyptian passport and i live with my greek wife for four years now in Greece, i got job in Germany and they prepare my working papers to work there because of my skills, so my question here is, for how long time they will provide me the visa there because i will move there alone because my wife have good job in Greece & what about if i want to apply for Citizenship it’s going to be requested in Germany or Greece? in if it will be in Germany the years which i lived in Greece will be counted or how long time staying there to Apply? and how about my rights in Greece? in Germany they will change my ID card to german or they will stamp visa on my passport ? sorry to ask too much because i’m confuse about this things
thanks
Once you move to Germany, everything will change to the German system. The residence permit depends on the job, the contract, the salary and so on.
The time spent in Greece will not count towards the residence requirement in Germany to qualify for German citizenship.
thanks for informing me, if i will work as IT so if it will be more than year the contract then what about my rights in greece i will lose it ! and what’s Roles for asking for German Citizenship for non eu whos living in germany alone without his wife and use to live in different Eu country? i was looking for it and i could’t find any answers in the German low
– What happens to your rights in Greece will be based on Greek law. I am only a German lawyer.
– The citizenship questions are answered in the FAQ above.
Hello,
I would really appreciate your insight if you have time. I was born in the U.S. in 1990 to an American mother and German father. My father was born in Germany but moved to the U.S. with his family shortly after birth. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1981. Is there any way that I can apply for a German passport or dual-citizenship; or because he naturalized prior to my birth, I am completely out of luck?
Thanks so much!
Because your father was naturalized as a US citizen prior to your birth and thus lost his German citizenship (§ 25 I StAG; unless he requested a waiver in accorance with § 25 II StAG), none of your parents was German at the time of your birth. Unfortunately you are out of luck on this one.
I am stateless right now but i have information that my father is a German citizen and my mother Gambia but i dnt know where i was born because the meet in Liberia and when my mother was pregnant my father left to Germany so my mom left Liberia too and she came back only to give me back to some of my father’s family living in Liberia when i was only 2years and even them dont know where i was born so i haven’t been able to take up an citizenship, I will like to know if i should contact any German Embassy they could help me look for my father because i have his name and some of his old pictures
The place of your birth is not relevant for German citizenship. If you can prove paternity and the identity of your German father, then you are a German citizen.
The German embassy probably won’t help, you would have to do this research on your own (or hire me).
how much will it cost when i hire you for your services?
I charge 200 EUR for the initial consultation.
Hello,my name is Christian Schadow.My Dad is a german.He married my mum in Ghana and had two sons…later they had a misunderstanding and divorced…Now am stuck in Ghana and want to go to Germany to go to school over there…My Dad’s family is there.If i go to German embassy will they help me?Do i need a lawyer?Am i a German?
If your father was German at the time of your birth, you should be German, yes. If you take your birth certificate and some evidence of your father’s citizenship to the German embassy/consulate, you can apply for a German passport.
You don’t need a lawyer for that. It should be a pretty straightforward process, especially if your father cooperates.
Hi ..I was born to a German mother in 1950 in a German hospital. My American soldier father married her a year later. We then came to the United States when I was 15 months old. I was adopted by my natural father and given US citizenship. I have lived all my life in the US and have no real wish to regain my German citizenship. But I am curious about my status. Can you help? Thank you very much.
Hello,my name is Christian Schadow.My Dad is a german.He married my mum in Ghana and had two sons…later they had a misunderstanding and divorced…Now am stuck in Ghana and want to go to Germany to go to school over there…My Dad’s family is there.If i go to German embassy will they help me?Do i need a lawyer?Am i a German?
Hi Good Boy ,
i am indian i came to germany in 2011, i completed my master degree in 2013 and then after one year of job search visa,in 2014 i got married to a romanian girl living in germany , but unfortunately due to some misunderstanding we got divorce in Jan 2015, and now i want to persue my education again for better future, i have residence permit ,now my questions are (1)can i get welfare and others beneficial funds from german govt. or not during my study period
(2) if yes the answer of above question then how much time i should wait to get my german citizenship in case i use my welfare during my study period right now.
i am waitng for your experience and intellectual advise.
thanks in advance…
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Hello,
I’ve been living and working (in one steady, respectable job) in Germany over three years. My nationality is Israeli. I have a B2 German Language certificate and I believe I can pass the citizenship exam.
Should I try to request citizenship now, or is it extremely rare to get this after three years?
Thanks!
If you are not married to a German, it’s extremely rare.
You would need to argue that it’s in Germany’s national interest. Typical cases are athletes who would then participate in international contests for Germany. Or if you have to choose between a professorship in Germany and somewhere else.
In the absence of any such situation, it’s better to wait until you have passed 6 years of residence.
No, I’m not married to a German.
Thanks a lot for the information!
Dear Andreas,
I’m answering here to my previous post.
I’m now 5 years and 4 months in Germany.
I’ve got permanent residency by now (Blaue Karte).
I’ve got a girlfriend and we’re interested in getting married.
If we get married, it’ll have no effect on when I get German citizenship, right?
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but in two years I’ll be seven years in Germany and entitlement via marriage will still be one year too short.
Is this accurate? I mean, there’s absolutely no consideration of years of residency before the marriage, right?
I am a naturalized German citizen living in America and if I marry a U.S. citizen can I still keep my citizenship
Yes, you can. You don’t lose German citizenship by marriage to a non-German.
so when you are a German and u go to the German embassy to apply for a German passport will it cost you?
Of course.
Hello Andreas,
Thank you for this work you are doing online. It is very helpful. I have been reading through your answers and they directed me to other resources which also gave helpful information.
My situation looks to be simple but can’t be sure. I have Turkish nationality. In ’78 I was born in Germany. I lived in Germany until I was 7. After Kindergarten, before starting Grundschule I was sent to my grandparents in Turkey and I started school there. Both my parents have Turkish nationality and permanent German residence permits. My mother still lives in Germany after my dad passed away in Germany.
In the meantime, I was living-studying-working in Turkey, I visited my folks in holidays with tourist visas. Three years ago I came back and stayed in Germany for 1 year to study a MA programme. During my stay I had the ‘Aufenthaltstitel’ which they give students and that lets you work only for limited hours in total. After graduation in 2013 I unregistered (abgemeldet) while leaving.
2 months ago I was offered a new job in Germany and started working in August. I applied to convert the temporary sticker visa to the card version when I arrived. Last week I was informed that my new ‘Aufenthaltstitel’ was issued and I will go and take it this week.
Now I have started living in Germany again. I guess I can’t receive German citizenship due to my birthplace and both parents having lived here long enough; because that law doesn’t apply to those who were born before year 2000. But I found out that I can get German citizenship after a short time without waiting 8 years, because up to 5 years of my previous stays can be counted towards the residency requirement, referring the article § 12b II StAG. I suppose the one year studying also doesn’t count because of the nature of the student residence permit.
What would be the waiting time for me in this situation to apply naturalization and are there certain documents I need to start gathering from now on as proof of living here before? Shall I mention my intention to the officer in Ausländerbehörde while getting my new residence permit, or shall I get professional support from a lawyer for the process? On top of it, my wife is an EU citizen (not German). I don’t know if this detail is going to affect my situation or it’s irrelevant to it.
Thanks a lot again for this great blog!
Hello Taskin,
you don’t need to hire a lawyer for this process. The main question is how much of your previous (more than) 5 years the immigration office will recognize. Student times can also be recognized. The main factor that you would need to point to is that you lived your formative years in Germany, that you learnt the language and that you still speak it fluently because of that. (I hope that’s the case. If not, we would need to make up something else because you would need to show that the time spent in Germany previously helps your integration.)
If your German is at C1 level, you only need 6 years altogether, up to 5 of which can be counted from the past, so you may be able to apply in one year.
The citizenship of your wife has no direct influence, although it means that you wouldn’t really need any German residence permit if she lives in Germany with you.
Thank you very much Andreas,
Now I have a more clear view on the situation. I see that it is up to how the office will interpret my residence history here. Seems I have to make them realize that German was the first ever language I learnt and I am familiar with the ‘life in Germany’. I guess I should use the 1 year to level up my German from B2 to C1, since it has been long time for German to evolve from native to foreign language for me. I hope I still have another chance if I miss in the test.
My wife did not expatriate with me (yet). That would make me skip all the visa hassle at least.
Thank you again for your helpful answer. I also hope it provides insight to those who have similar cases and read it here.
Exactly right, it’s mostly about the language. So if you can get to a higher level through studying, but you can then say that it’s actually the only knowledge from your childhood which is coming back, then you have the best chances.
Hello Andreas,
I have a question. I´m foreigner married to German, living in Germany for year and half and we had a baby recently together. Is there any possibility to go for Neutralization and getting German nationality before 3 years (meeting all the rest conditions)?
Hello Malik,
the three years are the regular residence requirement for foreigners married to German citizens (no. 9.1.2.1 VV-StAG). No 9.1.2.2 only allows exceptions for very narrow cases and only if you have been married for at least three years: (a) If you worked for an international company abroad and that job was in the German interest, (b) if you lived abroad because your spouse had such a job, or (c) if you lived abroad because your spouse was sent on a foreign posting by the German government.
My father was born in Germany (still has his birth certificate) in 1948 and him and his parents became landed emigrants of Canada in 1950. His parents (my grandparents) became Canadian citizens in 1958 and my father a Canadian citizen in 1959. Now in German law, “A German citizen who voluntarily applies for and accepts a foreign nationality on principle loses the German nationality automatically.” but how does this apply to a minor (ie: my father being aged 10)? I realize that my grandparents would have lost their German citizenship, but what about my father? Does German law consider a minor being in a legal capacity to voluntarily apply for and accept a foreign nationality? In this case, would he have retained German citizenship at all and still be considered a German citizen in 2015? Many thanks for the help.
It’s not about the “minor being in a legal capacity” himself, but like in all his other decisions, he was represented by his parents who made the decision on his behalf (§ 25 I 1 StAG), I assume.
But the answer depends on the specific circumstances of your father’s naturalization (who applied for it? why was it granted later?). We would need to look at the naturalization process of your father in detail to know if his German citizenship was lost in the process.
Thank you for your response. Are there any circumstances where he would not have lost his German citizenship? We will look into his naturalization process more closely.
For example if it was a side-effect of his parents’ naturalization.
Hello Andreas,
From reading your blog it seems that since both of my parents were born in Germany and emigrated to the USA in 1956 and I was born in 1961; They obtained US citizenship in 1963 I am therefore eligible for dual citizenship? If true would my children also qualify? (My father fled east Germany)
It sounds indeed like you were born with both citizenships (US because of ius soli and German one because of your parents’ German citizenship at the time of our birth).
If you haven’t done anything to lose your German citizenship, you would also have passed it on to your children (unknowingly).
Hello Andreas
I am Iraqi and my wife is German and we will move soon to Germany
Will i be able to take the German citizenship and the passport ?? and if yes how long it usually takes ?
Thank you in advance for everything.
You will need to live in Germany for 3 years, unless your wife lived outside of Germany on government assignment or was working for a company that served the German interest.
And you will need to speak German at least at B1 level. The better your language skills, the easier it will be.
Hi, first and foremost I most compliment this i excellent blog. I however have a few more questions that you can perhaps answer for me. I have a very specific case that I’m trying to find some information about. Is it feasible for a naturalized American to withhold an American citizenship when seeking a German citizenship through naturalization? The birth nationality has been renounced at the time of the American naturalization if that helps.
Hello Andreas,
I am half german and half filipino. I hold a Philippine passport since ive stayed/lived in The Philippines my entire life. my mom is filipino and my dad is german. I have not met my german dad ever and I do not know his whereabouts as my dad and my mom separated. Is there a possbility I can have a german passport although I do not know who my dad is?!
Is your father’s paternity of you legally established? Were your parents married when you were born or did he ever acknowledge paternity? If yes, then yes. If no, then we would need to establish paternity first.
my father’s paternity is not legally established :(. my parents aren’t married when I was born and we are gonna need all the luck in the world to establish paternity coz I am not even sure if he knows about me and my sister.
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I have first cousin who lives in Germany his whole life and wish to visit him name is Justin percy
1) Enjoy your trip!
2) This has nothing to do with citizenship law, has it?
My paternal grandfather was born in Germany on/about 1880. He emigrated to the US as a young adult and my father was born in 1910 in the United States. As my grandfather was still a German citizen at the time do I understand correctly that my grandfather passed on German citizenship to my father and my father thus to me?
Quite possibly so. I would need to know the exact dates of emigration and birth of your father and you, but there is a chance indeed.
As a followup to the above question, I just learned that my paternal grandfather became a naturalized US citizen in 1905, five years before my father’s birth. Does this mean that my father did not acquire German citizenship from my grandfather? Thanks very much.
To your updated question: In that case, your grandfather lost his German citizenship before he could pass it on.
Hello Andreas, I was filling out Antrag auf Feststellung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit. My father was born to German parents that emigrated to the US where he was born 5 years before his parents became US citizens. My question is about my fathers military service. I know he didn’t apply to for permit from Germany to join US military but, he was in the military during the early 70’s during a time of a draft. Being the US had mandatory military service during his time service would that omit him from losing his potential German citizenship thus ending mine. Should I omit his service from my application or is there another way to go about applying? Thank you
Only voluntary military service could lead to a loss of German citizenship. If he was drafted, you have nothing to fear, and I would recommend mentioning it. If mention when he served, it should be easy to show that a draft was in place during that time. Even better would be if your father still had the paperwork with which he was called up.
I joined my spouse in germany 5 years 6 months ago.I applied for a residence card showed we were self sufgicent. He us from solvenjia. I was granted residence card for 5 years. I went to renewal and was only given a temporary cars foe 3 minths. My spouse and I are separated still have contact. My other maiden name is Otto. I have went to German language school, worked part time and due to back surgery I recieved renterin pay from jobcenter. I also had a atest and papers from a ct in writing staring my conditions .I was told to finish my b1 , get a job, or a new atest. Which rhe a test was current. I am nit divorced and we have no intentions of divirving..I was also told it did not matter my mim was german as she was born in amercica. I am going back to auslanderamt immagration ofgice. I waited for a new catd and a appointment none cane. I have no problems wirh the police or credit problems..I am in good standing. I was also told by 3 dr no sitting standing or lifting or bending. I do want to stay here longer.
I think the person did nor know the laws and as a result i was given the wrong card. Any suggestions. .I go back to.auslanderamt on October 13.
I have my german certificate for intergrationkurs course I have completed A2-1 A2-2 B1 waiting to test for B1 .
I have a question that i will be so glad if you could answer it .
I want to go to germany as an aupair ( Nanny ) I have the right to my citizenship since my grandfather is from there and my father has his german passport and my brother too , but i have never ask for mine because i needed to solve some problems on my birth certificate before i could send my paperwork to germany and get my passport .
I want to go to germany in february of 2016 but i know my german passport will not be available at that time since the paperwork about my birth certificate takes about 5 months to deliver and then another two months for the german embassy to send me my passport and i don’t want to wait that long , so i was thinking to just ask for a work permit visa and go to germany while i wait for my german passport to be delivered but one of the requirements is to have A 1 level of german language but i haven’t had the time to learn german here in my country since here is very expensive.
So my question is if i could ask for the work visa and say that i’m just waiting for my passport to be delivered and that i don’t have the A1 level yet but i will be having classes when i get to germany since i want to learn it and possibly attend college there in the future .
I don’t know if it helps having a letter from my employer saying i will not need to know german since we are going to communicate in english and that i will be having german teaching lessons when i get there.
I just want to go earlier and wait for my passport there ? is there any chance that could happen or work , or i will have to wait here in my country until i get my passport ?
Thank you so much if you reply and sorry for typing a lot of stuff and maybe not making any sense (:
I am not sure why it would take 5 months for a birth certificate. Surely, you must have a birth certificate already, for otherwise you wouldn’t have gotten the foreign passport you hold now.
I am also not sure why learning German would be expensive. You can do it online for free. Then you just need to pay the fee for the test. A1 is a really basic, simple level. You can do it!
Because this thread is about citizenship, I don’t want to get into the details of work visas, but getting a work visa is not necessarily quicker than getting a passport. And there is no guarantee that it will be granted.
I’m from guatemala and here everything is very complicated so yeah it takes 5 months or more , i don’t have my foreign passport yet because i can’t send my paperwork to germany , with my birth certificate all messed up . In my birth certificate it shows my dad was born in a country where he wasn’t born ( i don’t know if you can understand me ) , the person who typed it , got it wrong and messed up the countries and etc.
So know i have to pay lot of money for someone to fix it and it takes a lot of time and i don’t even know why , i guess my country system is very f***** up .
With the german classes it’s a struggle because i’m almost done with school and i’m full with assignments and i work too , to pay my school , since here we don’t have a good public system , like i said it’s guatemala .
So i was just wondering about the work visas because since it’s a au pair webpage and i know a lot of girls that has done that ( travel to other countries and work there like that ) and they get their work visa pretty easily since all the requirements are there but since you don’t know much about it or don’t wanna get into it , it doesn’t matter , thank you though , for your help c: anyway and good luck with your trips around the world . :D
Hallo Andreas,
I have a question and I would deeply appreciate your guidance. My grandfather was born in Mexico around 1900 from a German Father and Mexican Mother, and thus he acquired the German Nationality. He then lived most of his childhood in Germany and came back to Mexico where he got married and had children. According to the laws in Mexico at the time of his birth he was apparently not Mexican (having a foreign father). After he got married and before he had children (around 1934), a new and special legislation was approved in Mexico through which people born in Mexico before 1917 from a foreign father could be granted the Mexican Citizenship BY BIRTH (Not Naturalization) just by showing his Mexican Birth Certificate to the authorities (the principle of Ius Solis was established in general in the country and they wanted to extend that benefit to people like my grandfather who didn’t formerly qualify as Mexican). He received his Nationality Certificate by Birth through this simple way.
Do you think this would cause him to automatically lose his German Citizenship, even though it was not a Naturalization, but a later recognition of citizenship by Birth?
Thank you very much for your reply
Hi I planning to get married to a German
He said that if I carry my last name the German town hall going to change us for carry my last name about $1500 euro for that and I would like to fine out its that true I from the Caribbean
My name is Mohamed saleban and I’m from Somalia I live in Germany for 2years I have wife one child in Germany and one coming in one mouth and I didn’t get any answer from the government so please give me advance of my case
Hello- Can you tell me if I have dual citizenship with the US/Germany. I am an American born in Germany in 1965 to American parents stationed abroad (father worked for the state dept) and had lived in Germany for 3 years. I have always been told I have “dual citizenship” but am unsure. 2nd question: If I am, am I entitled to German social security benefits? Thanks
No, you have only US citizenship.
Hi… my wife was born in Germany but she moved to another country when she was 6… she has a german birth certificate… can she get a german passport with that certificate?
It depends on the citizenship of her parents at the time of her birth.
They aren’t german citizens… they lived there for quite a while… me and her got married this year and i live in the states we’re working on paperwork but its taking too long… can she get a passport or a visa or something with her German birth certificate
No. Germany didn’t have ius soli prior to 2000.
My name is Mohamed saleban and I’m from Somalia I live in Germany for 2years I have wife one child in Germany and one coming in one mouth and I didn’t get any answer from the government so please give me advance of my case
My name is Mohamed saleban and I’m from Somalia I live in Germany for 2years I have wife one child in Germany and one coming in one mouth and I didn’t get any answer from the government so please give me advance of my case
Dear Sir,
I have three sons aged 18,15,12 living in Germany with their father after my legal separation 4 years back in Pakistan. My kids have blue passports and are studying there,
I am their mother and I want to meet them but I don’t know how to apply for visa and under which category. Kindly guide me regarding this matter.
Best Regards,
Umber faraz
This is a visa question, but not a citizenship question, so it will have to wait until I put up a separate FAQ on visa to Germany. Alternatively, you can contact me directly, but I charge 200 EUR for an initial consultation.
Hello Sir,
I am an India national working in Uganda, marketing professional in pharmaceutical, I am looking forward to do my MBA from Germany which may be 2 years program. After that is there any possibility for me to get a German passport/German residency/German Citizenship?
Shailender S.S.
The citizenship question is answered in the FAQ above, the residence question will have to wait until I put up FAQ on residence in Germany.
If my father was deported back to Germany when I was four is there any way I could have a dual citizenship. He is not on my birth certificate. I am now 27 . If I can prove paternity is there a possibility?
Hello,
my name is pat, I just came across your website and I have read what you posted.
Please my question is, I am a Nigeria, my mother is married to a German man, she’s lived here almost 10 years now with my German step dad. I came to join her and my step dad since 2010.
I go to school here in east Germany and I am in college(Abitur).
I still live with my parents and I am 19 years old. My step dad is very kind to me and he doesn’t everything possible for me.
I applied for a German citizenship early July this year 2015.
I submitted all the requirements.I was told they would contact me, if they need anything more from me. But still haven’t hard from them till now.
Does it usually take a long time? Do I have a chances of becoming a German citizen?
I have a valid residence permit and I can travel to all Schengen countries.
I hope you understand my question and reply!
Thanks and best regards
hello, im peruvian, about to marry a german guy here in peru, we plan on living here but in some point we might want to go to live and study in EU, germany or other EU country. So my question is what do we have to do so i get similar rights to him in european territory? i mean to be able to live work and study there.
thank u
Please check my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU.
Hello Andreas,
I hope you are still answering questions on this wonderful useful blog.
We are a couple from Egypt and we are moving to germany as I will have a work as a pharmacist there. I ask if we get a baby after one year or so, he/she will not get the citizenship ad I understand. But after eight years I understand that I will be able to apply myself for german citizenship. My question is about my son/daughter, how and when can he/she acquire the german citizenship ?
When you apply for naturalization, you can include your children in the application. They will only have to show that they can talk in German, but they won’t need to pass a formal language test.
I wish you a good move and all the best in Germany!
Thanks a lot dear Andreas, so to make sure I get it right, for example I have my work in Germany in 2016, I have my child in 2018, eight years later in 2024 I apply for naturalization with my, then to be, only 6 years old child included in the application and we both get it, right ?
I am asking again sorry but what about my spouse if she doesn’t work, can I include her too ? And please can you refer me to link of the law explaining thsee points ?
Thanks a lot for your time and the good wishes :)
For follow-up questions, I would really appreciate a donation (see “Make a Donation” button in the top right corner). Thank you!
Hi , I’m Firas Hanafi , I’m a Dual Citizen to both Venezuela & Syria , I’m going to study Medicine in Germany , therefor I will approximately stay there for 8 years at least (more if i stay there to continue my studies ) , what are the steps I should take in order to get the German Citizenship ?
You will need to live in Germany for at least 6 years, so let’s wait and see what the requirements will be in 6 years because they may change. :-)
But the main one is the German language. The better you speak it, the sooner you can get naturalized and the higher your chances are. Learning the language fluently (which you will probably do anyway through your studies) is the best way to increase your chances.
The other thing you can do is to get married to a German citizen, because then you can get naturalized after only 3 years. But you would still need to speak at least at B1 level.
Thanks for replying Mr.Andreas ,
And allow me to ask again , do I have to live for 6 years without leaving Germany once ? , and if renouncing both my Venezuelan and Syrian Passports will damage me will it still be possible then ? Do I have to renaunce both or one ? And after the 6 years do I get it instantly or another few years (how many ) ? And do I have to apply before the 6 years or is it after ? (By proving my staying ) …
Thanks for this info , you are amazing !
I’ll be happy to answer all of your questions in detail if you send me a donation (see the “Make a Donation” button in the top right corner). Thank you!
my son has a german passport but expired last 2014. now he is 11 years old. If we renew it now and we will travel if he is 13 yrs old. Can he still use it? Thank you.
Der Kinderreisepass gilt nur bis zum 12. Lebensjahr. Danach benötigt Ihr Sohn entweder einen Personalausweis oder einen normalen Reisepass.
Wenn Sie zwischenzeitlich auf Reisen sind, können Sie diese Dokumente aber auch bei einem deutschen Konsulat beantragen.
Dear Andreas ,
Would you be able to tell me what exactly is naturalization ? Can you please post a link or anything about it ? What happens after living in Germany for 6 years ? Do I apply then or before I start counting ? What are the steps after proving residence ? I have an Argentinian and a Syrian passport , is it possible to conserve 3 citizenships If for example the Syrian renounciation gets hard because of the undergoing conflict ? Or if I lose properties in Argentine due to renouncing its nationality ? , please explain to me the steps corresponding to the current laws , since I know they might change later on ….
Thanks
That’s a lot of questions and I am still waiting for the donation from you.
Hallo Herr Andreas
To obtain Naturilazition is it necessary to live in Germany for 6-8 years straight without going out of the country ? What happens if i do get out for a year and then go back to continue the time period left ? And being a Dual citizen , can I for example renounce one of the two citizenships I have if one is easy to renounce but the second is not possible ?
You are doing a great job ! Thanks for this valuable info !
I got a question please. I am a german citizin and my fiance is Jordanien.
What do i need of paper for me to get married in Jordan.
Das weiß letztendlich nur der jordanische Standesbeamte, aber im Normalfall genügen Geburtsurkunde, Pass und ein aktueller Auszug aus dem Register beim Einwohnermeldeamt, das Sie als ledig ausweist.
question 10.
what if i am really good at playing football? do i get a citizenship?
Do you think you would qualify for the German national team?
hey
my wife is polish and I am a non eu family member from india.if we move Germen then how long it will take for me for permanent residency and for Germen passport
thanks
Hi,
My name is Jessica and I am 17 years old (born in 1998). I was born in Hamburg, Germany and in december of 2005 I moved to Valencia, Spain. My father had a residencial permit in Germany but now he is in Nigeria again. Both of my parents are Nigerian My passport says I am a nigerian too. Can I get triple citizen from Germany, Spain and Nigeria?
By the way, my aunt’s husband has German nationality and I think she has resident permit. They still live in Germany with their three children.
Thank you for your time.
Andreas moser thank you for this forum I m delighted and will be so happy if I can get help , I was born in Munich 10th aug 1977 to my parents whom were students then we left when I was 4 years old I only ve my birth certificate and my parents are now British citizens bcos they were citizens in my late teen the uk law now says they can’t give me citizenship as I ve passed the age and now adult I ve been living with them now in the uk for 10 years now status less I ve gone to lawyers here in the uk and they are telling me to contact german embassy to help me that they won’t be able to do anything for me unless I ve been in the uk for 20 years I do not know what to do as I ve also been to german embassy and they also told me that I should go to the uk embassy as my parents are now British please sir if u can help advise me on what to do I will be everly grateful and always support this cause thanks and remain blessed
Hello Andreas, I was born in Germany in 1992 to foreign parents. My mom and I returned to Ghana a year after I was born. My mom is Ghanaian . I wanted to know if It is possible to claim German citizenship by birth.
Thank you.
Johnny
Hi There,
My father was born in Germany and a citizen until a year after my birth in Canada. It clearly states i am eligible for a passport via the consulate but when i emailed them about what documentation i needed they said i needed to first apply for german citizenship. Is that normal? From what i can see online others have gotten a passport without a citizenship document. If it makes any difference i am living and working in the UK at the moment.
Thanks so much!
Don’t worry, the requirements are the same. Just apply for the certificate of citizenship and with that you can get a passport.
Hi sir.
My sister living in Germany from 10 and married to germal citizen from 10 years.she got medical problems.her kidneys failed from nearly 7 year.is she eligible to get german citizens without language test .may be on the basis of medical condition. Please reply
Is there a connection between kidney failure and not being able to speak, read and write?
Hi sir.its hard for her to pass language test.is there any other way to get citizenship.
The best way to learn a language is practice. The B1 level is really not too hard if someone has been speaking German for a few years.
Without German knowledge, there is no entitlement to German citizenship.
I have 2kids(7yrs &5yrs )from my German Ex-husband.
Now , its been 1.5yrs i live wz my kids in germany & I hve a 3 yrs residencey.
My question is : want to aquire a German passport … is that possiable? And if yes, what shld i do?
Hi, I am from Philippines and my fiance is from Germany. We going to get married on March next year, can I get a german passport too? How many years do I need to stay in Germany before to get a passport there. And also what requirements do I need to prepare. I will wait your answers. Thank you
These are exactly the kind of questions which are already answered in the FAQ above.
I have every document to demand German passport ,my question is how long u have to wait till u have ur passport in ur hand
It depends.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to read and possibly answer my question. My father is born in Germany but immigrated to Canada when he was 5 years old. He and both my grandparents gave up their German citizenships. I would be interested in getting dual citizenship, however I would not want to give up my Canadian citizenship.. Would this be possible and how would I go about doing it? My birth certificate specifies that my father is German born.
thanks so much, Leah
If your father was no longer German by the time of your birth, then there is no chance.
I was born in Canada and so was my father. My grandfather was a German citizen when he came to Canada, BUT grandpa didn’t naturalize to becoming a Canadian until 1954 and dad was born in 1933, so that made dad a German by blood. Therefore both my sister and I took German citizenship through abstammung. Very easy and none of the naturalization craziness. Remember that most of our grandparents could not naturalize until mid-1950s in Canada. Same with my mom’s Czech parents. They were displaced people until the mid-1950s.
I have a question to German Embassy about on how my daughter can be recognize as German citizen in the future because her father was a German .We are not married and the last meeting we had was l last January 2011.What is the best thing i can do?
You would first need to establish legal paternity (the subject of another FAQ if I ever find the time for it).
Hello.Someone having German Passport repeatedly marries girls in other countries entering wrong information in marriage certificates (Forgery) contradicting information entered in his German Passport and may be in some other documents.He might may have been getting some benefits from German Government or may be someother benefit .Which German Department deals the Complaint.Can he be thoroughly examined in Germany.
I would need to know the specifics (what wrong information? what countries? what benefits? how do you know? do you have evidence?). I charge 200 EUR for such a consultation.
I worked for about 6 years in Geramny and holds NE. I just wanted to clarify some points and need your valuable suggestions:
1) ALG-I effect on citizenship. A person at Arbeitagentur said ALG-I is a social help. should I avoid ALG-I if I want to apply for citizenship later on ? or its not true ?
2) Nationality of new born: I have NE since 3 years + total stay of 8 years (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz § 4 StaG (3) is fulfilled). In Bayern is it enough for German nationality of baby ? should I initiate any process before hand ?
3) Elterngeld effect on citizenship: If I take Elterngeld since my limited job contract is finishing .. will it effect my citizenship application if I apply after finding a new job ?? If not, can one take Elterngeld as an alternative of ALG-I to avoid any risk in citizenship ?
To set my priorities right… I would need suggestions and valuable ideas from experienced people on this forum.
Good questions! I will be happy to answer them once I receive a donation (see the “Make a Donation” button in the top right corner).
Hello Andreas,
Thank you for taking time to read and answer my question. I was hoping you could help me clear up some confusion. My grandmother on Mother’s side recently passed away in Frieburg. We had a close relationship and I often visited Frieburg. My grandmother moved the United states and married a Russian citizen. My mother was born in the US, and a US citizen. But spent several years of her childhood in Germany. At the time of my Grandmother’s death she was a German citizen. I have collected all her documents related to her citizenship. My mother is also deceased and died as an American. What is the next step in applying for German citizenship? Do I have an legitimate claim of German citizenship?
I really appreciate your help with this matter.
Thank you,
Gina
If your mother was a German citizen at the time of your birth and you were born after 1 January 1975, you are German.
If your mother was a German citizen at the time of your birth, but you are older, please consult no. 8 of my FAQ on getting naturalized as a German from abroad.
If your mother was not a German citizen at the time of your birth, then there is no chance.
The person who has married a girl in january ,2010 and divorced after 6 month.The age of that person at the time of marriage according to his passport should have been about 17 years,but in marriage certificate he mentioned his age 20 years.Then he married another girl in May, 2015 after 5 years and mentioned his age 22 years in marriage certificate , whereas it should have been 25 years according to marriage certificate of Year 2010.Also in between he has married third girl in 2012_13 and divorced.We want to know what illegal benefits (Tax theft etc.,etc.)he may be probally getting in Germany from German Government.In the mean time we r arranging his complete record/documents and as soon as we get the record , will let u know for the purpose of consultation etc.and lodging a formal complaint with concerned department against that person.
hello,
I have been born in germany in 1986 to a forigen parents, though both were staying there legally
can i apply for getting the citizinship , my grandpa has the permenant residency and all my aunts and cousins has the german nationality
Hi Andreas,
I am a Filipina with a German boyfriend, we don’t plan to get married yet but we are expecting a child next year and my partner wishes the child to be born in the Philippines, how do we apply for the child’s German citizenship, or if possible can the child have dual citizenship?
Thank you,
Yes, the child can have both citizenships. For the German citizenship, the father has to acknowledge paternity and then you apply for a German passport for the child. If you both cooperate, it’s an easy process.
Hello Andreas,
I have 4 years living in Germany and 3 years married with a german. Already i have the residence forever. My question its: when can I apply for german citizenship? I have a baby now too.
Danke
You can apply now if you pass the language requirement (B1).
Hi
Iam greek citizen and i live in berlin two years. i was born in germany in 1970 and my father was working in germany till 1992 and he is still get his pention from germany. Can i apply for german. citizenship?
thanks
I will answer this question after receiving a small donation. See the top right of this page for the Paypal button.
i did but you never replied back
thanks
When did you transfer how much? That information would help me to match your donation with your question.
Unique Transaction ID #1S115602BT2897042)
I can’t find anything with that number. What was the date and what was the amount?
2 euro at 3 or 4 december
TWO EUROS for professional legal advice from a hot-shot lawyer? Wow. This is the new low.No wonder I am still walking around in shoes with holes.
Before 2000, Germany had no ius soli, meaning that children born to foreigners in Germany did not acquire citizenship. Your birth in Germany therefore doesn’t help.
You will have to go through the normal naturalization process. BUT your previous stay in Germany can allow you to apply for naturalization much easier, because up to 5 years of a previous stay can be counted towards the residency requirement (§ 12b II StAG). But they will only be counted if you still speak fluent German from that time. In this case and if you meet the other requirements, you could already apply for naturalization now because you have been staying for 7 years (5 from your childhood + 2 now).
As a Greek citizen, you do not need to give up your citizenship when you apply for the German one.
I wish you a great time in Germany, lots of success and a good 2016!
Hi Andreas,
I am South African but my father was born in Germany. Dad gave up his German citizenship when he married a South African woman. Any chance for me to get German citizenship?
I will answer this question after receiving a small donation. See the top right of this page for the Paypal button.
Hello
I am a from africa and I recite in Germany for a short time now.was first living in Belgium.
Now I have put to birth in Germany and I wish to know if I may be Granted work permits.
More still, will I be permitted to travel out of Eu after me putting to birth? Or I most stay in Germany after the duration or given time.
Thanks
Hi My father was born in Germany. However he gave up his German passport to live in South Africa. I would like to apply for a German (EU) passport would I be entitled to one
If you father was no longer a German citizen at the time of your birth, then you aren’t either.
I am a resident of Germany since 20 years and now obtained a german passport. My wife and child are in India and never visited me here in germany. Now I wish to bring my wife and daughter here. Is it possible to apply for a german passport for her ?
No. The requirements for German citizenship (among them residence and German language skills) must be met by each applicant.
Your wife could try to apply for a family reunion visa (§ 28 AufenthG), although the long separation might raise questions about whether it’s an active marriage. If your daughter is older than 18 years old, she does not qualify for a family reunion visa anymore.
Hello, please help live in Germany legally for more than 8 years and later had a daughter with a girlfriend who has 3years stay permit. I later got my German national can my daughter get German passport
I will answer that s soon as I receive a donation through the Paypal button on the top right of the page.
I have a question for you in reference to losing citizenship from military service. I am a United States citizen that has German lineage through my father. My question is, I have seen you can lose German citizenship from voluntary serving in a foreign military. Are there any conditions or technicalities that would allow maintaining the German citizenship? My Opa served voluntarily in the U.S. military from the 1940s-1960s, father voluntarily from 1976-1981 and myself 2000-2006. Just wondering if this would make it pointless to research & gather documents to establish right of citizenship through descent.
Thank you for this site and all of your help!
Hello!
My x-boyfriend is German. I got pregnant and decided to have this child. He doesn’t want to acknowledge his partnership. I know that he is afraid of ailments etc. but I need only a citizenship and last name to my child as his father is German. I live outside of Germany More precisely in Peru- South America. Im also worried about the fact that he may ever come and take my child away . Pls advice what can I do? i don’t want the money i actually don’t need it.
1) If he doesn’t accept paternity, he would have a hard time taking your child away.
2) If he doesn’t accept paternity, the only way is to sue him for paternity. This is most easily done in the country where he resides. If he lives in Germany, you would need to hire a German lawyer.
3) Without paternity, there are no legal consequences at all. So you will need to do this step first, then we can think about citizenship and everything else.
Greetings to Peru (where I will be soon)!
Hi, great article! I was hoping you could help me. I do want to get a German passport, but I really don’t want to give up my Canadian citizenship. What are the exceptions for maintaining both? What would be “loss of economic rights in your home country”? I work and live here, and am now basically fluent in German…
The other thing is, I have actually almost lived in Germany for 8 years, in total, but not all together (ie. 1 year on exchange, then back to Canada, 7 months, then back to Canada, and now for 5 years). Does it have to be 8 years back to back, or in total?
So sorry, but one more question, that I’ve been trying to get an answer for, but people don’t seem to be able to give me a clear answer. If someone has accepted Hartz IV does that disqualify you from getting a new visa or applying for citizenship?
Like with all the other questions, I’ll be happy to answer them as soon as I receive a donation through the Paypal button on the top right of this page.
Hi and thanks for your awesome info Andreas!
Making a long story short, I’m moving to Germany to do an MA course, I’m actually thinking of getting married to german citizen in order to pass the “3-year-period” to get the citizenship (what about LOVE! haha ;-)). Does the time of my stay -being a student and having a part-time job- count as a part of the 3-year-period?
Peace!
J
Yes, it does.
My father moved from germany to south africa when he was under 18 years old. Is it possible for me to go stay in Germany (migrate from South Africa)?
I (german citizen) have 2 children born in the USA in 1996 with an american father. Both children have german & US passports. I thought if they were eligible for german passports that they would automatically both be considered german citizens. If this is not the case, what process do I need to go through in order for them to have german (dual) citizenship?
Thank you…Mona
Hello Mona,
both your children are dual citizens of the US and Germany respectively. They received US citizenship from their father and German citizenship from you. Both citizenships were acquired at the same time (the time of birth) and no country will (at least according to current laws) ask them to choose between one of these citizenships.
Sir,I m a Bangladeshi girl.my boyfriend in germany as a refuge he have no permission yet to stay there.if i want to go in germany as a tourest visa and be a pregnent.can i get stay or get residence in germany?
No.
My father moved from germany to south africa when he was under 18 years old. Is it possible for me to go stay in Germany (migrate from South Africa)? Is it also possible if i can grt a German passport? My great grandfather was a Nazi and part of the SS
1) You can move to Germany for any number of reasons and don’t need citizenship for that.
2) I would need to know more about your father’s history of German and South African (or other) citizenship to know if you are German or not.
My son was born in Germany and hence has a German birth certificate; neither parents are German. Does he have a privilege to work in Germany without being a German citizen/resident or European passport because he was born in Germany. He was born 1995
No.
Thank you for responding. I thought i was told otherwise, or given some paperwork that stated as much.
Hi Andreas,
My father was a german citizen who moved to Australia in his 20’s. He never gave up his citizenship in Germany and never became an Australian citizen. I was born in Australia and have held a German passport in the past. My daughter is now wanting to study in Germany and live there for a while and so i am wondering if she is an Australian citizen does she have my German citizenship? Any help is much appreciated. Happy New Year!
Karl
Hello Karl,
yes, your daughter is German because you were still German when she was born.
Thats good news for us :) Thanks for your response, much appreciated.
Hi Andreas,
I am currently working/living in Germany continuously from Feb 2012. I also have B1 certificate.
currently I have a niederlassungserlaubnis.
before to Feb 2012 I have been 7 times debuted by my previous company in Germany for 5 months at a time(all together 3 years) with a residence/work permit
so my question is am eligible for applying German citizenship now.
in other words, does it require continuous stay of 8 years in Germany to get German citizenship?
thanks and regards
Asit Kumar
Hi i just want to ask about dual citizenship. my children are all dual citizen of Philippines and Germany but they never been in Germany due to financial budget but they went out in other Asian country like HK. Theres no problem when you travel as tourist.My concern now is one of my kid traveled using both passport going out in Philippines but only uses her German passport going in Dubai. She got job offer in Dubai and took it since then a few months ago. Shes planning to go back in Philippines but her concern is going in since she work in Dubai with German passport? do you have idea about the system of dual citizen working abroad? or what is the policy for both German & Filipino law in terms of working abroad as dual citizen.
I don’t see the problem.
A person with two passports is still the same person.
Yes i know,my thepoint is she leave Philippines as tourist using both passport but shes working now in Dubai using only her German passport. Did any conflict will occur if she go back in PH seeing she leave for tourist and going back with working permit with her German pass?
No.
My Germany ancestor had to give up of his German citizenship to go to Brazil because at that time Portugal (Brazil was colonized by them) asked Germany and Europeans to do so then they could go to Brazil to make a living. In this case, Could I get German Passport, even though my great great grandfather lost his germany citizenship?
It depends if the next in line was born before or after your great-great-grandfather lost his German citizenship.
Hi Andreas Moser,
I have been living in germany since 2002 but my residence permit has been since 2012. which means i have been in germany for almost 14years. when am i entitled to apply for a german passport? and what do i need to do to apply for one?
I would need to know the details of your stay, the type of residence permit, your financial situation, your education level and the level of your German.
Please feel free to send me an e-mail to moser@moser-law.com with all that information, but keep in mind that I charge 200 EUR for a personal consultation.
Andreas you have saved My GF and I a world of stress.
Awesome blog, you have been incredibly helpful.
My GF was born in Jamaica in 1990 to a German Father (Born and raised In Germany), she acquired a German passport as a child which she used to travel to Germany on two occasions as a child. Her passport has since expired about 5 years ago and she is pursing the tedious process of renewal (Because she allowed it to expire before renewal there are special documentation requirements from the German embassy here in Jamaica, we face issues such as spelling errors on birth cert. parents marriage cert. , etc. common in Jamaica)
Through this blog we have learned several things;
1). She is in fact a German Citizen by way of ius sanguinis, and is eligible to Live and work in Germany legally. (important since we share these ambitions)
2). She is in fact a dual citizen of both Germany and Jamaica by birth to parents holding each nationality, which she may maintain. Awesome since we are proud Jamaicans.
3). It has clarified that it is not automatic that I will gain German Citizenship through marriage, however you have clarified that this can be achieved through naturalization, and without being in Germany. And I have no issues learning German other than time, in other words it is achievable.
4). We have gained a better understanding in general with regard to German immigration laws with regard to families.
Interestingly the German embassy here has never advised my GF to peruse an application for German citizenship, discussion have only surrounded the passport we will have to enquire as to whether these are separate processes.
Thanks so much for your help.
I will be making a donation and will return should any other question arise.
Thank you very much for your comments!
However, I don’t understand your comment about the Germany embassy not telling your girlfriend to apply for German citizenship. She never needed to apply because she was German from birth and she had the German passports (which she wouldn’t have received without German citizenship, of course). So there was really never anything or anybody that stopped her from moving to Germany.
Oh, I meant for the citizenship certificate. However the German embassy here is treating the matter of her passport renewal as though it never existed though they maintain a previous record exists. Also they maintain this will be granted at their descretion which is a bit difficult to understand as the facts remain that she is entitled by birth.
Thanks for great work Mr Andreas Moser. I just have a tricky question though. I have been cohabiting with a german man who is the father of my daughter and was wondering if cohabitation is recognised in Germany law. Unfortunately after just two years and a half we have separated and am wondering if I can still apply for a german citizenship even when we are not together. Thanks in advance
You can apply for the German citizenship whenever you meet the requirements. If you are not married, you need to live in Germany for at least 6 years (otherwise it would have been 3 years). Obviously, the absence of a marriage is not treated as a marriage by the law.
Hello, please I have a question concerning German resident permit. I have had a baby with a guy who’s lived in Germany for more than 8 years so my baby was granted a German passport and I was also given a resident. Now I am pregnant for my new man who doesn’t live in Germany. Can he acquire a German resident permit to live with us since he’s the father of my unborn child?
Sent from my iPhone
Because you have an iPhone according to your question (and I don’t), I think it’s OK if you make a donation before I answer your question.
Hi There,
I just stumbled across your website and was hoping you could answer a couple questions for me. I’m Canadian but my father was born and raised in Germany, as is the same with most of his family going back ages, though most of his immediate family have since moved to Canada. My dad became Canadian 2 years after i was born in 1986 in Canada and according to my research i am entitled to a German passport. I am currently in the UK on a 2 year work and travel visa and want to stay so getting my German passport would be ideal for many reasons. When i contacted the German consulate they told me i needed to apply for a certificate of citizenship before my passport but I’ve read online that some people have just applied for their passport out right with their German parents documents showing their previous German citizenship and been successful. I’d like to skip the citizenship process if possible as i have a year left on my visa and it seems like it can take several months to a year to get it. Of course I’ll do whatever it takes to get it even if i have to go home in between but i just don’t understand how some have just applied for their passport and I’m being advised to go a different route.
Anyways any thoughts on my situation would be greatly appreciated as i find it hard to get a straight answer from the consulate.
Thank you!
I recommend applying for the certificate of citizenship. Once you have it, you can get the passport in no time. Also, once you have it, you can stay in the UK with your Canadian passport because you’ll have proof that you are an EU citizen.
The immediate application for a passport is usually reserved for people with straightforward cases that require no research or who have previously held German passports already.
In your case, applying for a passport wouldn’t be faster because the same research would need to be carried out as if you apply for the certificate of citizenship.
Thanks so much for your insight. I didn’t realize i could stay with just the certificate.
I have contacted the consulate again about the instructions for my application but maybe you have some insight as they may take a week or so to get back to me. I am filling out Appendix V for my father and proving his German Nationality basically. My instructions from the consulate state I have to fill out the form for every generation of family until i reach someone who possessed or possess’ a certificate of German nationality but my dad doesn’t have one and he doesn’t think his parents have one either even though i think they are technically still German citizens. He obviously had German Citizenship though and has his old passport and birth certificate. Is that sufficient? I feel like the only people that have certificates of nationality are those who have applied for citizenship not those who have it already by birth. Does that mean that he technically possessed a certificate of nationality?
Thanks for your help!
Dear Mr Moser,
First, thanks for all your amazing efforts and wide knowledge area, I really appreciate everything you do for the people.
Second, I’m moving soon to Germany to do my upper studies, and I know that years spent on student residence permit do counts towards the residency requirement for the citizenship, but I heard that some states/cities doesn’t count it, either fully or partially.
May you please inform me which ones?
Thanks a lot in advance, have my bows and respects.
As always, the state of Bavaria is the only one causing problems. But even if you study there, you can of course move to any other of the 16 states to apply for naturalization.
Thanks a lot for your reply, it cleard everything for me.
Hi,
My grandfather was German and moved to Australia when he was a teenager however never gave up his German Citizenship to become an Australia. My grandmother and him were married for over 40 years in Australia when he died. If my grandmother wants to live in Germany for a while to meet his family and explore Germany does she have any citizenship or advantages for vias etc? Thank you for any help.
Ella
Dear Ella,
your grandmother cannot derive any direct legal benefits from your grandfather’s German citizenship, but as an Australian, she doesn’t need a visa for Germany for stays of up to 3 months.
Hello Andreas,
I’m Georgian and my great grandmother was German. So I’m interested if I’m eligible to get German Citizenship and in if I’m eligible, what documents do I need. Now I’m living in Romania as student (I have residence permit for two years).
Thanks!
Hello Avto,
unfortunately, before 1975, only fathers could pass on German citizenship to their children. So already your grandmother or grandfather was not German anymore.
Dear Andreas
I am a Syrian citizen and got my master certificate from a German university, and currently doing my Phd with a working contract in Germany also. My wife will give birth next month and she is also Syrian. I am planning to apply for naturalization after one year when I finish six years of residency.
My wife will be having two and half years of residency and marriage by that time and my son will be one year old.
Could my wife and my son be naturalized and have German nationality with me when I apply next year?
Thanks alot in advance
Abdul
Hello Abdul,
that’s a good question and one which hasn’t been asked yet. I have to research the naturalization guidelines for this, and I will do this once I receive a small donation through the Paypal button in the top right corner of this page.
Thank you very much already!
Hi There,
Thanks for your help earlier. I have a further query i’m hoping you can help me with. My dad was born in Germany to german citizens. His parents (my grandparents) live in Canada but are still German Citizens. My dad gave up his citizenship 2 years after my birth in Canada. So i am filling out my application for german citizenship but I’m stumped. I’m filling out the Appendix V to prove i inherited my german nationality by decent for my dad but when i go to select how he received his nationality there is no “Born in Germany to german parents” just non german, descent, adoption, naturalization, declaration and certificate of repatriate. Would decent then be my only option? Even though he was born in Germany to german parents and automatically a citizen? If that is true then i would have to fill out the same form for his parents and their parents but my family does not have any documents proving german nationality for my great grandparents born before 1914. Am i missing something here?
Thank you for any help you can provide!
I forgot to note that my grandfather. My dad’s dad was originally born in Hungary. Not sure if that hinders my application even though he’s still a german citizen.
Additionally i had read that some people have applied for their passport and were asked at the same time to apply for citizenship and even though they couldn’t fill all the forms out as they didn’t have all the info or documents they were still granted a passport and citizenship. I have also read of some who get the passport and then are asked later to apply for citizenship. If for some reason i just get a German passport and not citizenship can i still stay in the UK?
Thank you
A “further query” means that it’s high time to send a donation through Paypal (see button on top right of this page) for my efforts.
Ok, What is the suggested donation?
Based on the number of your questions, I would say at least 50 £. Thank you very much in advance!
Good morning!
Thank you for this informative piece. Please could you clarify something for me?
My boyfriend’s grandfather is German, but is married to a South African lady. As far as I know, his parents were also German. He fought in the war and was later held in a prisoner camp, but thankfully he is alive and well in South Africa and just celebrated his 89th birthday with us.
However, my boyfriend and both his parents were born in South Africa. Does my boyfriend qualify for a German passport? If he does, what is the next step for him?
I have a Portuguese passport, and my boyfriend and I are both keen to work and live in Europe, but it is proving difficult for him on a South African passport.
Thank you, I appreciate any feedback you have.
1) I would need to know more details about your boyfriend’s family to answer that question. From the many questions and answers above, you can get an idea about the kind of information that is required.
2) But if you are Portuguese, you just need to get married and you can move to any other EU country together. Your husband would not even need a visa. See my FAQ on freedom of movement within the EU on that issue.
Hi Andrea,
i dont know why my question was initially removed from this thread and am posting again to confirm this,if anything is wrong please let me know.by the way well done for the efforts you put on here.
i will be very glad if you could review this please.
– my fiancee – 34 years old german citizen.
+ with four kids for two africa man (from Ghana and Niger), two kids for each
(oldest child 17yrs, youngest-9yrs).
Planing to marry-
-Another 28years old Ghanian who is currently on student visa.
please is there hindrances you might think of,in getting resident if the marriage will be suceesful at all?
FINANCIAL ASPECT……
Moreso, the german spouse is not working, on social not planing to work for now.
Do you think applying for the first three years german spouse resident permit will work though the other foreign spouse have student work permit 450eur basis and working. they both live apart.
and if the condition still remain that the german spouse not working till after three years but the student is working (maybe part-time cos of studies or part time based on the fact that he just finish studies) possible
the last part — is it possible if the condition remain same that he get his German passports provided he understand the language and can sit for the integration course as required?
That’s a long question. I am expecting a huge donation.
upphs…… i think the questions are just two to three,.
i will work on summarizations in the future!
i checked your wishlist and will order one later tmr and mail you details!
kindly help. am seriousy waiting for your resonse!!!
sincerely.
Thank you, I will respond to your questions as soon as I receive the book(s).
hi, please i made the little donation i could already and i sent you the confirmation via e-mail.
Hope to read from you soon!
regards
Thank you very much! I greatly appreciate that.
I will reply as soon as possible.
Hi Andreas,
@Reminder@
Please am expecting your feedback.
Thanks for your understanding.
Thanks for your patience. I have a lot of things to do and I will reply when I have time.
Hi Andreas,
I asked my friend to contact you already though, but am still waiting to hear from you.
The marriage went successfully and registered in the couple city already.(different city due to studies)
The student (foreign spouse) is on student visa which he can renew based on studies in next 7months.
1.) Since he is married now, can he change the resident permit now or will have to wait till the previous permit expires?
2.) What is this called? Or He just have to informed them of swapping resident from student to married at the auslanderboherde?
3.)What’s the financial requirements at this stage? ( he is working just as student 450 basis and the German spouse isn’t working for now).
4.) if the financial conditions remain same after 3years, will it be possible to naturalize?
Thanks and hope to read from you soon!
(Ps- Donation made)
Hello Moser,
I have been living in Germany for 4 years now. I have an EC permit from an EU country. But i have been granted a resident permit in Germany too. I have completed an Integration course B1 and a naturalization test too. Which i passed both. Can i apply for German Citizenship?
Not yet. With B2, you can apply after 6 years. With B1 after 7 years.
Thanks Moser! Guess i still have a long way to go then.
But you will find out that time will fly. :-)
Hello Mr Moser,
First and foremost I must compliment this is excellent blog and I enjoyed reading, I appreciate the time you spend to answer each and every question you were asked.
I would be more glad if you could also add a FAQ-Germany visa, because I have a bunch of questions haha.
anyway I wish you the best and enjoy your staying in Bolivia.
Hello and thank you for your kind words!
I have actually refrained from adding FAQ about visas for Germany (or Schengen) so far because I know it would provoke tons of questions, because there are dozens of different visa types and because the underlying policies change so often.
Realistically, I have so many other things to do that I probably won’t get to setting up FAQs on visas to Germany. Of course I can help with a private consultation, but I charge 250 EUR for that.
Hallo sir I am a foreigner living in Germany for the past fives years. I have a UN Passport for the past 5 years and married to a German for almost three years now. I have Deutsch integration course B1 and Einbürgerungstest already past..Can i Now apply for a German passport? If yes what more do I need to submit.while waiting to hear from you have a nice day.
Yes, you can.
I am Italian living in germany my brother have ano documents is it possible that he get documents to live in germany on my behalf
This is a good example for the usefulness of punctuation.
I am a non-EU citizen, married to German husband and we have a 3 years old daughter. I have been living in Germany about 4 years. Unfortunately our marriage doesn´t work and we recently are separated (getrennt), and our daughter is living with me, and on and off my husband will visit the kid. I am holding Niederlassungserlaubnis, which had been issued to me more than a year ago.
So far we do not have any decision comes to divorce. Due to many reasons, my husband agree with me that I can take our daughter and go back to my country for living. My question is, how will be the status of my Niederlassungserlaubnis? Will it be still valid, if I plan to live long outside of Germany? Let´s say years later, our daughter choose to come back to Germany for father and for living, and me and my husband still separated but not divorce, and I come back to Germany with our daughter, is my Niederlassungserlaubnis still valid? Or the whole process should start from beginning in oder to obtain the Niederlassungserlaubnis?
Thanks in advanced!
I will be happy to answer this question once I receive a donation. Please also mention your citizenship and the country you would move to. Thank you in advance!
How to make a donation, please?
There is a “make a donation” button on the top right of this page. Or you can send your payment to my Paypal account at moser@moser-law.com. Or you can mail me one of the books from my wishlist.
Thank you!
Just made a small donation.
By the way, my citizenship is Malaysian and the country I would like to go either back to own country or to neighbour countries (either Singapore, Australia or New Zealand) when there is better job opportunity and salary is given.
In addition, I would like to know too, if in case my husband requests to be divorce and we end up with divorce, what will happen to my Niederlassungserlaubnis status?
Hopefully will get the answers from you sooner later. Thanks in advance!
By the way, my PayPal is gnomeflowery.
Thank you for your donation of 20$!
1) Whether you get divorced or not doesn’t really make any difference. Once you are separated, you cannot derive a residence permit from the marriage. But this doesn’t affect you because you already have your own independent residence permit because you have been married and living in Germany for more than 3 years.
2) Your residence permit (“Niederlassungserlaubnis”) will become invalid once you leave Germany for more than 6 months. This is regardless of the duration for which it has been issued. If you want to return to Germany, you cannot use it anymore and you will need to apply for a visa.
3) But you have to consider that your daughter is a German citizen. So she can return to Germany any time, of course. And you as her custodial mother can apply for a residence permit based on you caring for your daughter (§ 28 I AufenthG). This will work until your daughter will turn 18, then she can no longer sponsor you.
4) The other option you may want to consider is to apply for German citizenship before you leave. You have been married and residing in Germany for three years, so you are eligible if you pass the language requirement and the citizenship test. Once you have German citizenship, you can of course leave as long as you want and always come back without any problems.
Thanks a lot for the reply and the valuable info!
About the consideration of German citizenship, it is so schade that my origin country do not allow dual nationality.
On the others side, I came across to know about the Niederlassungserlaubnis will always keep its validity if the holder has legally resided in Germany for 15 years. My further question is, from when it´s started to count as 15 years? From the first day arrived and residing in Germany, or from the first day of getting Niederlassungserlaubnis?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Andreas,
thank you for all the help you’re providing here.
I am a German national and my wife is national of a non-eu country. We have two sons who were born in my wife’s home country and both have never lived in Germany. My wife’s home country does not automatically give citizenship to children born to mixed nationality parents, so we ended up applying for and receiving citizenship of her home country for both our kids, since it was our country of residence at the time.
Unfortunately I was under the impression at the time that my boys would retain their German citizenship regardless of this and would simply have to give up the other country’s citizenship if they ever wanted to apply for a German passport. I now realize that i was misinformed on this and would have had to have applied for the Beibehaltungsgenehmigung.
I have a German birth certificate for my eldest son (which i had applied for before he acquired his other nationality), but have not yet applied for one for my younger son.
So basically my question is, would it still be possible to apply for a german birth certificate for him even if he lost his german citizenship by getting the other one? How great would you think the chance for my sons to regain their german citizenship would be if they ever wished to do so later in their life and would it even help at all to have a german birth certificate?
Thank you so much
The place of the birth certificate is irrelevant for citizenship.
To answer your question about regaining citizenship, I would need to know what these other mysterious countries involved are (and receive a donation through the PayPal button the top right).
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hi im turkish citizie and my wife is german citizien and we are living in germany for 2 years when can i apply for german citizien
thank you
Please let me know when you made what donation (see button on the top right), then I can answer your question.
Reminder please.
Hi Andreas,
The marriage went successfully and registered in the city already.(different city due to studies)
The student (foreign spouse) is on student visa which he can renew based on studies in next 7months.
1.) Since he is married now, can he change the resident permit now or will have to wait till the previous permit expires?
2.) What is this called? Or He just have to informed them of swapping resident from student to spouse visa at the auslanderboherde?
3.)What’s the financial requirements at this stage? ( he is working just as student 450 basis and the German spouse isn’t working for now).
4.) if the financial conditions remain same after 3years, will it be possible to naturalize?
Thanks and hope to read from you soon!
NO REMINDERS PLEASE. It’s confusing because now I need to look up if you have already paid and when and where your original question was posted.
This puts you at the end of the line of all questioners. And it’s a loooong line.
I made the donation on 9th feb 2016.
Thanks
Oh, it’s normal that it takes me a few weeks to reply. There are hundreds of requests after all.
I was born in U.K to German mother & Scottish father. Is it possible to obtain German passport. I am citizen of U.K. & U.S.
It depends on the year you were born.
Once I have that information, I can answer it after receiving a donation of 20 £ to my Paypal account moser@moser-law.com. Thank you!
If my grandmother was a German citizen am I able to apply for citizenship. Her parents came to South African as missionaries in the 1800.
It depends. If you read the other comments on this post, you will see what kind of detailed information we need.
Once I have a complete list of events (emigration, immigration, birth, marriage, naturalization) concerning your grandmother, you and the parent who links the two of you, I can assess your situation for a fee of 50 $. Simply use the “donate” button on the top right of the page. Thank you!
They Getman authorities wanted me to give up my British nationality or provide a letter from the British Embassy stating that they do not mind a dual nationality. As the British Embassy does not issue such letters it is up to the individual authority to decide whether or not that is okay, wow! It is completely dependent on how one individual local authority sees the matter!! Randomness at the cost of the applicants! Most non-German! I consider myself lucky to now have dual nationality.
You dealt with someone who didn’t know the law.
§ 12 II StAG clearly states that any existing citizenship of another EU country or of Switzerland can be maintained.
That would have been it. Problem solved in one minute, no letters, no running around to embassies, no stress.
I was born in Minden, west Germany in 1963, lived there for 2-3 years, however , I don’t even have my birth certificate I don’t know why!!!??
I have Syrian citizenship and American citizenship. Can I apply for German citizenship ?! Thanks. Danke !
my husband any my children is German and I am pakistani can I apply German passpoart .I am living in London
This is answered in my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
Dear sir
I became German 2014 but my two kids born 2010 and 2013 in Germany don’t have German citizenship. Before I was having residence permit when they were born. Their mother still Ghana national with residence permit. How can this two kids become German citizens. Please help.thanks
– Since when did you live in Germany and what type of residence permits did you have at each point?
– How good is your children’s German?
I’ll be happy to answer the question once I get a donation of at least 50 EUR. Danke im Voraus!
Hi Andreas
I was born in Poland 1955 my mother Polish
My father German . I moved to USA and become a citizen. Do I have dual citizenship already and dos it make me German citizen
too?
It depends on how exactly you became a US citizen. Were you naturalized together with your parents? Alone? How old were you?
Please don’t forget that I only answer questions after receiving a donation (see PayPal button on top right).
Dear Moser
My wife is a student on saudi scholarship (She is saudi and I am pakistani) and soon going to start her residency in Germany on saudi scholarship (She is a Doctor) which will take around 5 years to complete. I will join her soon. Now my questions is, If I live in Germany for certain period of time (Naturalization time), can I get German nationality without withdrawing Pakistani nationality ?
added information: By profession, I am a mechanical Engineer.
I will be happy to answer that once I receive a donation (see PayPal button on the top right). Thank you!
I have a cousin who has the German citizenship. Can I take it? Does my cousin counts as descentar?
Thanks
If in some weird way you descended from your cousin…
HI andreas,
i am Mauritian married to a german who has established here only after our marriage.we are married since 8 years now. we have a 6 year old girl who has her german passport and her german naturalization certificate, procedures i did when she was 6 months old.
now i want to scolarise my daughter in germany and live with her there, while my husband will stay here in mauritius because of work. can you please tell me if it’s possible for me as Mauritian to stay and work in germany if my daughter starts school there?
thank you very much beforehand.
Yes. If you move with your daughter, you will receive a residence and work permit as her mother, § 28 I AufenthG.
okay, thank you for your prompt response . you are doing a great job . keep it up
Thanks!
I always appreciate donations (see the Paypal button on the top right), so that I can keep up this job. ;-)
Hi Andreas,
I live in Germany since 2010. I did my PhD here (graduated last year with “1.0”). I’ve full-time position till mid 2017. I asked recently about nationalization for myself in Hessen. The employee said that I can apply soon (after completing 6 years). He asked me to make the citizenship exam and German B2 exam. I passed the first one with full mark. However, I failed twice in B2! The problem is that I did my PhD in English, and in my current work I use English most of the time. I attended a 6-month German course in Goethe Institute in 2010 (completed B1 with local exam from GI, but I didn’t make the official exam).
I’ve two questions please:
1) Is there a way to reduce the language requirements (I’m sure I can obtain B1 certificate).
2) I’m Palestinian. Do you know if I can apply as a stateless person? does it help to get the passport faster?
Thanks a lot.
Bader
Dear Bader,
1) The only exceptions for the language requirement are for old, senile and sick people. With an excellent PhD like yours, that would be a hard claim to make. You don’t have any intellectual inability to get to B2, you just haven’t invested enough time or haven’t prioritized it. That’s a personal choice. (I have the same problem, living in South America but all my work is in German and English. The only thing I can recommend is to look for friends who only speak German. Or to take a few months off work and go on total immersion. But I admit that it’s hard in Germany because everyone wants to show off their English. The same happens to me in Bolivia where everyone wants to practice their English with me.) But of course you can apply for naturalization with B1 after 7 years.
2) The statelessness (and for the benefit of other readers I should mention that not all Palestinians are stateless) protects you from deportation, but I don’t see that becoming an issue. For the naturalization in Germany it’s irrelevant because there is no threat that you have to leave the country in the meantime.
Dear Andreas,
I’m really grateful for your prompt and informative reply.
I should invest more time in improving my German.
Cheers,
Bader
Gern geschehen und viel Erfolg!
Dear Andreas,
Thanks again. Two questions raised in my head:
1) “But of course you can apply for naturalization with B1 after 7 years.”. Is this written somewhere?
2) “not all Palestinians are stateless”: could you please expand on this.
Thanks in advance,
Hani
“Yes” on both questions, but before I expand on both of them, I think this is the right time to make a contribution to my blog. The Paypal-button is on the top right of the page. “Shukran” in advance!
Dear Mr. Moser,
Thank you for your informative post. I’d like to ask: if one is interested in citizenship by descent, is there a theoretical “earliest year” for ancestral migration in order for it to count? If my German ancestors left for the United States, say, before 1800, am I out of luck, or is it still theoretically possible? I’ve heard something about a new law in 1913 or 1914 that might be relevant, but I wasn’t sure.
I’m aware of the problem of finding out when my ancestors naturalized (or if they did at all). I’m just wondering if someone who came to the US in (let’s say) 1760 could be used as a basis for a citizenship claim.
Thank you!
Oops – that would be, coming to the British North American colonies in 1760, of course…
Theoretically, you can go as far back as you find documents.
Before 1871 there was no German citizenship because there was no Germany, so if your ancestors left before, we would need to establish what citizenship they had and if their region/principality/duchy/kingdom was incorporated in the German Reich.
Another issue is that the idea of the nation state really was not prevalent in the 1700s and early 1800s. So you will have many people who regarded themselves as Germans (because they spoke the language), but they may really have been living in the Russian Empire or the Austro-Hungarian Empire and were citizens of a completely different entity (with which they probably wouldn’t have self-identified).
Lastly, most of these cases run into a problem between 1871 and 1913. At that time, Germans living abroad had to register with a German consulate or apply for a German passport every 10 years in order to maintain their German citizenship. Most people did not do that, particularly not those who had emigrated for good. Also, most people didn’t know about the law or it would have been a huge burden to ride to the nearest German consulate. In that period, most emigrated Germans lost their citizenship.
I’m unable to reply to Andreas, but I’m wondering if one’s relatives came over in 1912 and never naturalized, would it still be possible to get citizenship? My great grandpa came over as a child in 1912 and neither he nor his parents naturalized. It said that law was repealed in 1914, so it wouldn’t impact you if you’d immigrated in 1912, right?
Exactly.
Hello Andreas, I am trying to apply for a certificate of citizenship and passport. My opa and oma was born in Germany, 1926/1927 they emigrated to the US in 1953. My father was born in 1956 and my opa became naturalized in 1958. I have my father’s birth certificate and my opa’s naturalization certificate which lists Germany as previous nationality I also have a certified copy of his US passport from 1983 that lists Germany as his previous citizenship. I however, don’t have his German birth certificate. I have been having trouble getting a response with the German consulate in SF. Are foreign documents accepted? Would his nationality certificate suffice? Thanks, Nichalos.
Dear Mr. Moser,
I am from Iran and i have two questions:
1. Is it possible if i marry with an Iranian girl who is denizen in Germany with passenger passport and may i move there too ?
2. If i get educational visa from the university and move to Germany is it possible to find a job which is not related to my course and getting Work Visa ?
Thank you
The answer is “yes” on both questions, but the work visa may depend on the type of job and the income. The student visa is usually easier to get.
Dear Andreas,
I am an Indian, currently doing my PhD in Germany. I am married to an Indian with no kids. My parents live in India. I have three questions.
1. What is the rule to get a German citizenship for me being an Indian if I would like to continue my research work here after the completion of my degree?
2. There is a possibility to take DFG fund to go abroad for postdoctoral research. If I will receive the same grant, will my stay in Germany be counted as discontinuous even if I am having DFG funding?
3. Is it possible to apply for the citizenship of my parents if I will have my citizenship? Since they are more than 65 years old and need to be taken care.
Thanks in advance
I will be happy to answer these three questions after receiving a donation of at least 40 EUR to my PayPal account moser@moser-law.com. Thank you!
HI Andreas,
Your article is quite informative and useful !
I have a question about my situation. I have been living in Germany for 7.5 years and been married to my German wife for 2 years. I did my masters here in Germany and currently working here. I also finished my Integration Kurs (Orientierung kurs/Leben in Deustchland test) and got 33 out of 33. I just want to know if I need to do the Einburgerung test and is there any restriction as to how long I can be outside Germany after I get a German passport?
I will be happy to answer these questions after receiving a donation of at least 25 € to my PayPal account moser@moser-law.com. Thank you!
Hi Andreas,
I’ve a question please. Should the residency in Germany be continuous? for example, what if somebody stayed 5 years, left for 2 years, and came back to Germany and worked 3 other years. Is it counted 8 years?
thanks,
Siavash
Previous stays of up to 5 years CAN be counted: section 12b II StAG.
Hi
My son was was born in Germany. when he was born I was not German by nationality, so he inherited my original nationality and was given a temporary – 6 years visa -Travelling document/ identity. Later, I became a German national and We all moved to live in the UK. My son has a EEA family permit now and his Travelling document and German visa have expired. Can he apply for a German citizen from the UK German embassy? If not, how can he proceed to get a UK permanent residence?
What was your citizenship at the time of birth?
What was the other parent’s citizenship?
What is your son’s citizenship?
How long and with what status had you and the other parent been living in Germany when your son was born?
What are you all doing in the UK?
Does your son still speak German?
Was there a reason why he wasn’t included in your naturalization?
Because this is rather complicated, I would charge 100 € for answering this question.
Does any law allows someone that buried his baby born of German woman to stay in Germany ?
There should be a law against people asking the same question three times.
So this might have been answered already, but if I was born to a German parent (with a verified German citizenship) in October of 1999, in the United States, will I have to choose between my German and American citizenships when I turn 18? Do I fall under the ius soli catagory?
No, you got both citizenships at the same time, with none of them being the primary or secondary one. You won’t have to choose between them.
Sir,
My wife was born in Germany to two Jordanian parents who were resident in Germany at that time. Her father studied Electrical Engineering in Germany and then worked there for over 10 years with his wife and two daughters then the father had to return to Jordan at that time due to family commitments but he could not have the German Nationality as the Jordanian law did not permit dual nationality. Her father led a very pleasant life in Germany and was even appointed as a translator for court of law translation duties.
My wife , his daughter, has a German birth certificate and studied KG1, and 2 until she was 5 years of age and then the entire family returned to Amman-Jordan. My question, is she entitled for a German residency or anything following aforementioned family history?
Very thankful for your valuable help,
I would need to know the year when your wife was born, how long her parents had been in Germany by then and what kind of immigration status they had.
Does your wife still speak German?
I would appreciate a donation through the Paypal button on the top right before answering the question. Thank you!
I am a south african citizen. My fiance is German and live in Germany. I have found out that I am now 2 months pregnant with his baby, is there a visa that I can apply for that will let me stay with him? and does German immigration see this as an urgent case as I cannot fly after a certain time.
I don’t want to get into visa questions on a thread about citizenship law which already has more than 1,000 comments (because then we’ll have 10,000), but I will be happy to answer your question if you e-mail me at moser@moser-law.com. I charge 100 EUR for a consultation by e-mail.
Hello Andreas
making a long story short , here is my situation , both my grand parents are Germans , my mother is german and born in germany , and I was born on 1961 in germany , and I am registered in aachen with a birth certificate, and my pregnant daughter is studying masters in germany , my brother born on 1977 applied and got the passport recently .
As an expert in law , I seek citizenship for several reasons , but major goes for family reunion .
My mother married an Egyptian
What Do You suggest ?
What was the citizenship of your father at the time of your birth? Were your parents married at the time of your birth?
I’ll be happy to answer your question with this additional information and after receiving a donation to my Paypal account at moser@moser-law.com. Thank you!
my father was Egyptian . yes they were married . i will make a donation but using another email . is it ok ?
Hello Andreas
I made a donation !! What do you advice
Hello Andreas,
I am a Filipino citizen and I just got married to my wife(a German citizen), I would like to ask weather I can be a German citizen while we stay in the Philippines or we should stay in Germany for atleast 8 years?
Hi i have been a german citizen for 35 years and then i took on the new zealand citizenship ….nowni like to come back and get my german citizenship back ….what do i need to do …?
I AM TO STATE THAT I have pakistani nationality and i am a widow more than 18 yers old as my father is in germany and i want to meet him as he cannot travel to pakistan due to his health issues.Is there any chance that i can get a visa ? so that i can meet my father.
thank you
waiting for your kind reply
Yes. But this question has nothing to do with citizenship law.
hi andrea,
in response to your request(on 10 April 2016 at 23:33 )through paypal notifications asking to send the link to my questions…..
payment dates 9/02/2016
Total Amount: $25.00 USD
Currency: US Dollars
Confirmation number: 39720431G21752226
Purpose: Andreas Moser
Contributor: O…..i L…l
i hope the confirmation number is enough!
here are the questions again with updates, …..
1* can i apply for another resident permit since am married now, although my previous study permit is due for renewal in 6 months.
2.*my wife is on sgbII,i work for 450 euros, although some holidays jobs which is upto 2000euros sometimes.
is there any financial requirements at this point for the applications?
+The arbeit-amts calculated that i need to support the rent fee since we are married and i have another room in my place of study which is a bit far from my spouse residents.
is this ok? because sometimes i dont even work in a month. (off topic?)
3.* if the financial conditions will remain same, like i am still a students at the time of indefinate permit application or so after 2years, will my 450euros job suffice/enough to apply?
if no, for how long will the permit be renewed again?
My children and myself currently hold German citizenship and we all live in the USA as permanent residents.
The question I have is that the other parent is in the process of obtaining US citizenship. If successful US citizenship is automatically inferred on my children as well. There is no action on their part, but their US citizenship would be classed as naturalized. Will this cause them to lose German citizenship since it occurred after their birth?
It depends on whether it’s really automatic (then not), or if the children were included in the application (then yes, §§ 25 I 1, 19 II StAG because the parent is legally representing the children). So I would need to look at the wording of the naturalization application in this case.
But in any case, you can apply for a permission from Germany to maintain the children’s German citizenship (§ 25 II StAG) if you have good arguments. This depends on a lot of family factors, the children’s ties to Germany, your connections to Germany, their language skills and so on. I’d be happy to look at your case in detail and help you with the application, but I do charge 400 EUR for such a consultation. Please note that this “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” needs to be obtained before the US naturalization process has been completed. After, it will be too late.
Hello Andreas , I hope your enjoying your stay in Bolivia ,don’t forget to come to Peru since its so close, we have a very rich culture, our cuisine is one of the best . and the people are very friendly.
I have been reading the comments but i couldnt find an answer to my problem.
My grandfather was born in Lima,Peru in 1891. In his Birth Certificate he appears as “Natural” son, the parents were not married to each other at the time of his birth and the Father married another woman instead, but in 1916 he acknowledge the paternity by a written statement.
This two paragraph long statement is in my grandfather birth certificate, in one of the sentences it reads “Heiner Bohmermann expressed its willingness to recognize his own natural son Otto Bohmermann…”. Below the statement appears his signature , of the Mayor and two witnesses.
Is this acknowledgement of paternity legal by the german law? and thus passed on this citizenship
Hello Johannes,
I am actually planning to move to Peru next and I am already excited!
I would need to look at the German law in place in 1916, which would require some research (and thus a donation). But the bigger problem might be that between 1871 and 1913, Germans who lived abroad were required to register with the German consulate at least once every 10 years, or they would lose German citizenship. This is where most of these cases fail because most people did not register regularly or the records have been lost.
Good Afternoon Andreas,
My grandfather born in 1895 was called Peter August Feigenbaum , he used that name in his marriage certificate, in the son’s birth certificate and in his death certificate, but in the Birth certificate he appears as Theodor August Feigenbaum. I talked to the authorities in Argentina , they told me it was common in those times to change their first name without any problems.They also said, that if i wanted i could rectify the birth certificate but it’s a long process. Could i send my application for German citizenship with his birth certificate as it is (Theodor) even though in the marriage certificate and my father’s birth certificate appears (Peter) ?
btw i asked the German embassy for the consulate records.I’m waiting for the answer.
Thanks and Greetings from Argentina.
It shouldn’t be too much of a problem if you can prove that they were the same person (e.g. same date and place of birth, or photos of the same person with different first names, or other signs of continuity like continued memberships in associations, continued bank accounts and so on).
Hi.
I am a Ghanaian woman married to a Ghanaian/German citizen [through naturalization]. My daughter and myself are Ghanaians. Can my husband who is a German and living here in Ghana file for me and my daughter. We want to visit Germany. Please.
I will be happy to answer this as soon as i receive a donation to my PayPal account (see button on the top right). Thank you!
Hi Andres,I had a baby with my german boyfriend but we aren’t married , would my child be able to get the german passport although am not married to the father ?
Yes.
You will need a formal acknowledgement of paternity or a court order establishing legal paternity. The details depend on the country you live in.
My questions goes like this
A friend of mine was invited to Germany, she didn’t know she was pregnant and letter find out then gave birth there she not up to one year she came. Can any of them get a citizenship in Germany
If the child can get a citizenship or his it both of them I mean the mothers and child or just the child alone ?
My question goes like this:
Have you read the part on the top of the page where I clarify that I only answer questions after receiving a donation through the Paypal button on the top right or a book from my wishlist?
I was born in Germany 1974 by Nigerian parents. My parents completed their studies when I was two and moved back to Nigeria since then.
Do I have right to apply for citizenship in Germany
No. See no. 4 of the above FAQ for the requirements of citizenship by ius soli.
Hi there, I currently live in South Africa but have a German passport and would like to go and live and work in Germany. The problem is my husband is South African and only has a South African Passport. Would he be allowed to join me and also work in Germany and if so, what would he have to do do obtain the correct visa to allow him to work too?
That really depends on a lot of factors (his German skills, both your qualifications and your financial situation), so it’s probably better to e-mail me directly at moser@moser-law.com. I charge 400 EUR for a telephonic consultation and 150 EUR for an e-mail consultation.
Another option would be to use EU freedom of movement, based on which you can move to any other EU country together without any need for a visa.
Can I apply for Germany citizenship after 7 years of living legally in Germany.
If you meet all the requirements, yes.
Hi,
I am from India and for almost 7 years I am working in Middle East. My fiancé is German and we have a plan to get married in couple of months and stay in Dubai for 3 or 4 years. I would like to know can I get German passport during this time or I must have to stay in Germany for 3 years ?
You would need to live together in Germany for at least 3 years to qualify for regular naturalization.
There is a possibility to get naturalized as a German citizen without living in Germany, but it requires much more than mere marriage.
Thank you very much sir
Hi Andreas,
I am Brazillian, I have the German citizenship and I will travel to unites states alone to visit my brother there.
My doubt is, if i have the german citizeship i would need to apresents a brazillian autorization to me travel alone to unites states? or I just would need to apresent my reisepass, because i think ” if i have a german citizenship I am a german guy, so i don’t have to give satisfaction for Brazil about I travelling alone to other country”.
As a German lawyer, I have no idea what Brazilian law says about this.
But I don’t think you should experience any problems in the US if you simply use your German passport for the whole journey.
Yes a play football very well,how do i manage to get a germany citizenship?
You start by playing for a German club.
Hey Andreas,
I am wondering if i am applicable for a German passport here is my case:
My father is German (born in Australia to German parents), my grandparents gave up there German citizenship before my father was born in the 1950s after my grandfather served in WWII, My grandparent did not hold German passports as they did not need one at the time and came to Australia by ship.
I have contacted to German mission here in Australia and they said there is a possibility I can obtain it via applying for a staatsangehorigkeit, any information would be great,
Thanks
It sounds like your father was born to two parents who did not have German citizenship at the time. I don’t see how he would be German.
Correct, misunderstanding I mean German by nationality. I will try via staatsangehorigkeit.
Thanks!
Citizenship, nationality and Staatsangehörigkeit are the same.
Hi Andreas,
after obtaining German citizenship (through living and working in Germany for 8 years), is there a danger of losing my new German citizenship if I will decide to live elsewhere?
Generally speaking, I’m not sure whether it’ll be in an EU country or in an EFTA country like Switzerland.
Thanks in advance,
IMF
No danger at all.
You would only lose German citizenship if you apply for another citizenship (sec. 25 I StAG) without obtaining prior approval from Germany (sec. 25 II StAG).
please i m passionate going in germany for a mba program in english so from the begining of my study when can i obtain german citizenship… the criteria for having german passport please
from bangladesh
That’s exactly what’s answered in the FAQ above.
Hi Andreas,
I understand that a dual German-US citizen who voluntarily joined the US military from 2000 to 2010 lost German citizenship. However, I am unable to locate information about dual citizens for the period before 2000, specifically the 1980’s. Is there a black and white rule? Thanks.
Hi Andreas
my niece was born here in Germany but both parents are non Germans that means she got only a German birth certificate, and they left Germany when she was just 2yrs, she is about 18 yrs can she in anyway apply for a German citizenship?
See no. 4 of the FAQ.
I have a son. The father is a german citizen and he acknowledge our son i mean he allows my son to use his surname. I want to apply a citizenship for my son. Could this be possible? We are living on the Philippines and its been two years now he stopped sending support. Pls help me dont know what to do. Ty this site is very helpful.
You need an official acknowledgement of paternity or you need to establish paternity through a court proceeding. Then your son can get German citizenship.
And you might also want to enforce your claim for child support.
I was born in Germany and adopted and moved to the us and naturalized. Am I still a German citizen
hello Andreas Moser …..
i am an indian,live in germany got permanent card. my wife and son are citizen. i may have to go to canada for long period as my all family is there , but only after i get citizenship. so my question is how long i can stay out of german without losing german citizenship?.. like in some countries they cant lose citizenship by living outside of country what is about germany? t
thankyou
There is no time limit. You won’t lose German citizenship by living in another country, even if forever. (I haven’t lived in Germany since 2009 and I am still German).
hit
I was born in Germany to german father and indian mother. they were not married and left each other after that. I have a german birth certificate and german passport which expired 4 years ago. we r living in india but I want to go back to Germany and get the citizenship. my father doesn’t talk to us and doesn’t want to help me to renew my passport. what can I do? thx.
You go to the German consulate and apply for a new passport.
Hello,
I could not find answer in here.
Therefore, my question is, my father and grandfather was born in russia but they are both living in germany for over 20 years.
both have germany citizen.
I’m living in israel (my ancetors are not victems of the nazis).
Can I also get german citizen because of that?
If yes, what should i do for it?
Thank you and have a lovely day :)
Paz.
Only if your father already had German citizenship when you were born.
Good morning,
I’m from Algeria and my wife is from Poland and we both live in Deutschland and working here, i have residance for 5 years and my wife has Polish Passport, we finish integration cours here in Deutschland and we both have b1 and politic exam.
How long do we need to wait to Apply for Deutsche Passport , for me and for my wife.
Thank you so much.
Chougui Bilal.
Can someone help me with an answer please !!
Sure, once I will have received some payment.
With the B1, you need 7 years of residence. If you can pass the B2, you can apply after 6 years of residence.
Hello,
My question is a little complicated.
My grandfather is German, with dual German-English citizenship. He was born in Germany, currently lives there, but spent many years living in the UK, where he married an English woman and had my father.
Question 1. Is my father eligible for German citizenship, either dual or otherwise?
Question 2. If my father is eligible, would I be? My mother is English, and I was born in the UK.
Many thanks.
Because you mention that your question is complicated, I strongly advise a donation of at least 50 EUR to my Paypal account before I answer it. Thank you!
Hi my great grandparents on both sides were born in Germany would I qualify for a German passport?
If you read through the other questions on this thread, you will begin to understand why the information provided by you is not even remotely enough to answer your question.
I currently have a German passport and an Australian one. I live in Sweden and would like to get a Swedish passport. Will I have to give up my German one? Does the German system allow this?
@Rohkämper – I did the same thing. (CAD-DEU-HU) No, because you are taking another EU citizenship, you will not be required to give up your German or Aussie passport. The question you must ask is will Sweden allow YOU to have more than one citizenship or will Sweden make you renounce your other two citizenship.
Germany does not have any problem if you acquire the citizenship of another EU country. You will not lose your German citizenship.
Hi Andreas
I am a UK citizen my late Father was German and I have family descends in Germany. My father was bought to the uk as a German prisoner of war and a lot of my child hood was spent with my late grandparents in Germany on holidays/visits. I have a great sense of belonging to Germany and the U.K.. And as a citizen of the EU I was happy that I could travel and potentially live in Germany should I wish to. Following the crazy decision by the UK to leave the EU I now wish to enquire as to wether I might be eligible for dual German and British Citizenship. I believe that my Father had Naturalised to British but am not sure when he did this, although I am led to believe he would have done prior to my birth in 1955 in order for him to purchase his home. Therefore my question is would I qualify? Would I be able to qualify under any other clause relating to My Fathers situation following WW2.
Best Regards
David Langer
Dear David,
I share your dismay about the Brexit decision. Legally, everything depends on whether your father was still German at the time of your birth. If he applied for naturalization in the UK without prior consent from Germany (§ 25 II StAG) before your birth, he lost his German citizenship (§ 25 I StAG) and couldn’t have passed it on to you anymore.
There is a theoretical possibility to apply for naturalization without having lived in Germany, but the bar for this is very high.
Dear Andreas
Thank you for your prompt reply. I think the best course of action is for me to ascertain the date my Father obtained naturalisation and if that is not favourable to my situation then The question I would ask is would you represent me to obtain dual nationality and what would the be the chances of achieving it and what the cost would be.
Best Regards David Langer
Dear David,
you can read my FAQ about getting naturalized in Germany from abroad to get an idea, but the chances are very small. Unless your case is exceptional, I would advise against spending any money on that.
I charge 400 EUR for a telephonic consultation and 200 EUR for a consultation by e-mail.
Hi Andreas, I have lived in Bremerhaven Germany. since I was 10 years old.We movied here in 1980 from England. My son was bron here and his Farther in German. My son is German. He was born in 1989. I moved to Italy for 3 years when he was 10 in 1998/2002 He has a German Passport. I have a britisch Passport.I now would like a Duel Passport How would I go about doing that. And can I even do that now the Brexit has Happend. If you could give me any info that wolud be nice. I would like to Thank you ahead of time. have a nice Day Simone
Oh yes, you can apply for German citizenship if you speak German at least at B1 level. You easily meet the residency requirement of 6-8 years (depending on language skills).
As long as the UK is still in the EU, you will not be asked to give up your British citizenship. If you get the process of naturalization in Germany completed before the UK will leave the EU, you can keep both citizenships forever.
Pingback: How Britons react to Brexit | The Happy Hermit
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for all the help you’re giving here.
I’m probably clothing at straws here due to the unexpected Brexit decision.
My maternal Grandmother was born in Germany in 1936 and I believe moved to England around 1957 after which she married my Grandfather and has resided in the UK ever since. My mother was born in UK in 1963.
Is it possible for my mother to obtain a German passport through having a German parent and if so, would this then enable me to do the same?
Many thanks
There is a chance for your mother if your grandmother was still German in 1963. Please see no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
But her naturalization as a German citizen would not apply retroactively to you.
Hi Mr Moser, My great grandparent was german, can I obtain german citizenship.
If you read the questions and answers above, you will get an idea of the kind of information I need in order to answer that.
My great-grandfather was German, came to the UK after 1913 and married a UK citizen. I can seek confirmation of this but I believe that his daughter (my grandmother) was born while my great-grandfather remained German. My grandmother married a UK citizen and my father was born in 1939. None of these people ever “applied for” UK citizenship. My mother is a UK citizen and I was born in 1966. With regret, I think that because the line to my great-grandfather does not run through males only, I cannot seek German citizenship as a right. Is this correct?
As soon as a receive a donation through the Paypal button on the top right, I will look into your family history.
My parents have now obtained documents indicating that my grandmother was born in the UK in 1908 (10 years earlier than we had expected). As this was before 1914, I believe that I cannot use my ancestry to obtain German citizenship, so I will drop this. Thanks for a most informative website. Best regards, Alex
Hello Andreas,
I recently found out that my biological father was of German descent and still lives in Germany. I researched obtaining German citizenship and was told that, because i was 36 years old, it was too late for me to obtain that. Would i be able to obtain citizenship if my father were to adopt me? if not, what are my other options of obtaining citizenship? Your help would be greatly appreciated!
Brad
Apologies, I forgot to mention that I have am, and have been a South African citizen all my life, and so is my bioligical mother.
As soon as I receive a donation through the Paypal button on the top right, I’ll delve into your situation.
Do you have a different legal father or no legal father at all?
Hi Andreas,
Please, my parents came to Germany as asylum seekers and in 1985 they gave birth to me. Unfortunately, we came back to Africa in the late 1980s and never went back.
I will like to know if I was entitled to citizenship and if yes how can I go about it. And, if the answer is no, is there any ways I can apply for a new citizenship even when am living elsewhere in Africa.
Thank you.
These questions are answered in the FAQ above.
Hi I’m ertirian refugees in Germany iaam already 6 month in Germany as Germany give passport for ertirian but I have one criminal that stolen supermarket but I have no record in criminals so have I hope to get Germany passport?
Hello , i have a question please help me if you can.
My brother got pr card in germany .
His wife is having holland citizensship.
So to apply for citizenship of germany how many years more he have to wait?
Is it that he have to wait for total of 8 yeqrs or he can apply sooner and he have completed the language test which is called B1 i guess.
Please reply if you have any idea about this
Best regards
I will be happy to answer your question once I receive a donation to my PayPal account. You can fid the button on the top right of this page.
I couldn’t see any paypal info on top right?
I think it might not work on phones, only on real computers. My PayPal address is moser@moser-law.com. Alternatively, I am also very thankful about books from my wishlist.
My husband was born in Germany 17/12/1975 both parents are British, can he apply for dual citizenship?
No.
I am American living in the UK. My father was born in Germany but moved to the US when he was in his teens, got an American passport and served in the US military during the war. How can I find if he renounced his German citizenship? Also, would I be able to apply for German citizenship through him being born there?
If he did renounce his German citizenship, there should be a record at the German consulate of the region where your father lived at the time. But if he was naturalized in the US, he automatically lost his German citizenship without renouncing it (§ 25 I StAG), maybe even without knowing it.
If you were born after his naturalization, you were therefore born to a father with US citizenship only and do not hold German citizenship.
Just before receiving your reply, I sent an email to the State Dept to ask about it.
Thank you for your very prompt reply
Hello im a wife of a german and has a german child, what if my husband does not have any property or will to inherit us because he have none, can we get anything or something from germany after his death?
No.
Can the government not help us?
How can we have a house? Where shall we stay?how about our daughter?
For follow-up questions, I charge 100 EUR.
My German mother married my British Soldier father in Germany March 1947. I was born a year later in the UK. Do I have any chance of obtaining dual German/British nationalities? Thank you
Hey I have the same question about my mom: She was born in Berlin, Germany, from my American Grandfather and my German grandmother. She later moved with my grandparents to the US. We are not sure if she holds German citizenship, since she was born in Germany from a German mother. I would like to know if there is any chance I can retrieve German citizenship for me. I am American.
Thank you
My daughter’s father is from Berlin, Germany. He came here to the United States on a work visa (software engineer.) My daughter was born in the U.S and we three still live here. We are not married but live together. Am I eligible to apply for German citizenship through my daughter’s dual citizenship? We would like to move.
Citizenship cannot be derived from your daughter, but as the mother of a German child, you can move to Germany anytime (with her, of course) and you would receive a residence and work permit (§ 28 I no. 3 AufenthG). No marriage is required for that.
After living in Germany for at least 6 years, you could then go through the normal naturalization process.
Thank you!
Is same applicable for father (non-German) of a German child, can father be there to take care of the child?
Paternity alone is not enough, you need to have or establish some form of legal custody.
33 years old, born in Germany, father German. At the age of 10 moved with mother to the US. Lieved in the US and acquired US citizenship because of the possibility of a Federal job, renouncing to the German citizenship. It didn’t work out.
Returned to Germany (9years ago) and wishes to obtain dual citizenship.
How can she get now the dual citizenship in Germany?
No chance. You would need to renounce your US citizenship if you want to re-acquire German citizenship.
Hello Andreas,
My husband was born out of wedlock in Zimbabwe to a German father and Zimbabwean mother in 1978. His father & mother are now deceased. His father lived and worked in South Africa. He now wants to apply for German citizenship. How does he go about this. He also resides in South Africa.
It depends on whether the father acknowledged formal paternity (§ 4 I 2 StAG). If no, it’s too late.
Hello Andreas,
i was born in Germany in 1980 to non German parents(they are Ghanaians), they were seeking political asylum by then. They could not get permanent permit stay in Germany so they returned back to Ghana. i am in Ghana now. Is there any chances of a getting a German citizenship
No.
Thanks
Hi Moses, my ancestor was born in Hamburg in 1839, he travelled to Peru in 1858. In 1864 he got married to a peruvian and had a child,he never naturalized in Peru and died a german in 1908.I asked the Federal Foreign Office for the consular register or Konsulatsmatrikel, they said “there are no consular registers or files of the German consulate in lima existing anymore, research for the registration of your ancestor is not possible”.You said in another comment that “there are other ways of proving someone’s continued ties to Germany, for example if they renewed their German passports” and someone said the BVA gave the option to present other documents, such as “Passports,german military documents,etc”
My german ancestor and his child, both are in the Passport Register of Hamburg from the Hamburg Archives meaning they were german. Could i use this for evidence that my ancestor held german citizenship even after his inmigration?
What a coincidence that I am moving to Perú tomorrow!
The passport is sufficient if it was renewed every ten years in the time between 1871 and 1908. If he just kept his first passport that would not be enough because it doesn’t prove that he continued to actively regard himself as German.
Hi,
My husband’s great-great grandfather was from Germany, and his grandmother from Austria. Can he get the German citizenship thru his ancestor, even thought is a great great grandfather?
we don’t really have any documents just names and birthdates.
Yes, he can.
But I would need to know the exact timeline of emigration, marriages, births, naturalizations and so on to know for sure. If you e-mail me at moser@moser-law.com, I can look into this for my regular consultation fee of 200 EUR.
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for your great work. Please i am currently pregnant for my bf who is German and doing masters but i am not German as i am from Africa.I am presently working in the middle east. He said if i give birth to the child in Germany he will not be allowed to leave Germany for a longer period. Because i intend to give birth and reside there in Germany as i have safe more cash to carter till i have a job. Please Is this true?
Absolutely untrue.
The stuff that people come up with… Unbelievable.
Hi Andreas,
I am living in Germany for 8 years out of which I have been working for 5 years. I had married last year and there were disputes arising out of my marriage between me and my wife.My wife stays in the country of my origin. Can I still apply for Citizenship if my wife has filed a false case of maintenance on me in the country of my origin along with a divorce case.Will I be given the citizenship of germany if the authorities come to know if there is above case going in the country of my origin. Do I need tell the above information in advance to the local authorities where i apply for my citizenship for germany.
Max
The family law cases have no influence on your citizenship application in Germany. These are civil cases. The same would apply if the cases were pending in Germany.
Hi Moses, Is it a requirement or necessary to send a “Migratory movement” of myself ?
I have the rest of the documents (births,marriages,death certificates) translated to german already, now i’m just trying to figure out how to fill Form F and Appendix V in german.
thanks and greetings from Valparaiso,Chile.
Hey Moses, still waiting for any answer, is it a requirement to send a certificate of “Migratory movement” of myself? I would appreciate it if you answer. thanks
You might still be waiting for an answer because I am still waiting for your payment.
Dear Andreas Moses,
Me and my wife are from India. I have completed 7 years of stay in Germany and my wife has been here for 6 years. We both hold permanent residence here. Our daughter was born last month, and according to FAQ 4, she could have got German passport if I was here one more year (i.e. 8 years). Now the question is, can I apply for a German passport for my daughter next year when I would have been a resident in Germany for 8 years? Neither me or my wife wants to become naturalized here while we would like our daughter to have an option to choose the German/Indian citizenship when she gets 18. I would be happy to pay your consultation charges once you respond. Thank you!
Dear Rola,
the option of dual citizenship pursuant to § 4 III StAG unfortunately only works if the requirements are met at the time of birth. This clause cannot be used later.
Of course your daughter could apply for naturalization once she has lived in Germany for 6-8 years and speaks German, but she would be asked to give up her Indian citizenship.
Thank you very much for your willingness to pay, but as I couldn’t give you a positive response, a small donation to my Paypal account moser@moser-law.com is absolute fine and very welcome. Thank you very much already!
Hi,
My Grandfather was born in Germany and came to Canada in the 60’s. He maintained his German citizenship until his passing in 2012. My Father was born in Germany but came to Canada around the time he was 7. He grew up in Montreal, and when he met my mother, his mother-in-law to-be demanded he give-up his German citizenship before allowing them to be married. I’m not 100% sure this was done, or if it was said “Sure, I did it.”.
My Father is still alive and in his 60’s. I have two questions: First, if he did give it up, can he obtain it again by virtue of both his parents being German citizens? Secondly; am I and my Brother able to obtain citizenship based on my father having been a citizen at birth? Does it matter than he might have renounced it?
Why don’t you first ask your father if he did give up his citizenship instead of asking me to answer hypothetical questions?
If you want to pay for my hot-shot legal advice on the other hand, then you can ask as many hypothetical questions as you like.
Dear Andrea,
Greetings to you. How was Bolivia and i see now you are presently in Peru. I made my email consultation fee to you in June. And i have not gotten any feedback from you from the naturalisation questions emailed.I understand you have been busy. And also travelled in July/August Please i will be glad to hear from you. Thanks
How long can I need to live in Germany before I can apply for citizenship if my Son is already a citizen?
I think that’s answered in the FAQ above.
hey andreas , how can i get a residence in germany ?
I charge 400 EUR for a consultation.
This post is literally a goldmine. Someone buy this guy a drink (preferably a beer right?). I have a question about the Ermessenseinbuergerung. I have a certificate of completing B2.2 exam (6 ECTS) from a German university alongside my Masters program. My spoken skills are B1 on a bad day and B2-C1 on a good day. Would this still count for naturalizing in just 6 years? Because it’s discretionary… how would you judge the odds to be? Does the decision for this rest with the local Auslaenderbehoerde since it’s not based upon entitlement? Or is it just better to complete the integration course exam and apply after 7 years?
I would really appreciate your response.
Thank you very much!
I actually prefer books over a beer, so I will wait with my answer until I receive one of the books from my wishlist. ;-)
Hi Andreas,
You should have received an Amazon gift card from me :) I would appreciate a quick response thanks :)
Thank you very much for your generous gift card!
I’ll get to your answer as soon as possible, but I don’t have much internet at the moment, so it may be another few days.
Hi. Am Married to a german Woman since 2004,and still leaving with her. we have a Daughter of 8yrs old. I had a Problem with drugs in 2006 which i got sentenced for 4years and 11month. I was realesed on 2009 and have been Clean since then, Working. What Are my Chances of getting the german Pass.
I’ll be happy to look into that after receiving a donation of at least 50 EUR. Thank you very much in advance!
-URGENT-
Hi Mr. Moser,
My father was a German national, he was living in the Philippines for more than 30 years and he died here last 2012. He initially married a Filipina woman, they have 1 child and they separated shortly after but they never officially annulled their marriage. He later married my mother (bigamous marriage), my mother was unmarred before she married my dad, and they stayed together for more than 20 years until his death last 2012. I am now trying to apply for my German citizenship but according to the Philippine embassy, I am not eligible because my parents’ marriage was bigamous, and without an affidavit of paternity, I could not apply for citizenship. Although I have all the supporting documents that he considered us his children, (listing us as his social security beneficiaries, paying for our school tuition, proof that we lived under the same roof until the time he passed away). We are even currently receiving semi-orphan pension of 80 euros per month from Germany and according to my mom, my dad even registered us as his kids in Germany.
The German embassy here in manila told us that there was only one way to apply for citizenship and this would be to prove paternity through the German Family Court in Berlin. They said that I had to file this before I turn 23 which is on October 18, 2016, next month. They also advised us to get a lawyer. unfortunately we cannot afford the rates of a lawyer in Germany.
Question 1.) Is what the German embassy saying true? An employee in the German embassy told me 4 years ago that it did not matter that the marriage was bigamous as long as they got married, we could apply for citizenship, but now the other woman I spoke to told me the opposite.
2.) If so, how would we go about filing our case in court in such a short amount of time? Do we need a lawyer to do this? And is there any lawyer in Germany you can recommend who would take our case for only a low rate? We are from a middle class family here in the Philippines and me, my brother and my sister and still studying, we cannot afford much.
3.) I am turning 23 next month, my sister is 18 years old and my brother is 25. According to the embassy paternity needs to be proven before the age of 23 and they told me my brother was ineligible. Both my parents before signed an affidavit of support and consent for my brother in 1992 when they traveled with him to Germany and in one of the clauses, my dad stated that he was the parent. Would this suffice as an affidavit of paternity and would this count as proving paternity before the age of 23 since they executed that document when my brother was just 2 years old?
Thank you so so much for taking the time to answer my question. I would be more than happy to make a donation of 50 euros to your Paypal if you send me the details of your paypal account. Unfortunately, that’s all I can afford though I extend my sincerest gratitude from me and my siblings here in the Philippines. Thank you.
Dear Pia,
thank you very much. My Paypal account is moser@moser-law.com.
Hi, the 50 euros have been transferred to your Paypal. Thank you so much for helping us. I turn 23 next month (oct.18) so I do not have much time. Hoping you can reply asap. Thank you again!
P.S. another question — if we had no choice but to prove paternity through court, is it possible to file a paternity case here in the Philippines instead? since it would be much easier for us and more affordable since Germany is so far away. My mom is a Filipina and we are currently Filipino citizens.
Many thanks,
Pia
Dear Pia,
thank you very much for your generous donation! Your situation is really quite complicated. Unfortunately, everything is made more complicated because of your father’s death.
1) Under German law, the second marriage was illegal (§ 1306 BGB), but it was still considered valid until/unless a court would have declared it void (§ 1314 I BGB). This never seemed to have happened, so I would say the first information you received from the consulate was correct. Basically, it’s not the child’s fault that their parents’ marriage was bigamous.
2) You should formally request a certificate of citizenship with the consulate. (To anyone else reading this: if you are in a similar situation, please don’t wait until you are 23, particularly if you have spoken to the consulate many years ago already.) Force them to give you a decision in writing and to make up their mind. You only need to sue if they will deny your application.
Because I would argue that the marriage is valid, there is no need for a paternity proceeding. If you do need to bring a case in Germany, you would need a lawyer there. Depending on your financial situation, you may be eligible for legal aid (“Verfahrenskostenhilfe”). You can contact any lawyer in Germany and they will send you a form to fill in and file for legal aid. The lawyer will then get paid by the German government (but not much). You do not need to be a German citizen or live in Germany in order to qualify.
3) If one argues that your parents were not legally married, then the establishment of paternity requires a formal acknowledgement of paternity valid under German law. That would be a “Vaterschaftsanerkennung” signed at the consulate or the “Jugendamt” in Germany. Anything else is not sufficient.
But as mentioned in (1), I would argue that the marriage was valid and no further establishment of paternity is thus necessary. This would mean that your brother – like you and your sister – has always been German and can apply for a German passport anytime. The limit of 23 years of age in § 4 I 2 StAG only applies to the establishment of paternity, not to the application of a passport. After all, one can be German and never possess a passport one’s whole life.
4) I would not recommend to use the court in the Philippines because your goal is to obtain German citizenship, so you need a court order that will be recognized by the German consulate. As I mentioned the legal aid in (2), the financial concerns shouldn’t be a problem.
I wish you good luck!
hey andreas , i am loking for somebody to marry that i can pay him just to get the german passport do you know any boy that is interrested..After i can get the passport we can get divorced .
Sure. Just post a link to your Facebook or other profile with some photos. If you are cute, some of my friends may contact you.
am 20 year old and am albanian , but are they confidence people? how can i contact them ? by email ? thank you
If they find you cute, they will contact you. It also depends on how much you pay. Usually, the rate is at least 3000 EUR/year.
around 250 euro monthly right ? where can i give you a facebook name ?
and how many years should i be married to get the german pass ?
For a legal consultation I charge 200 EUR.
hello sir I am i was born in Germany in 2000 now im 16 but my parents were returned in Kosova when i was a child , is there anyway possible to have a german citizenship ? I play football a lot , its my life and i play very well but in my country the football is very poor or how to say isnt developed a lot ,
please help me ..
Hello Mr. Moser. I have read through your very informative website, and have a question that I believe has not yet been asked/answered. My maternal grandmother was born in Germany in 1923, but fled to a Amsterdam in 1937, and then to the US in 1940, by which time she was considered a stateless refugee because her German citizenship had been revoked by the Nazis (we are Jewish). My biological mother is a US citizen who was born in the US in 1950; therefore it is my understanding that even if my grandmother had not had her German citizenship revoked, my biological mother would not be eligible to claim German citizenship by birth because she was born prior to 1953, which in turn means that I am not eligible to claim it by birth. However, my maternal grandmother became my legal guardian shortly after my birth in the US in 1971. (As such, I refer to her as “mom,” which is why I refer to my biological mother as “my biological mother” rather than “my mother.”) My question is this: does legal guardianship carry the same weight as adoption as far as my right to claim German citizenship is concerned? It is my understanding that if you are adopted by a German citizen, you become a German citizen, but I don’t know if this applies to people whose legal guardians – if there even is such a designation under German law – are German citizens. Thank you in advance for sharing your expertise with me.
Hello Ericka, no, the legal guardianship does not carry the same weight as an adoption. Mainly because it can be revoked and an adoption can’t, and also because it doesn’t sever the legal ties between you and your biological parents.
Hello,
Is it possible for me to gain German citizenship/acquire a German passport via ius sanguinis if my paternal grandmother was born in German and is still living in Germany but my father lost his German citizenship by accepting a foreign citizenship (joined the US Navy around 1978-1980). It gets a bit complicated because my paternal grandfather was American and my father was born in the States but he moved to Germany at 6 months old with my grandmother and was raised German. My grandparents divorced (this was in the 1960s).
Thank you in advance!
Shana
Thank you in advance for your donation!
Hello, my name is Daniel. I was born in Brazil in 1982 and my grandmother is German. My biological father was born before the wedding of my German grandmother, my father was born in 1937. My German grandmother married in 1955 with my grandfather, my grandfather was already naturalized Brazilian. Then in 1985 my sister and I were adopted only by my grandfather (already naturalized Brazilian). The BVA has accepted my request and recognize my German citizenship. For my sister, who is the same case, called the decision to adopt. We do not acquire another citizenship through this adoption, only the Brazilian by birth. How to apply § 27 StAG in this case? Thank you.
Hi Mr Moser
I am a Singaporean and my husband is a German and a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR). Our son who was born in Singapore has the German citizenship by descent. He is not a Singaporean as I wasn’t a Singaporean then. We are thinking of applying for the Singapore PR for him. Under the law, the second generation PR requires to serve the National Service (i.e. military service). I read the German nationality law and there are some references to the loss of German citizenship if one voluntarily serves in the foreign military except for NATO etc. I would like to check if my son would lose his German citizenship when he serves the national service at the age of 19. Serving the military is not voluntary but an obligation as a PR. Applying for PR is voluntary. Your advice is much appreciated. Thank you.
made a donation and look forward to your reply
Hello Andreas, thanks for a very informative page. I too have a question you may be able to help me with.
My husband was born in Germany in 1968 to German parents. They immigrated to Australia in 1972 and lost their citizenship by accepting Australian citizenship.
Do you think my husband is eligible to apply for a German passport?
if he were successful would our children have any chance of getting German citizenship?
Thank you very much
Olya
Thank you very much in advance for your donation.
Hello Andreas,
i came to Germany on 2009 after i got scholarship for my PhD. On 2013 I got my PhD from German university, after that i stayed on Germany till 2015 without Job. So i left the Germany for almost one year for working in Slovakia. After almost one year i got new job in Germany. Now I am living in Germany and I would like to know if I want to apply for German citizenship or permanent residence, they will calculate the years I spent in Germany before ï leave the country.
many thanks,
Dean
The years you spent in Germany before can be counted for the purpose of naturalization, § 12b II StAG.
Sehr geehrter Herr Moser,
ich bin im März 2009 von Algerien nach Deutschland gekommen und habe hier promoviert. Danach war ich ab September 2013 für ein Jahr auf Arbeitssuche. Anschließend habe ich Deutschland verlassen und bin im Juli 2015 nach Österreich für 11 Monate wo ich gearbeitet habe. Nach diesen 11 Monaten bin ich nach Deutschland zurück im Juni 2016 wo ich als Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter arbeite.
Ich möchte mich nun einbürgern lassen und die deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit erlangen. Meine Frage an Sie ist nun, ob ich meine anfäglichen 6 Jahre anrechnen lassen kann. Im Gesetz §12b II StAG steht, dass ich höchstens nur 5 Jahre anrechnen lassen kann, und nicht meine vollen 6 Jahre? Habe ich das Gesetzt richtig ausgelegt?
Des Weiteren, wie sieht es aus wenn ich nun ehrenamtlich tätig werde? Wird dann die benötigte Anzahl der Jahre, um eingebürgert zu werden, reduziert?
Vielen Dank vielmals für Ihre Antwort!
Mit Freundlichen Grüßen
Reda
Hallo Reda,
zuerst einmal Glückwunsch zur Promotion, auch wenn es schon eine Weile her ist.
Sie haben Recht: § 12b II StAG beschränkt die Anrechnung eines früheren Aufenthalts auf maximal fünf Jahre. Mehr geht nicht. Das Ermessen (“kann”) bezieht sich auf die Anrechnung von fünf oder weniger Jahren. In Ihrem Fall sollten fünf Jahre angerechnet werden, weil Ihr Aufenthalt nicht lange zurückliegt, weil Sie in der Zeit studiert und offensichtlich sehr gut Deutsch gelernt haben, und weil Sie von dieser Integrationsleistung noch immer profitieren.
Ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit zusammen mit einem Deutsch-Niveau von mindestens B2 führt zur Reduzierung des notwendigen Aufenthalts auf 6 Jahre. Sie könnten demnach ab Juni 2017 die Einbürgerung beantragen.
Alles Gute!
Hi Andreas,
Thanks for the great info on this page.
I’ve got a quick question about proving German citizenship. I was born to a German father/British mother (they were married) and got German nationality through him. I don’t have dual citizenship.
My German citizenship was never questioned/needed proving when I applied/renewed my passport while living in Germany (last renewal was 2007).
I’m now living in Britain and the German embassy in London wants proof of citizenship. My parents divorced in 1977 and I lost contact with my father. I’ve got an official copy of the full Familienbuch entry – will this be sufficient to prove descent and therefore citizenship? This is in addition to my German birth certificate and valid passport (well, for another 11 months anyway).
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Silly embassy.
The Familienbuch and your birth certificate should be enough.
If they are causing you any trouble, you can also point to § 3 II StAG, according to which you would also have acquired German citizenship by being treated as a German citizen by German authorities for more than 12 years.
Brilliant and thanks for your help. Enjoy your travels.
Hello. I became a German citizen through descent (father) in 2007 and for my renewal, all I need is this certificate and my old reisepass. You should have received this when you got your citizenship.
Sorry, I have this one…
Hi Matteo
I am English and had a German father who Nationalised in Oct 1954. I was born in March 1955. So my mother would have been pregnant with me before my Father was naturalised. My elder Sisters are eligible for German Nationality. Am I?
Best Regards
David Langer
The relevant date is the date of your birth.
At David. Ask the expert Andreas.
I’m only experienced through getting myself and elder siblings German citizenship through abstammung- my father. My father never naturalized. Being conceived and born are too different matters. My expertise is with Slovak and Hungarian citizenship.
Ask the professional, Herr Moser!
i live in germany, my parents, my grand parents and my brothers live in iraq. how can i bring them to Germany.
I have a question regarding living in Germany for 8 years to get the German passport. Can these year be on a study residence permit ? I got my master degree from Germany (2 years) and my PhD (4 years) so that ‘s in total 6 years. I ‘m willing to work for 2 other years to be in total 8 years. would this be enough then to get a German passport ?
Hi.
i live in germany from last 3 and half year with my husband. i have two child born in german having german nationality. When first time i came in germany at visa office the visa officer told me that i will be eligible for german passport when my child will be 3 year old. Now my older daughter going to b 3 year in march. so please tell me can i apply for passport after march. i have already done german language course and lebens in deutschland test. Waiting for your reply.
Yes, you can.
Did my Mom lose her German citizenship automatically when she married my US citizen father in the US ca 1950? She wants to be buried in her family plot in Germany and I want to know if she may still claim German citizenship. She has lived in the US since she came to the US after WWII.
When exactly did your mother get married? Did she ever obtain US citizenship? When and how?
But of course she can get buried in Germany without having German citizenship. It would help if she is already there when she dies, though, because it’s a bureaucratic hassle to transport corpses.
Hello
I have Germany heritage
Back 3 great grandfather’s
My question is is possible to get German passport because of my Heritage?
Yes, it’s possible.
If you read through the questions and answers on this thread, you will get an idea about the requirements and pitfalls.
Hi Mr.Moses, Is there any difference between Civil marriage and Religious marriage ?
my grandfather got married via religious only in 1958 in Peru.
That depends on the law in place in Peru in 1958, which I would need to research.
Greetings from Mollendo in Peru, coincidentally.
wow, so it depends on peruvian law?… i thought it was german law that it was depended on since its german citizenship by descent.
You should come to Lima sometime Mr.Moser.
German citizenship depends on German law, of course. But you asked about the difference between civil and religious marriage in Peru without mentioning how this would be relevant to the German citizenship of anyone involved.
And even in cases of German citizenship law, you still have to revert to the laws of other countries to determine if a marriage was valid because one could hardly expect someone in Peru to follow the procedures of the German marriage law.
I am actually trying to avoid Lima because I am not a fan of big cities. ;-) So far I have only spent two nights at your airport.
I have two children,ages 12 and 7years who are living not in Germany.Can i apply for German passports for them,now that i have acquired one?
That depends on where your children live, what citizenship they have, if you have legal custody and if your children are going to live with you in Germany.
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Hi. My case may be too specific as I couldn’t find anything about it on the Internet and the Embassy can’t answer my question. There you go: My mother was born in 1953 to a German mother and a stateless father. Her parents married in Germany in 1948 (would her mother have become stateless upon marriage?) and immigrated to Brazil the following year. They became Brazilian citizens through naturalisation in 1971. I applied for German citizenship one year ago and the German authority BVA asked me whether my mother was registered as a German citizen by declaration in the 70s. This may have never happened.
I’ll be happy to look into this once I receive a donation. Thank you!
Hallo sir/Madam,
Ich bin Shoaib und lebe in Deutschland ich bin schon 8 Monat heir und ich bin im Asyl.ich habe eine Frage ich wohne mit Miene Freundin und sie ist schwanger. Can I get stay in Germany if yes then what I do next step how I change my visa.im waiting for your feed back.
Email Muhammadsohaib1811@gmail.com.
Best regards
Shoaib
Welcome to Germany!
It depends on your girlfriend’s citizenship or immigration status. If her status is secure, you can get a residence permit once the baby will be born and you establish shared custody. You can go to the Jugendamt and sign an affidavit of paternity (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) and a declaration of shared custody (gemeinsame Sorgeerklärung). Then, once the baby will be born, you apply for a residence permit based on § 28 I AufenthG.
Viel Erfolg und alles Gute!
Am still marriage to a German but we are separated 2 years ago and I have a 9 month old baby with a non german.my baby have a German past because my husband sign for her birth certificate .how long can it take to obtain the German pastpassport…..
Hi,
My father was born in Germany sometime in the 1950’s (I believe in 1957 or something like that), and he emigrated to the US in the early 60’s with his family. I was born in 1995 in the US. Is it possible for me to claim a dual citizenship based off of this?
Thanks
Did your father have German citizenship in 1995? Then yes.
Hi,
My dad study and work in Germany for years (1970’s) and i was born in Germany 1979 but left Germany 1983 i still have my Germany birth certificate, both parents are not Germans.
can i apply for German citizenship.
..Mr Andreas Moser, I would like to ask this because for my kid this wil help a lot. I am not married from my german partner but we have a kid together and now this is 10 monyhs ol.. he dont give support now, i am here in philippines with our kid… do i can report him on the german embassy? I would like to banned him for travelling here and i want his support is a must.
I don’t understand why you would want to have the father of your child banned from visiting.
Hi
My question is it possible for a child born in
The UK by Germany father,
Mother is an asylum seeker ,
Can the child be granted a Germany passport.
And both parents are living in the UK.
I have german brother from my step mom can i apply for a german passport or to go and live there??
You may, but not based on your brother. You need to meet the requirements (see FAQ above) yourself.
My mother always told me I had dual citizenship. I was born in 1965 in Nurnberg to US military parents. Spent the first 3 years of my life there. My parents spent two tours there…nearly 10 years in total. My mother worked for the Pentagon…I had two birth certificates, one long form German birth certificate and one birth abroad. My mother told me to never lose that long form as I would not be able to get it replaced. It got lost some years back and I have no luck even where to look for it. Based on you previous answers I would not have had citizenship…but why then did I have two birth certificates? One German and one US born abroad? Rumour is that my real dad was German. I do not know this for sure. Any advice would be appreciated
A birth certificate has nothing to do with citizenship. You got a German birth certificate because your mother delivered you in Germany and births in hospitals don’t go unrecorded in Germany. If you want another copy, you contact the municipality where you were born. They will print it out and mail it to you for a small fee.
As to the rumors, once we have a name, we can pursue that route.
Hey , am Syrian & my spouse is American & we have been living in Germany for more than 5 years already & i got my unlimited visa , am jobless but my american spous has a good job & high salary , my level is B2 in German language, so can I apply for the German citizenship even if I don’t get job ?
Please reply to me
Thank you
Hi. I am a female. My father is german and my mother is mexican, I was born in Germany and lived there for 9 years, I currently live in Mexico. I have both passports and my question is if I get married to a US citizen and apply for citizenship, do I get my german nationality/passport revoked?
Yes (§ 25 I StAG), unless you apply for permission to retain your German citizenship in accordance with § 25 II StAG before you apply for US citizenship. But you would need to show very good reasons why you should be allowed to keep your German citizenship.
Hello, so about the Ius Sanguinis law: My great-great grandfather moved from Germany to the US in the 1800s, and had my great-grandfather in 1899, before naturalizing in 1906. Would he have passed on his German citizenship to him since he wasn’t naturalized at the time of his birth? My great grandfather didn’t join the military, but my grandfather was drafted into Vietnam, but didn’t join voluntarily, then he had my mom, who had me in 1991. I was wondering if, with all the proper documentation, I could make a case for citizenship or does it automatically go away after so many generations? I’d love to know if/how to go forward with this, thank you!
There is no legal limit on the number of generations.
But one problem in many cases is that between 1871 and 1913, Germans living abroad lost their German citizenship if they didn’t register at the German Consulate at least every 10 years. And the burden of proof is on you, unfortunately.
Most German emigrant didn’t bother to do so (or didn’t even know about the law, nor would they probably have cared), so the chances of meeting this requirement are usually quite low.
Hello Andreas, I am writing from Bangladesh.In 2013 i went to Germany with my husband for my husband’s research work, we lived for 22 months there and i gave birth to my son in Duisburg, Germany in the year of 2014. Then we left Germany in 2015.Now i got divorced and my son is living with me who is now 3 years old.I want to know as my son has his German birth certificate is there any possibility for my son to go back to Germany and start living?
No, unfortunately not.
Thanks for your reply Andreas but can’t my son get any benefit with his German birth certificate ever?
The place of birth is irrelevant for German immigration or citizenship, with the exception mentioned in no. 4 of the FAQ above.
Hallo Andreas,
I am Muhammad Shoaib from Pakistan.im living in Germany almost 1 year as a refugee. I have first interview next week.so, I have girlfriend she is German and she is paregnet already 6 months. I am already registrated as father with 50%rights for kid.im so much worry about interview how I can manage it maybe after my interview they refuse my application.please guide me as soon as possible how I can manage it all.what is the possiblities.
Thanks you
You should take the acknowledgement of paternity and the joint custody declaration with you and show it. Because you will be entitled to a residence permit based on § 28 I AufenthG once the child will be born, your asylum case won’t matter that much. It would only be worth pursuing it if you have a really strong case of personal persecution on political, religious or similar grounds. Otherwise, just wait the 3 months and then focus on your family! All the best to you!
Thank you so much for your quick respons im just afraid maybe they send me back to my country before child born because they asking me to give them my passport or any evidence prof about me.
Again thank you so much
That’s why you should mention the fact about your child. Because even if your asylum claim will be denied (and remember that you can appeal it), the immigration office will realize that the whole process of deportation would take more than three months, costs thousands of euros, and you could just come back with a family reunion visa.
Thank you so much its really very helpful for me.
Hallo Andreas,
As I discuss with you before im Pakistani and having asylum in Germany, im living with my German girlfriend and she is paregnet,next month we have delivery date.so I had my interview for asylum and I give them vaterschaftsanerkennung and other papers but they still refused my case and give me two week to make Apeal or leave country within a month I went to lawyer she asked me to make Apeal 1000 euro in start and can be reach 5000 euro so I need your help as always you guide me better what should I do here and after baby birth what step I should take I follow the lawyer or I do something else hope to get your feed back soon thank you so much.
Once your baby will be born, you apply for a residence permit based on § 28 I AufenthG. This has nothing to do with the asylum process.
Dear Andreas
My father was a German citizen living in South Africa from the age of 21 (1952) till his death in 2003. He never renounced his German citizenship while living in South Africa until his death. I was born in South Africa and was a South African Citizen. However I moved to Namibia in 1987 and was ‘forced’ to renounced my South African Citizenship to became a Namibian Citizen (naturalization). My daughter is now 13 and I would like to apply for a German passport for her. The German Embassy in Windhoek said and I quote, “Your daughter Carmen-Issabella was born in 2003, when you had already long lost your German citizenship. Therefore she also cannot possess it” I never renounced my German citizenship, but will my South African citizenship. Is it thus correct that my daughter can not obtain German citizenship through her grandfather, who never lost his German citizenship?
Thanking you.
Heinrich Hellmann
If i hold a German passport, but a native of Ghana, can i leave in my native country for 3 years without notifying the German Authority. ?
Oh yes. As a German citizen, you are completely free to live wherever you want. You will never lose German citizenship (unless you apply for naturalization in another country, § 25 I StAG). When your German passport expires, you can even apply for a new one at the German Consulate in Ghana.
I have been living outside of Germany for 7 years now and my current passport was issued in Malta, for example.
You can also still vote in the federal elections in Germany when living abroad, but not in the state or local elections.
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Voodoo chick u r crazy. Good laugh though
Hallo Andreas,
thank you very much for your time and effort to keep this page up. There is a lot of useful information.
Following is my situation:
I am an Indian national (woman) married to a German citizen (man) for a little over 9 years. We got married in India and immediately got a Familienbuch entry in Germany. So, our marriage is recognised in Germany. I moved to Germany in 2013 May alone and got a Blue card to live and work in Germany based on my education and work experience. I have a Niederlassungserlaubnis since 2015 Feb based on my B1 certificate. I speak German quite well and have a well paying job. We are still married but live in 2 countries. He, a German national is in India and I, an Indian national, am in Germany. As of now, we cannot change the situation for another few years.
I will complete 4 year of living and working in Germany by May 2017.
Am I eligible to apply for a German citizenship?
If yes, please let me know how I should go about it.
If no, I have further questions:
I am now pregnant with our first baby who will arrive end of May 2017. Our baby will be automatically a German national due to his father’s nationality.
During the Elternzeit, I would like to move to India for a year or two. I have the possibility to make a break of upto 3 years and return to my position at work. The city hall has agreed to give me a paper that will allow me to stay outside Germany for upto 3 years without losing my Niederlassungserlaubnis based on several reasons that support my case.
Let’s say I plan to stay in India (or wherever my husband’s job is) for a period of 2 years after the arrival of the baby, (say for example from June 2017 – May 2019), and return to Germany in June 2019 and resume work. Will this 2 years I spend outside Germany still be counted as the time I have lived in Germany for the application of my citizenship? Will I be able to apply for a Germany passport in 2019 May considering I manage to get a B2 level certificate and pass the German knowledge test in the mean time?
Thank you very much
P.S. I tried twice to donate via the donate button. It did not recognise my credit card. If you could kindly share your bank details to my e-mail address, I will make a transfer of the donation.
If you do not prefer to share your bank details, I will have a book sent across to your address in Germany.
Thank you very much for your offer! Because i don’t have a bank account in Germany, it’s probably easier and quicker to mail a book or two (there are very cheap ones on the list) to my address in Germany. I won’t be there myself until May, but my father will receive the parcel and inform me – and then I will answer your question.
Thank you very much in advance!
I was planning on reading ‘The Silk Roads’ myself. It is on it’s way to your address in Germany. Should reach tomorrow.
Thank you very much already!
After listening to an interview with Peter Frankopan, I have been fascinated by this book, particularly because I am planning to travel to Central Asia myself in the coming years.
according to my Amazon account, the book has been delivered. I am looking forward to your reply.
I hope you enjoy reading this book.
Thank you very much for “The Silk Roads”! Because I am planning a long trip by train to Central Asia and because I am about to return to university to study history, and I am always looking for non-Euro-centric accounts of history, this is the perfect book.
Now to your questions:
(1) Because you are not living together in Germany, you can unfortunately not benefit from the shortened residence period for spouses of German citizens, which would be 3 years (beginning with your move to Germany in 2013, not the marriage).
Is your husband still registered in Germany? If he is and he is paying taxes in Germany, then nobody might notice that he spends most of the time in India. Particularly as you are pregnant now, it’s obvious that the marriage is still valid and that you are still together as a couple, which is usually the only concern of the Ausländeramt. (Because being married formally, but not having a relationship is not enough.)
(2) It’s good that you know about the possibility to get permission to leave Germany for longer than 6 months without losing your residence status (although with a German child you would always receive a residence permit again, § 28 I AufenthG) and even better that you have been signaled that this will be granted.
As to the effect of this time on the residence requirement for German citizenship, you benefit from § 12b I 2 StAG, which states that even longer absences than 6 months continue to count as residence in Germany for the purpose of citizenship law if you will return by the time indicated on the notice given to you by the Ausländeramt.
Another general rule is that the time does no longer count if are outside of Germany for longer than you have been in Germany before (no. 12b.1 VV-StAG), in which case the clock starts counting again when you return to Germany for good. But even in that case, the 4 years that you already spent in Germany can be counted towards the residence requirement later (§ 12b II StAG) if you still speak German (which you have to maintain anyway for the German exam).
(4) So, yes, if you get the Ausländeramt’s permission to remain outside of Germany for that time and return in May 2019 or around then, and if your German will be at B2 level by then, you can apply for naturalization upon your return.
I wish you all the best with the pregnancy, the move to India and with continuing to study German!
Andreas,
I showed a bunch of documents at Ausländerbehörde and they have agreed to give me an unlimited permit to stay outside Germany without losing my Niederlassungserlaubnis. It will arrive by post in 3 weeks! This is such a relief! I can now ensure that my child will have enough family time with both parents.
I am looking forward to completing my B2 and applying for a passport once I complete 6 years of residence.
Thank you very much for your help!
Excellent!
Keep in mind though that no. 12b.1 VV-StAG still applies. That means that if you leave Germany for longer than you have lived there and return after that, your time of residence will start again from scratch (with the actually spent time counted according to § 12b II StAG though).
So even though the permit to leave Germany is indefinite regarding your Niederlassungserlaubnis, it is not really indefinite regarding later naturalization.
Hello Andreas,
I’ve a follow up question on what you mentioned in this post. Assuming the naturalisation process is started (for someone who has already lived more than 8 years in Germany), is it possible to leave the country and still get the citizenship, maybe 6 months or 1 year later (it seems to take up to 1 year after the application is started). My question is ultimately whether it’s necessary to remain in the country while the application is open?
Thanks!
Christophe
It shouldn’t really take a year.
But of course you are free to travel in that time, as long as you maintain your residence in Germany. You just should not ‘move’ to another country or stay outside of Germany for more than 6 months, because then you would lose your residence permit and thus your right to naturalization.
Thank you Andreas. But one point is not clear, or little contradictory. Is it possible to *really* move to another country once the application has been submitted (and consequently get an official Abmeldebescheinigung, not just simple “vacations”), and still be in the process to get the citizenship? I understand that if I stay more than 6 months outside, the residency is lost, but what if I can get the citizenship after, for example, 4 months while being outside? Or another situation, I stay 5,99 (max!) months in another country, and then come back in Germany?
I’ll be happy to answer that once I receive a few books from my wishlist, but it would also help if you lay out what exactly your plan is, how long you want to stay where for what purpose, so I can make my answer more specific. Without that information, it will always have to remain broad enough to be helpful for everyone reading this blog.
Hello Andreas,
The situation is quite close to the one I described but to be very concrete:
– The person (not me) is of Russian nationality, has a permanent residency in Germany, live in Germany since more than 8 years and is currently employed. Speaks perfectly German and meets simply as of now every criteria.
– Appointment for the naturalization application is scheduled on mid May 2018.
– Move out of Germany to settle permanently into another EU country (Bulgaria) *might* be on October first 2018 – will still be employed till September 30th.
=> On Sept 30th, the application will be “only” 4.5 months old, so it’s well possible that the person will not get the German citizenship by this time. The real question is what happens to the naturalization process on Oct. 1st?
If you can provide an accurate answer, I’ll be happy to contribute a little 20 euros?
Let me know.
Thanks
Christophe
Good, I’ll be waiting for your donation then. Please include a link to your question, so I can connect the two. Thank you very much already!
Hi Andreas, I just did.
In the meantime, I’ve searched a bit and learnt that the EU Daueraufenthalt Titel shall not expire when living outside Germany (of course, in another EU country)… So would that help if the person has this document to keep being in the process?
Hello Christophe,
thank you very much for your donation! That helps to keep this blog going.
If an applicant moves to another country permanently before receiving the German citizenship, then the whole process would come to a halt for two reasons:
(a) The municipality where he applied would no longer be the competent authority once he de-registers and moves away. The City of X can only give the German citizenship to people living in the City of X.
(b) Residence in Germany is a requirement for receiving German citizenship (with some exceptions, but those don’t apply here). If that requirement falls away during the application process, the requirement for German citizenship are no longer met and it cannot be issued. The residence permit may still remain valid, but that’s just the permit, not residence (which is required by the Citizenship Act).
Of course, the next question is: How would the German authorities know if someone moved away permanently? For once, if that person gives up their house or apartment and de-registers with the municipality, they will know. Second, moving to Bulgaria means moving the Schengen border. Third, and usually the trickiest problem, there suddenly won’t be any tax payments and social security contributions in Germany anymore.
My recommendation is therefore to stay in Germany until the German citizenship has been issued. Holidays and trips are no problem while waiting for that, but the address and the registration in Germany should be maintained. Working in another country is problematic because of the social security contributions. He can always pay taxes twice if he wants to (nobody will complain about that), but the Bulgarian employer can’t pay contributions to the German pension and social security system.
In a case where you know that German citizenship will be granted, I would not risk anything like that. Bulgaria will still be there in 2019, too. :-)
Hi Andreas,
Thank you, that’s helpful.
Regarding your mention of “the requirement for German citizenship are no longer met and it cannot be issued” – could it be also a problem in case the person loses (or leaves) its job (and becomes unemployed, and then doesn’t contribute anymore to the social system)? Because in order to apply for the citizenship, it’s also necessary to provide the monthly incomes to the authorities to prove that the person is self-sufficient / etc.
Yes, that could be a problem as well.
A temporary unemployment is usually no problem if the applicant has qualifications that make it likely that he will soon find a job again, or if he has savings that allow him to survive for a while, or if he wants to start his own business. But he should avoid applying for welfare.
OK, one very last question, promised!
Assuming the application has been started, and after a couple of months the authorities give their OK to get the citizenship, it’s then time to give up the former citizenship in order to finally get the German pass. This step to give up the former citizenship is obviously not depending on Germany anymore and may take lots of time for some countries (the country in question is Russia, which is known not to be the fastest in that area).
So here is the same question again, is it, at this point in time, possible to not “meet” the requirements anymore and still be in the process to get the German pass? Or could the German authorities come back on their decision?
Good question!
The “Einbürgerungszusicherung”, i.e. the letter which promises German citizenship for the case of successfully giving up the previous citizenship, actually makes that promise on the condition “dass sich bis dahin die Sach- und Rechtslage nicht geändert hat”, meaning that it can be withdrawn if any of the requirements for obtaining German citizenship is no longer met.
Hello Dear , i was born in germany in 1991 , both parents are lebanese , we lived there for 3 Years , then took off to lebanon and been there till now , can i apply to live in germany ?
You would need a reason for a visa (student, work, business, marriage etc.). The place of birth in Germany is no valid reason.
I have a German passport ala my parent being citizen when I was born. I live in Canada.
How would I make use of health/dental insurance in Germany? I.E., there are some technologies
that are only available in Germany. Do I have to work in Germany? I did years ago and I think I got it as part of being employed but the government insurance is required if one stays a certain length of time in Germany?
The difference lies in whether you visit Germany or live in Germany. If you live there, you have to get health insurance, either through a job or privately or, worst-case scenario, through welfare.
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Fascinating blog, Andreas, Cheers. I’m wondering how many generations you can trickle citizenship down. If my grandfather (Australian born, German father) was to get citizenship now, could my father (Australian born) also obtain citizenship, if his father becomes a German citizen after he was born? From what i have read above it seems like it would only go to my Grandfather.
There is no limit on the number of generations, although each additional generation brings with it the risk that someone did something to lose their German citizenship. Also, at some point, it becomes harder to find documents.
Hello Andreas, my grandfather had a german passport somewhere in 70s or 80s
But he lost it, he still gets german pension though.. My father however did NOT get german passport after him so, right now we have no direct bloodline to a EU citizen. we live in Macedonia.
Will I be able to get a German citizenship somehow? Is there any chance, if my grandfather wants to reclaim his Germain citizenship somehow through his pension he gets every month? Can he reclaim his German citizenship using his pension as a proof?
Please help me out on this
A passport and citizenship are two different things. Losing your passport has no effect on citizenship. Your grandfather may still be a German citizen if he never applied for any other citizenship.
In this case, he might have passed on German citizenship to your father, who may have passed it on to you. I would need an exact timeline of events to be sure.
Greetings to Macedonia! I was in your country a few years ago and I found it very beautiful and friendly. I would love to visit again!
I am 26 year old and my father was german from 30 years and he died last 4 years back .can i apply for german citizenship? My father was german when he died .and i was born in pakistan and still lived there
Only if your father was already German when you were born.
Yes he was german at time when he was married and when i was born …thanks a lot for your information….plz tell me my mother and 22 year old sister can also apply and can u tell me the processes of application
It does not extend to your mother, but you and your sister are already German.
You only need to take a birth certificate and proof of your father’s German citizenship to the nearest German consulate and apply for a “certificate of citizenship”. With that, you will then get a German passport.
My father did not registered his marrige in germany .Now tell me is there any issue for that or not .
And i have to pass the ( B1 ) language course or i donot need that ?????
Follow-up questions are a good time to make a donation to my blog.
I do not have that much otherwise i will pay what ever u want plz help me out ill will be very thankfull.
Plz help me should i apply or not .Actually i dnt have money thats y i reached ur site .it will be very helpful if u repled me
If you don’t have money, you can’t apply. :(
How much money i needed???? If there is chance then i will do something and also for your donation .
Hi there,
I was born our of wedlock to a German father and South African mother in 1989. They were never married and I have since then been adopted. I have all the original papers and documentation (Grandfathers German citizenship and his passport, birth, marriage and death certificates etc) as well as my original birth certificate and adoption papers, my biological fathers papers etc. Will it be possible for me to apply for my German passport?
I would need to look at the adoption papers and familiarize myself with South African adoption law to see how it affected any possible German citizenship.
For that, I would need to charge my consultation fee of 400 EUR.
Hi there, just wondering if you came right as I’m in a very similar situation, with papers and all, but I was told by the Embassy here that my being adopted disqualified me >.<
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Hi, Andreas. Could you please tell me which law in particular that states that ‘by having a permanent residence abroad for more than 10 years prior to 1914, German citizenship would automatically be lost’, and when this particular law come into operation? If the law came into operation after my Geman relatives had emigrated to South Africa, then surely the 10 year period would be determined from the date that the law became operative, rather than from the date that they emigrated from German. This would then mean that any children born of German parents prior to the expiry of the 10 year period, would be German citizens. Am I understanding it correctly?
It began in 1871, when the first German Citizenship Act was passed. Before, there was no German citizenship because there was no Germany.
Would it then be correct to say that anyone who left Germany before 1871 would not have any claim to citizenship by descent (unless they registered in the Konsulatsmatikel, which is highly unlikely because there was no German mission in Cape Town until about the 1930s)?
Follow-up questions are a good opportunity to make a donation to this blog.
Hello Andreas Moser
My grandparents move to Russia around 1960’s . They were German and had german passport even surname was Külgen. After while they got Russian passport and Russian citizen. My grandmother passed away. My mom has granny’s legal documents and german passport now.
Can my mother or i apply for German citizenship ? I am 29 my mom is 55. We can speak German.
I don’t think anyone had a Russian passport in the 1960s. Russia was part of the Soviet Union at the time.
Waren Deine Großeltern DDR- oder BRD-Bürger? Als BRD-Bürger hätten sie die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft verloren, als sie die sowjetische Staatsbürgerschaft beantragten und bekamen. Ob sich das auf Deine Mutter (und dadurch auf Dich) auswirkt, hängt davon ab, ob Deine Mutter zu dem Zeitpunkt schin geboren war.
Greetings Herr Moser,
First, thank you so much for ALL of the info on this page! Your attention to peoples questions astounds me.
Both my sister and I live in the US, and are looking into gaining dual US/German citizenship. I have my father’s birth cert (born in Schweinfurt), and am obtaining his mother’s cert (also born in Schweinfurt). I’m unsure if he still has his German citizenship, or ever fully had it. Would this be enough to apply for citizenship or naturalization through descent?
Also, my sister’s mother did not list our dad on her birth cert. What kind of proof could she obtain to show descent?
Thanks in advance!
-John M.
Hello John,
let’s first find out if your father was German at the time you were born. Then I would need to know what years you were born and if your parents were married at the time. And lastly, I would appreciate a donation or a few books from my wishlist. Thank you very much!
It’s been a delay, but we did an unofficial paternity test, and found out that we are indeed all related. That said, we’re looking into an official one, to get our dad listed on her birth cert.
I was born in 1983, my sister was born in 81. At the time of my birth, my dad was married. At the time of my sister’s birth, her parents were not. (different mothers).
My father was immediately adopted after birth by an American GI, so never had German citizenship. However, the original birth cert doesn’t list a father, only his German mother. It does have an add-on section describing the adoption. Our grandmother and a few generations prior were full German citizens.
Also, I just made a donation. I didn’t feel right asking for more help without it. :D
Hello John,
thank you very much for your donation!
Unfortunately, if none of your parents was German at the time of your birth, you do not hold German citizenship.
Before the year 2000, German citizenship was solely based on descent, not on birth in Germany. The amended law in 2000 was backdated to 1990, but even that doesn’t help you or your sister.
The birth certificates are really not that legally relevant. In your case, your father’s paternity is legally assumed because your parents were married at the time of your birth. In your sister’s case, the father would need to officially acknowledge paternity. The biological test is neither necessary (although it can of course be interesting), nor does it have any legal effects. But because your father was not German in 1981 nor in 1983, even legal paternity did or would not bestow German citizenship on you or your sister.
If you have very close ties to Germany, there is a theoretical chance of applying for naturalization in Germany without living in Germany, but the requirements are plentiful and high (e.g. fluency in German) and you would need to give up your US citizenship.
Hello, My dad took the german citizenship 20 years ago and he retired now so can I take the citizenship especially I am in my twenties …?
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Hello! Can my husband and father of my children (who has both American and Guatemalan passport from birth right) get a German passport because of being married to me and having children with me? I have both the Guatemalan and the German nationality as my mother is German and i was born in Guatemala to a Guatemalan father. My children have the passport but I’d like to make it easier for us to travel in Europe and all over the world (which is a great benefit from the German passport). We live in Guatemala. I haven’t been able to find the answer to my question… I really appreciate your blog! Thanks in advance!!
Please see my FAQ on naturalization from abroad. There are the details on that possibility, although it is reserved for exceptional circumstances (for example, he would need to be fluent in German) and he would be required to give up his existing citizenships.
Hello there sir…..I was born in Germany in 1995 to Indian parents. I am now residing in India (and also an Indian citizen). Are there any benefits for me if I am planning for higher studies (MS in Electrical engineering)?
Studying is a great benefit in itself.
Hallo Andreas,
Geboren in Wuppertal in 1963. Mit meiner Mutter in die Niederlande umgezogen in 1966. Beide haben wir einen niederländischen Pass. Wäre es für mich möglich die deutsche Nationalität (wieder) zu erhalten?
MvG, Uwe
Ja, das ist möglich.
Innerhalb der EU muss man dabei nicht einmal die zweite Staatsbürgerschaft aufgeben.
Möcte noch hinzugfügen, dass wir damals einen deutschen Pass hatten.
You refuse to answer certain question unless people buy you items from your wishlist? Are you serious? Do you know how this makes you look? Absolutely ridiculous. Like a petulant child demanding presents. I understand that you provide a good deal of information and answer a large volume of questions, but either do it or don’t. At the very least, require payment for each transaction in a more uniform, professional manner rather than answer some questions (seemingly randomly) to your choosing and say “I wont answer this unless you buy me something” to others. Unbelievable.
We millionaires are a bit excentric.
Offering top-shot legal advice for a few books is my way of helping. But of course you are welcome to pay my standard rate of 400 EUR for a consultation. Actually, let’s make that 500 EUR just for you so that you feel better.
Love it! Damn you are cynical and this made me laugh so much. Reminds me of when I was fighting for my grandparents’ land (I eventually got every inch) and people were always asking free this and free that to use the land…am I the Slowvakastan Social Services? NO! You pay money to rent land! Their thinking was well if you have something I should too and FREE at that. Clearly @Kessseb has no idea how valuable your services are or the importance of citizenship. Recently valued at over 1m€ for a Deu reisepass! Charge him €600- to make him feel even more important, Mr. Bond :)
Hello, stumbled across your blog and found this article very helpful. I am Ukrainian and have been in Germany for 7 years now. I got my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Germany and have a permanent contract at a large multinational company in Germany. Can I apply for the citizenship already now and now wait until the 8 years have passed? My German is fluent and I am planning to stay here long term. Thank you in advance!
With a B1 certificate (and it sounds like your German is even better) and a certificate for the “Einbürgerungstest”, you can apply after 7 years.
Hallo Lieber Andreas
Thank you very much for your information and help. Ich habe auch ein paar Fragen an dich :)
Do you know how likely it is to receive a passport as a non-eu citizen?
Would you know by any chance, whether studying German in language schools in Germany would provide one with a student visa?
If one has already university degrees from another country, then study at a university in Germany to earn another degree (as a starting point when entering Germany), cannot one find a job that is relevant to previous degrees in order to extend the stay? Or should the job be relevant only to the degree received in Germany?
Ich freue mich auf deine baldige Antwort :)
Freundliche Gruesse
Hallo Sabah,
Dein Deutsch ist schon sehr gut, Respekt!
Because there are already more than a thousand comments about citizenship on this thread, I’d like to keep the question of student visas separate. When enough people ask for it (and make a donation), I will set up a new list of FAQ on student visas for Germany.
Hi, I recently have decided that it might be a good idea to have another citizenship, besides the US. Here’s my background synapse. My father was in the army and stationed in Germany. My mother, his wife, came to join him there. I was conceived and born in Germany in 1961 on US territory (hospital). We came back to the US in 1963. My father then went off to Vietnam and died in 67′. I believe that I signed something when I was 18, denouncing German citizenship. Is there a possibility that I could obtain dual citizenship now? Also, my father’s mother, was a German immigrant to the US, and she was alive, living here when I was born, but she is no longer living.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Having a second citizenship is indeed always a good idea.
Any donation for this blog is greatly appreciated, after which I will answer your question.
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hello
My aunt has been living in Germany for 19 years her kids are young they were born in Germany , recently she has applied for German passport but they denied to give her German passport … what is the reason?
1. How would I know?
2. I suppose they told her.
3. If she insists, she can get a decision in writing which will provide reasons.
Can a international undergraduate student form Yemen apply for German citizenship?
Of course.
But it only makes sense to do so once you meet all the requirements.
Hi,
Thanks for this article.
My paternal grandfather was born as a POW during the nazi regime and has a german birth certificate but no citizenship (he has an Australian citizenship). Im wondering if you know if i would be valid for German citizenship? (I am under 23 and speak German if that makes any difference)
Thanks in advance
Where and when was your grandfather born?
What was the citizenship of his father?
What was the citizenship of his mother?
Thank you very much in advance for a donation to keep this service going!
US citizen married to a German. We live here, however, I am a flight attendant in the USA. I go back and forth, never staying in DE for more than 6 weeks. How do I become a German resident legally? I pay taxes in the USA, but ideally i would like to continue to work in the USA and pay my taxes here. What are my chances?
That’s a bit tricky. Does your airline also offer contracts under German law, with social security contributions? Do you have a German residence permit according to § 28 AufenthG already? Are you planning to apply for German citizenship?
I may have more questions, particularly to solve the tax issue, so maybe best to e-mail me at moser@moser-law.com, but I do charge 200 EUR for a consultation by e-mail.
Dear Andreas,
I hope you are still travelling and enjoying the life I’d like to live! Many thanks for your excellent blog and apologies in advance if you’ve already answered a similar question to mine and I missed it.
My situation is this: I’m a UK citizen. I worked in Germany from Oct 2011- April 2014 (roughly 2.5 years) as a wissenschaftlicher mitarbeiter (postdoc), on the oeffentlicher dienst pay scale etc. Before moving to Germany I began dating a German citizen (who lived in Germany), but due to our jobs (both wissenschaftlicher mitarbeiter, now both with PhDs) we did not live together, even when I lived in Germany. In 2013 we got engaged. I received EU funding to return to the UK for 2 years of scientific research starting in June 2014, and stayed there for slightly longer than I’d previously been in Germany, returning in Feb 2017 – I would have returned in 2016 but had to sell my house :-(. The EU funding scheme considered Germany as my “home” and I maintained close contacts with German research colleagues during my time back in the UK. Myself and my fiancee saw each other as regularly as possible (usually her visiting me) and were married in the UK in early March 2017. I am currently funded by a small stipend from a German University, while I apply for further funding. I am also at roughly A2 level in German, attending classes to reach B1 ASAP.
I understand that 3 years continuous residency, with at least 2 years of marriage, is the standard requirement for naturalisation, but I wondered whether in your opinion – given my previous time in Germany etc. – it was legally possible (or likely) for me to get dual citizenship prior to the current Brexit deadline of end-March 2019?
Many thanks for your time,
Jon
Hello Jon,
there are exceptions for the residency requirement (although they usually require that you are posted abroad by a German employer), but the 2-year marriage requirement cannot be waived. Because the application for citizenship (particularly when arguing for an exception) takes several months before it will be processed, it would fall in the post-Brexit time. Of course you can still get German citizenship, but under the current German law, you would then be required to give up your British citizenship.
Hello Andreas,
Ah, that’s a shame. I’ll just have to pin my hopes on a miracle…
Many thanks for the very quick reply though!
Jon.
Hi ,
I have a question.
My son was born in 2014 here in Germany when i had a temporary residence permit since 2012 as a non EU citizen and my wife as a EU citizen .
Now i have a Permanent Residence permit can my son get a German citizenship now or i have to wait until he is 18 ?
Thanks in advance for your advice .
Good question.
I will be happy to answer it once I receive a donation to keep this blog going. Thank you!
What kinda donation do you need ?
Something between 40 and 60 EUR would be fine, then I can answer your question in detail.
Thank you very much already!
Dear Andreas,
Once you wrote:
“Typical cases that are successful under § 14 StAG involve more family ties (like a German spouse and German children), regular visits to Germany and an academic interest in Germany or working for German companies or the German public sector abroad.”
I assume that working in Germany and living in Switzerland (Grenzgänger) would also count as having “professional ties” to Germany. Is that correct or does this kind of professional tie has any disadvantage compared to working for a German company abroad or for the German public sector abroad?
Thank you and greetings from Malta.
You are right, that would of course also count.
But by itself, it’s not enough to qualify for naturalization. You would need additional strong family and cultural ties.
Dear Andreas Moser,
I saw your blog answering questions about German Citizenship. My personal history is that I was born in Uruguay about 60 years ago and registered as being of Italian ancestry because my ancestors arrived in Uruguay using Italian Passports and for obvious reasons the real name never appeared on official records. As the older generations passed away, I started using my name. I lived in Uruguay for about 29 years and have been in Britain for about 30 years.
I have been a journalist and researcher and have been very critical of German Laws. Out of the blue, I received a message from Dr. Peter Tauber inviting me to register to vote in Germany and after a period of mature reflection and given certain recent precedents in terms of the implementation of German Laws I decided that it would inconvenient or even dangerous to become a German Citizen.
After what happened to a close friend of mine who used to work for the Max Planck Institute and studied at the University of Stuttgart, I think that in order to continue being a journalist and researcher I should never take up German Citizenship. He was persecuted by German Courts. They tried to confiscate his assets. When he fled to Spain, to England and later on to USA, he was extradited from USA and put in jail, forced to pay an enormous amount of money and his first family was literally destroyed. He told me that he wished that he could give up German Citizenship after the nightmare he was put through being falsely accused of inciting racial hatred when in fact all he did was to publish research work that questions the official version of events.
German communities in general prospered in Latin America in countries like Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil and others. People who were unfairly persecuted and made afraid because they did their duty and their descendants were rightfully welcomed in Latin America. I and many others will continue the fight to research and to show what really happened before, during and after World War Two, research that has already proven that the official records are no more than lies and fabrication and laws were passed both in Germany and in Austria to deter people from even questioning the official version of events.
I will not willfully put myself in a position in which I, members of my family and friends could be targeted by German Courts in what is visibly an organized witch-hunt using trumped up charges. On my wife’s side, there are relatives that came from Eastern Prussia (Königsberg). Reading about present German Laws, she said that they reminded her of the Soviet Union. Such Laws are now including writings on Social Media.
I value Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Speech and if becoming a German Citizen means losing my Freedom of Expression and my Freedom of Speech, I don’t think that becoming a German Citizen will be a choice that I would voluntarily make.
A few days ago, I became aware that the Eagle of the Graf Spee was about to be sold in Uruguay. The sources indicated that German authorities had been consulted and that they showed no interest in it. The courage and commitment of the sailors of the Graf Spee, their gallantry and the duties that they discharged following the best Military Naval Traditions that earned them the admiration of friends and foes were completely ignored by a repressive German government that is selling Germany down the drain.
Despite the increasingly common barbaric attacks carried out by a criminal ideology called Islam, Angela Merkel has opened the doors to those who terrorise civilized peoples across Europe and has even taken to court countries like Austria, Poland and Hungary who refuse to allow the destruction of European Culture.
Deutschland, Deutschland über Alles
Karl Gerhardt Hohenstauffen
With everything that you write, I agree that it’s better if you don’t vote in Germany’s election. Or any election, for that matter.
Andreas, who took Americans to the Moon? Wernher von Braun, the man who designed V1 and V2. Who played a key role in the reconstruction of the German Armed Forces after the War? Heinz Guderian, the Commander that led the invasion of France in 1940. Check your history records and you will find that Germany was rebuilt with the guidance of former members of the regime. The Germany you live in today owes a lot to people who played a key role during World War Two and were instrumental in Adenauer’s regime when Germany was on her knees. Check your history records. Most people who gave their lives didn’t fight for an ideology. They fought for Germany. In every human conflict there can be evil but there is also a lot of idealism, of genuine altruism, and this is something that we must always celebrate. Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff was what Manfred von Richthofen was for the fledging Luftwaffe. Men of honour, of extraordinary courage, that valued both friend and foe. I celebrate their courage, their honesty and their humanity.
… and their moral and ethical cowardice, stupidity and evilness.
No, I rather admire the Germans and others who fought Nazi Germany and liberated the country.
I am now pursuing my citizenship though ancestry, I think for the most part it fairly straight forward (once you get all the documents) HOWEVER if your ancestors left Germany before 1913, then they fall under “Law on Nationality and Citizenship (June 1, 1870)” in this law, they lost their citizenship if they did not claim/acknowledge (go to a local consulate or back to Germany) within 10 years. I have a lawyer in Berlin that is trying to help, what may be a blessing (but may not matter), My GG Grandparents arrived in 1885, but never became naturalized. My argument is that the law stripped them, my G.Uncle and 2 G.Aunts that came over of their citizenship and they became stateless. If anyone has overcome this hurdle I would love to know, If I do overcome it I will post how.
Thomas, the Law of 1870 allowed for citizens who lost their citizenship for being away for 10 years to have their citizenship reinstated if no other citizenship was acquired by the former german. The law doesn’t explicitly mention if it needed to be applied for, but that was likely the case. Also, you mention your g uncles and g aunts became stateless but not your g grandfather, which I would read to mean he was born later and in the new country. If it was a country that gave citizenship based on birthplace (USA for example), your g grandfather wasn’t born stateless. I would highly doubt germany would consider your case because your gg grandfather never asked for reinstatement of his german citizenship and, based on your statement above, it sounds like your g grandfather may have been born to a non-german (thus the ancestry line is broken) if he was born 10 years after your gg grandfather’s arrival. otherwise, if he was born earlier, he also lost his german citizenship by being gone for 10 years, and also never had it reinstated (which again, was an option open to him). It is a very high hurdle… I hope you aren’t paying your lawyer too much money…
-note I am not a lawyer, these are just my observations about the law based on the situation you describe.
You are 100% correct that is the way I read it as well. That is why I got a lawyer, it did not cost very much and this is the only area of law she practices in Berlin. While most to claim citizenship through descendants do not have to make citizens of every person linking them to the origin, this is not one of those. I will loose the initial request, but on appeal I have a few things I am thinking. (not that the German government will even care, but I convinced myself they were valid and they have made exceptions in new laws namely Jewish expulsions) SO I have to argue that my GG Grandfather never should have lost it. (in the 1913 law, they have to send notice to strip citizenship naming each family member, but not back datable to others affected by the 1870 law). They were just poor farmers and illiterate, they were sold on a better life in a new country by traveling shipping lines. They packed their belonging, sold everything they had and booked passage. Arriving in America with 3 small children and little to their names, they settled into Scranton Pennsylvania and struggled to make a living (their day to day life no different then in Hessen). They were actually worst off in the United States then they were in Germany, now they had 4 children, no money and no way back to Germany. I would present as evidence that they never Naturalized as proof they wanted to return. I have letters from the national archive that he did not, and that that was abnormal, most every immigrant did ask for citizenship in the US. I would present it as impossible based on financial status, their ability to travel to the German Embassy in Washington DC (let alone book passage back to Germany). The act of stripping Him of his citizenship left him without a country (or notifying him to take action). Probably going to need to find some German laws that wrap around these arguments (and some of the language in the 1913 law seem to show that they recognized the 1870 law was rather broad and harsh). I am not a lawyer either and my argument probably does not hold water, but there have been revisions to the laws (and they do not do blanket backdating) that have recognized issues with the law, 2 examples are the Jewish repatriation, and descendants through the maternal line. I will probably loose in the end, but at least I will have tried every approach to re-patriate my family line.
The fact that past laws were unfair does not mean that all past wrongs are righted now. Ain’t nobody gonna repeat old elections when women were excluded, and ain’t nobody redistribute the world’s wealth because there used to be slavery and colonialism.
I wouldn’t waste any money on appealing this, particularly because the court cannot even grant you citizenship. Only the executive can, due to separation of powers. The court could only return the case to the executive branch for a new decision (which could be the same decision with different reasoning).
Dear Thomas,
Here in Brazil we have the same problem. Hundred of thousands of Germans emigrated to Brazil in the XIX Century and lost their citizenship because they did not register in the Imperial Consulate of Germany. It seems like Germany does not care about what happened to them and uses the Matrikel as a filter to decrease the number of German-Brazilians who could, in theory, claim German citizenship today. Germany forgets that these emigrantes were always treated as Germans in Brazil and during both World Wars were seen as enemies and many of them were arrested. Soviet-Germans can easily obtain German citizenship, but this is not the same treatment given to “American-Germans”.
I was merely pointing out that IF a person left Germany before 1913, THEN they fall under the 1870 law. Although some scholars point out the 1913 citizenship law effectively overrules prior legislation; that also means that you cannot return to the 1870 law to make a case. I do not believe it is a case of willful controls, rather a case of “That is 200 Years ago” why revisit that slice of the population between 1870 and 1913? I have seen plenty of blogs of people successfully regaining/reclaiming/establishing their German Citizenship, but those success stories are usually based on no earlier than 1920 (at least I have not found any before that date). The original submission for citizenship I will almost guarantee will be a rejection (unless my lawyer in Berlin finds something in the archives), but the law does allow for appeals process, that is where mitigating circumstances could be presented. That has a .0001% chance of success, that small chance is because of my family ties to Germany, My Education, and my German language skills and I do not think any of my arguments will hold any weight, but they could use the totality of the request as a favorable out come…but most times the Law is Black and White….
Let me start by saying I sincerely wish you the best. I discovered my possession of german citizenship about a year ago after spending most of my life wishing I was a german citizen and trying to figure out how to become one. My grandfather and grandmother were german immigrants and my father was born shortly after they immigrated, but I guess they never realized that my father was also a german citizen when he was born (and thus passed it along to me). I discovered my, and my father’s, citizenship by chance and successfully went through the process of proving my citizenship by descent with the german authorities. I fully understand the desire to be a german citizen.
However, besides the statements i’ve already made, there is one additional hurdle to the argument you propose. By immigrating to another country, your gg grandfather and his family willfully began a process that resulted in the loss of their citizenship; in other words, the german government did not force them to immigrate. The law regarding loss of citizenship was not hidden from them, although they may not have been aware of it (though it is likely that they were told of the consequences when they applied for a travel document or booked travel to the country in which they settled). It is well known that being unaware of a law does not exempt you from being subject to it. For example, modern germans who join some foreign armies lose their german citizenship regardless of whether they know about the law or not. The german government would likely argue that anyone who left Germany under the 1870 law was not stripped from their citizenship un-willfully… and that by immigrating to another country acknowledged that their citizenship may be lost. In fact, the german government set up a system to allow those who did wish to keep their citizenship to register with the foreign mission; but it was not the responsibility of the german government to make sure the german was financially able to travel to the mission to register.
I do not mean the words above to sound harsh. I am just providing some viewpoints you may have not considered. Nor am I trying to keep you from following through with your plans. I am simply providing some realistic perspective. I do wish you good luck.
I received my German citizenship the same way as you. I was told 30 years ago it was
not possible but took it 10 years ago after
spending 2 years digging for documents.
The law re citizenship worked in my favor.
I have read this blog since the first year and
live pretty much the same lifestyle of moving around and will retire 15 years prior than the norm as I really value time now. I became a citizen junkie and took 2 more EU citizenship but had to learn B1 level which was easy and get all my docs in order. So 3 EU passports and one western pass makes for an interesting life. You never know how the world changes and it was a challenging and fun journey along the way.
Hello,
I was wondering whether you could offer some advice on whether you thought I might try and apply for German citizenship or not.
My grandfather was German (legally married to my English grandmother) as the great-grandchild of quite a famous Jewish citizen (who renounced his faith). He was thus not really affected by racial laws but was in business with many Jewish colleagues and was critical of the Nazi regime. He fled Germany under the pretence of a business trip for the UK in 1939 and did not return during the war years. Almost all of his previous colleagues and fellow agitators were killed by the regime. I do not believe he was ever stripped of German citizenship but did (I believe but am not sure) take UK citizenship before my father was born in 1950. I’m not sure if he ever told the German authorities about this as after a period of living in Luxembourg after the war, he lived in Germany again as an academic for the rest of his life (>40 years). My father only had British citizenship (and has died) and no one has any idea what happened to any of my grandfather’s papers. I’ve applied for copies of his birth certificate and death certificate to see what I can find out from that.
I speak (moderate, around B1 level) German and am married to a German citizen but we currently live in the UK. With Brexit coming up, this makes our position difficult. We are considering a move to Germany but it would be helpful not to be left in limbo out there when the UK exits the EU. I don’t think I qualify under article 116 but I am not 100% sure, and I’m also not sure if it is worth making an application for naturalisation by discretion (I’ve multiple ancestral and current ties to Germany, I speak German and I’m a medical doctor so would be able to support myself) as I’ve no idea how often those are successful.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you
For such a long question, any donation would be appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Andreas, I came to Germany in 2008 as a fellowship from my home country than I registered for German course and with the same fellowship I finished my PhD in 2014. I moved to Sweden for a postdoc Fellow and spent more than 3 years.
My Question: If I moved back to Germany for a new postdoc research, is it possible to count the the years I spent in my PhD?
Up to 5 years of your previous stay can be counted for the purpose of acquiring German citizenship (§ 12b II StAG).
Thank you for all the time you have put into answering these questions. It is very, very appreciated. I have a question for you that I have not seen approached yet.
My father is a German citizen, my mother an American. They were married 3 years before my birth (February, 1980), divorced about 6 months after my birth, father fully accepts paternity.
My situation is, I did not know I was entitled to German citizenship and voluntarily served in the United States Air Force from 24May, 2000-23May, 2006. I had read that if you served voluntarily in foreign military between 1January, 2000-6June, 2011 without asking permission beforehand you lost German citizenship, but after that if you serve in the military of a member of NATO this permission is automatically given.
My question is, since I was not aware of my potential German citizenship (I never established/claimed/knew of it), is it possible for me to claim German citizenship despite this? Thanks again for your time!
Hello Jay,
that’s a new question indeed and I appreciate that you already did quite some research yourself.
Not knowing of your citizenship is generally no reason for an exception, but because service in NATO countries became generally acceptable in 2011, I’d want to double-check the regulation passed back then for its exact working and look for court cases on that question.
I would need to research that, so I’d ask for a donation to my Paypal account moser@moser-law.com. Thank you very much already!
The exact text of the announcement in the Bundesanzeiger is:
“Bundesministerium der Verteidigung
Bekanntmachung über die gemäß § 28 des Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetzes erforderliche Zustimmung zu einem freiwilligen Wehrdienst außerhalb der Bundeswehr
Vom 21. Juni 2011
Die nach § 28 des Staatsangehörigkeitgesetzes Zustimmung zum Eintritt in die Streitkräfte oder einen vergleichbaren bewaffneten Verband eines ausländischen Staates, dessen Staatsangehörigkeit er oder sie besitzt, wird erteilt für Deutsche, die zugleich die Staatsangehörigkeit von a) Mitgliedsstaaten der Europäischen Union (EU), b) Mitgliedsstaaten der Europäischen Freihandelsassoziation (EFTA), c) Mitgliedsstaaten der Nordatlantikvertrags-Organisation (NATO) oder d) Staaten der Länderliste nach § 41 Absatz 1 der Aufenthaltsverordnung besitzen.
Diese Bekanntmachung tritt am Tag nach ihrer Veröffentlichung im Bundesanzeiger in Kraft.
Bonn, den 21. Juni 2011
Bundesministerium der Verteidigung
Im Auftrag
Schnabel”
My grandparents and father came to the US in 1928 from Germany when my father was 2. I was born in the US in 1968 and my mother was born in, and always lived in, the US. When my father applied for a US passport at age of ~ 62 to go Germany to meet his relatives in ~ 1990, he was a bit shocked to get a letter saying that there is no record of him ever being granted US citizenship, although he was shorty thereafter granted citizenship.
Based on the my reading of web-sites, I believe that I am entitled to German citizenship if I apply, but am wondering how I can prove a negative – that my father had not been granted US citizenship as of 1968. I suppose that i have to get details of his citizenship records.
Does the above sound correct and any insights what they might want for documentation for my father? We still have my grandmother’s 1928 German passport with its US visa, and it references my father and includes both of their photos.
You are correct in your assumption, and you could most easily prove it by showing your father’s naturalization papers from the 1990s. That would logically rule out that he had been naturalized before.
Hi actually i have apply to embassy for german passport from decent but i dnt have my father naturlization certificate .they have demanded for that .plz tell me how can i get that and my father died in 2013.i have his death certificate.
I know my father has nationality before my birth but i have no proof plz guide my which docoment i need to proof that and from which place i can get that .
Please send me an e-mail with all the details and my fee of 100 EUR, then I will be able to help. Thank you already!
Hello, I work and live in germany since 2011, and due to international office work, I could not pick up German language. My wie is a housewife and she failed twice to get B1 level (remained at A2level). Next year we complete eight years, Is it possible to get citizenship without language certificate of B1 for us. Thanks
No.
The only exceptions are for people who cannot read or write due to disability or old age, but even then, they need to be able to converse in German.
Guten Tag Andreas!
I have a question. I was borned in Ecuador, in the year 1999. My father was also borned in Ecuador, but my mother was borned in Peru. On my mother’s side there was a German in our family. He is my great great great great great grandfather. I currently live in the United States and have a American citizenship. I wanted to know if there is a chance that I could obtain a German citizenship? If yes, what options do I have?
Danke!
There is a theoretical chance, but if you read the other questions and answers in the comment section, you will see what is required and that it’s highly unlikely that all requirements are met through 6 or 7 generations.
Hi Andreas,
First I would like to thank you for this very nice information blog,
I am non German living and working in Germany since 2.5 years and holding the ‘Niederlassungserlaubnis’ .
May I ask you if there is a chance to get the German passport before 5 years if i got a supporting letter from my German employer that I need to travel frequently and the German passport would facilitate my job by not applying for visas every time I travel as my work request me to travel frequently? or maybe if there is another idea which could support me in this case.
I already have the needed language skills B1 and have done the integration courses.
Thank you in advance
Hello Jack,
unless you had previous stays in Germany which could count (§ 12b II StAG), you will need 7 years of residence with B1 or 6 years of residence with B2.
There are no exceptions made in order to facilitate easier travel.
I’m a 50 yr old born Australian citizen and both my parent were born in Germany in the 1920’s 1930’s. They migrated to australia and married here in Australia and started a family. They never became Australian citizens and both passed away in the early 1990’s. Am I eligible for duel citizenship for a German passport.
Regards Mark
It sounds like both your parents were still German citizens when you were born, so you have actually always been a dual Australian and German citizen. You can just walk to the nearest German Consulate and apply for a passport.
If your parents fled Germany because of persecution, it may however be that the Nazis stripped them of German citizenship. In this case, you are entitled to Germany citizenship too, but through a different route.
Unless Mark is a politician in Australia… ;-)
I thought of those politicians in Australia, because honestly, I don’t see how each of them would even know if they have dual citizenship or not. As we see from the many cases on this post alone, many people hold dual citizenship without ever having known it. To exclude such people from political office is a silly law.
Dear Mr. Moser,
I lived almost 5.5 years in total in Germany (late 2009 – mid 2015). I got a PhD from there, and worked (of course, paid taxes) for about 20 months. Recently, I got a job offer from a German company (3 years contract). I know about § 12b II StAG.
My question: Is it GUARANTEED that they will count 5 years from my previous stay?
My plan is to make the B1 and integration test in 1.5 years, and to apply immediately after that for the citizenship. Will it work?
Thanks,
Isbel
Hello Isbel,
it’s not guaranteed because § 12b II StAG allows for discretion. Usually, the full five years count if the stay was not too long ago (like in cases where someone spent their childhood in Germany and then returns as an adult) and if you still speak German very well as a result of your last stay. Also, if you were academically or economically active, there is a higher chance than in “housewife cases”.
So overall, I would be quite positive in your case, although it would help if you could get to a higher level in German than B1.
Keep in mind also that § 12b II StAG is not a all-or-nothing clause, meaning that even if the previous 5 years won’t be counted fully, the immigration authorities may recognize 3 or 4 of those years, which would still help a lot.
Dear Andreas,
Thank you for your very useful information.
I have a question which I couldn’t find an answer to it before. I am living and working in Germany since 3 years. After that I had my first baby and went in to Elternzeit for 3 years, during those last 3 years I was not working and not paying taxes. Are those years will be counted so in total I already have 6 years so i can apply for the Naturalization, I already have B2 German level.
Thank you and appreciate your answer
Yes, those years count as well.
At the time of application, you will have to show that you can support yourself, so if you still have the employment contract and will be able to return to your job, you’ll be fine. If not, it depends on your qualifications and the job market.
Hi Andreas,
Thank you for your answer.
Yes, I still have my working contract valid but I forgot to mention that during those 3 years of ‘ Elternzeit’ I was not living in Germany mainly I stayed outside Germany for most of he time but i was visiting Germany every 4 or 5 months. I had to stay out as i need my family to help me taking care of my baby. Are those 3 years still counting or do i need to stay more now before I apply for Naturalization?
That makes everything more complicated indeed.
I’ll be happy to look into that once I receive a donation to keep this blog going or a book from my wishlist. Thank you very much in advance!
Dear Andreas,
“The German mother applied for the child to be registered as German on or before 31 December 1977.”
Is this also true of the former Yugoslavia because it was communism there?
Тhere were no German associations. Propaganda against Germans and German when it was not public, it was constantly present, low intensity even today. There was no dual citizenship…
The question is whether people in Yugoslavia knew about this law?
Were they informed that they had to apply from 1975-1977 and whether it was at all possible to notify them and to apply?
Actually, in Yugoslavia, people had even twice the opportunity to maintain German citizenship because they could go to the East German or the West German Consulate. ;-)
West Germany always had a General Consulate in Yugoslavia, even when the diplomatic relations were cut after 1957. In any case, full diplomatic relations were resumed in 1968.
I think it’s safe to assume that most people did not know about this law, anywhere in the world, but that’s why they should have gone to their consulate and ask. Nobody was informed because how would Germany know where your mother lived, if she was still German and when she had given birth to you?
But as the child of a German mother born before 1975 you can still apply for naturalization today. See no. 8 of my FAQ on naturalization from abroad.
Thank you for the extremely quick and useful answer! And witty too :)
I’m talking about people of German origin who lived in Yugoslavia. Who were Germans via us sanguinis. It was not easy to be a German then, or to emphasize German origin,
only Germans were enemies in movies, there were associations of all nationalities, other than Germans, over 30 of them, there were no cultural manifestations of Germans, many were culturally isolated, they did not know about the events in Germany, television, radio or newspapers did not deal with it, on the contrary. Only the Germans disappeared from the map of Yuguslavia where they lived for centuries after WWII, thanks to Tito and communist, the king did not expel any Germans after the First World War, Germany knows where Germans live for centuries, much before 1913.
These people did not have the same treatment and connection with Germany as for example Germans in France or the US or South Africa …
They could go to the East German or the West German Consulate and do what?
Yugoslavia did not have dual citizenship, they could take only German or they could apply for a waiting list if they were children ie. if they were not adult?
Once again thanks for the answer and patience, I apologize on maybe unnecessary questions, I am not a lawyer and the matter is quite complicated.
Thank you very much for all the background information! This is particularly interesting to me because I am not only a lawyer, but also a student of history.
But I don’t think that Germany had any specific information about all Germans living anywhere in the world. There may have been information about where some large groups lived (like in Banat or in Siebenbürgen), but Germany had no records of who had what children when, and so on. I don’t see how the German federal government could have known of your mother’s existence, let alone your birth, if she never went to a German consulate.
Also, the lack of connection, knowledge or opportunity affected people all over the world. (Having been to Yugoslavia myself, I would think that most other Eastern European countries were closed off far more. After all, many East-West German families went to Yugoslavia on summer holiday to meet there, because it was easier than to get a permit for the respective other Germany.) It is quite normal for people who live in an another country to lose touch with the country of their ancestors. And then they will sooner or later lose the citizenship, which usually is not a big deal because they have the citizenship of the country where they reside.
There is no general entitlement to maintain the citizenship of a country where one does not live, particularly not over many generations. Countries do not have any obligation to keep every possible applicant informed in all countries in the world. There is also no general entitlement to dual citizenship, although it cannot really be prevented when people receive both citizenships at birth.
But as I said, you do have the chance to apply for naturalization as a German if your mother was German when you were born. Why don’t you try that? You do need to display fluency in German in order to qualify, but one can learn that (it’s easier than Serbo-Croatian, it seems to me. ;-) ).
May I ask where in the former Yugoslavia you live? Because I am traveling there from time to time and I will move to Montenegro for this winter, for example.
hello,
i was born in germany of non-german parents in 1991 . what was the law to obtain german nationality before 2000?
now i’m 26, can i get german nationality ?
thanks.
Your parents could have applied for you in 2000 because you weren’t yet 10 years old (§ 40b StAG), but now it’s too late.
But if you ever move to Germany again, you can request that up to 5 years of your previous stay will be counted towards the residency requirement (§ 12b II StAG).
hello read through the comments..wow
would appreciate a response if possible.My parents were Nigerians who studied in Germany from the mid seventies into the mid eighties,1974 till 1983.I was born there in 1980.Is there any possibility to obtaining german citizenship? only visited Germany last year,
Navigating the german citizenship procedure is it a service you offer?Thanks
No chance in your case, sorry. See no. 4 of the FAQ.
Thanks all the same
What is the difference between a Citizen in a federal state and a Direct Imperial Citizen? 1913 – Part 1
The latter mainly applied to people not living in Germany or any of the German states, so if they gained German citizenship (sometimes without ever having lived in Germany) they couldn’t be attributed to a state like Bavaria or Prussia.
Interesting, 25 June 1913 the Reichstag, by large majority, passed a law on state and imperial citizenship against the votes of the Social Democrats and the Poles. According to the old law, which dated from the era of the North German Confederation (1 June 1870), imperial citizenship was attained through citizenship in one of the federal states. The new law added a ‘direct imperial citizenship’. The purpose of which was to bind expatriate Germans to the Reich. The Precondition for citizenship in a German state remained, as a rule, descent from at least one German parent. #33 Imperial Citizenship may be granted – 33.2 “one who is descended from a former German” Could this not be a catch all (if applied correctly, or even enforced if the original Patriarch ended up stateless) for those that had expired citizenship from the 1870 law?
“enforced” was not the word I was trying to use, more like a condition or advantage…I am not a lawyer, but I play one on TV :-)
Whom are you playing in what show?
And as to your legal question, I would need to look into the specific case and some annotated versions of the RuStAG.
I am play the dumb client that represents himself and stares wide eyed as the prosecutor sends him to jail for life over a stolen candy bar :-)…..In my case as listed a long time ago, My GG Grandfather his wife and 3 children came to the United states in 1886 from Bieber, Hessen, but the Prussian 1842 law and the German 1870 law (both seem to be identical) section 13.3, He and his children’s German citizenship “expired” in 1896. I have research and documents showing he never became a US citizen and was left stateless. I have read MANY books that always discuss how to loose citizenship (the latest is a most expensive “Contingent Citizen”), you seem to be the only “legitimate” site that seems to at least explore, research and help people “regain” or “claim” citizenship. German law of citizenship seems to be based in Jus Sanguinis, although the more I read, the more I see there have been a lot of attempts to change or limit this, but there seems to be defenders that have inserted areas into the laws to ensure it lives on. As a person without a law degree, but a PHD in International Business, I find this very interesting (and somewhat of a fun challenge) to read the laws in laymen context (the way it should be straight and simple). and When I ran across the 1913 sections 33-35, I originally thought they were for maybe Government workers, Military or some odd “Nobility Clause” but the term “Former German” caught my eye and as a researcher I started to focus on this area….And decided to ask the expert, the lawyer not on TV :-)
Thank you very much, I do indeed try to help people as much as I can. I have sometimes thought that i should write a book about this subject, but the problem is that so many cases are so different, and most laypeople don’t want to spend as much time as you studying citizenship law. So in the end, they would ask me again and I wouldn’t have reduced my workflow at all. :-)
§ 33 no. 2 RuStAG 1913 does indeed mention “former Germans” and their descendants, but § 33 only gave the German government the possibility to naturalize those people (“kann verliehen werden”), it did not establish a claim, nor any automatism.
As nobody in your family applied while RuStAG 1913 was still in force, that is not an option any longer. Once the law is no longer applicable, you can no longer base any claims on it. And in any case, § 33 RuStAG 1913 always gave the German government discretion, so you would have had to have very convincing reasons. It reminds me a bit of the current § 14 StAG which also allows the naturalization of people living abroad (see my separate FAQ on that subject).
lol § 14 StAG is very similar to 1913 § 8 StAG and also an area I have looked at and am almost prepared for, I need to dust off my German a little more first (and if I have to go rent an apartment in Germany, or a room from one of my relatives)…I do have legal representation already but she is still waiting on research from the archives that keep the Consular documents from the German embassies before she moves on to other options, but like you I just love this stuff..if all else fails I guess I could sell them the plans to the Iranian nuclear projects…:-) Thanks again!!!!!
I am glad you enjoy the research!
Now that I am studying history, it’s even more interesting because it’s a neat combination of my legal and my historical academic interests.
As to § 14 StAG, you should actually NOT rent anything in Germany, because once you live in Germany, § 14 StAG doesn’t apply anymore. It only applies to applicants living abroad.
But yes, it does require fluency in German.
As to the Consular records, I am curious to hear what you will find because I have never had a case where someone’s ancestors were listed. Many records were destroyed and even where they survived, they show that a tiny percentage of Germans living abroad registered (usually only those who traveled and wanted a passport or those who lived in the cit of the Consulate and were also active in German clubs or the German school or something like that).
I LOVE history!!!! And I try to look at it through the eyes of those living it rather than the judgmental glasses of today…I could probably pass B1 with no problem..but want to make sure they are impressed at a much higher level (more is better), I would not pursue any action until my Attorney states what avenue she wants to go…I do not expect them to find anything in the records, they were poor day laborers, if I add some historical fiction to them it would be: They lived in my GGGrandmothers ancestral home, she was the youngest of 6. He was a day laborer trying to support a family of 5. (Since it was in 1886, it was much later than the mass migrations) They sold the family home to be able to pay out the inheritance and cover debts of her older siblings (I know the decedents of the people that purchased the home). Left with nothing, they bought passage to the land of milk and honey that other villagers and the shipping lines had told about. Arriving in the US, He went to work as a miner and again day laborer. Not much changed in daily life between the US and Germany, they lived in a German Community, went to German Church service, the children were baptized in the German Evangelical Church, but add 3 more kids financially there was no way back to Germany, but the dream of returning was always there and thus they remained loyal servants of Germany and never naturalized. I still question the literacy of people in the late 1800’s but as they say “Ignorance of the law is no excuse”.
The literacy is one element. And if people lived far from the next Consulate, most wouldn’t have bothered to ride all the way to New York or St. Louis or wherever.
But then, on the other hand, there is also no fundamental entitlement to keep the citizenship of a country forever where one doesn’t live anymore.
I recently learned that two brothers in my family emigrated to the US in 1922/23. From that time, records are much easier to obtain (they went through Ellis Island, for example) and I will set out on a quest to retrace their journey and to track down distant relatives.
If you stay tuned to this blog, you will read all about it!
By the way, if you don’t have real nuclear secrets, you can try to pull off something like “Curveball”:
I tried to keep this in line with the conversation but did not see a “reply” below under what they may find after they search the records:
Attached please find the following documents for your information:
– answer by the Political Archive of the German Foreign Office – they informed us that there are no records for persons with the last name Bernhard or Bernhardt in the registers of the German Consulate in Philadelphia 1899-1916 (registers for later years do not exist anymore) – Since he immigrated in 1886 and My grandfather was born in 1897, I could say “They did register, but then I would have to prove they did and I can not do that either”
– answer by the historical archive in Wetzlar (the main city of the region in which Aßlar is located) – they informed us that they do not keep certificates of residence for Aßlar / the Wetzlar region – I have marriage and birth records that show they were there until 1885
– answer by the archive of the state of Hessen – they informed us that they did not find a record reg. the emigration of Ludwig Bernhardt from Aßlar to the U.S. around 1885 – they only found a record reg. the emigration of a Ludwig Bernhard from Greifenstein in 1851 – This was not him, since my GG Uncle was born in Aßlar in 1885
– a number of results from the database ancestry.de – these records probably concern your ancestors but unfortunately will not help with a citizenship claim
Since Ludwig Bernhard(t) and his family left Germany around 1885 already and since we cannot prove that he avoided loss of citizenship by registering at a consulate or possessing a travel document / residence certificate, I am not optimistic reg. an application for confirmation of German citizenship based on the family history unfortunately
In the end, it looks like records do not exist for or against a claim, but since I am the one making the claim the responsibility would be on me to show the paperwork….Not saying my journey is at an end for this, only that it requires more thinking on how to do the paperwork in such a way that is factual, however the lack of records on the German side during this time frame in Pennsylvania. may give a window of opportunity, especially since they never naturalized in the US.
Hi , would you be able to help me with a question? My german grandmother married a British man (my “adoptive” grandfather) who adopted my mother in 1961, giving her dual nationality. My grandmother some years later, also acquired British nationality presumably losing her german nationality in doing so. would that have affected my mothers dual nationality? thanks!
That should not have had any effect on your mother’s citizenship(s).
Dear Mr. Moser,
Is it possible for me to receive German citizenship? Here is my situation:
1. Great Grandfather born in Germany 1898
2. His son, my Grandfather was born in 1929
3. Great Grandfather naturalized as U.S. citizen in 1938
It seems like my grandfather would at least be eligible, but here’s the hiccup…my Grandfather adopted my father. Would my father (and myself) then be ineligible because he was adopted?
Thanks very much for your time!
best,
Matt
Hello Matt,
I would need to know when and in which country/state the adoption took place and then review the laws in place at the time.
Because this requires some research, I can’t do this for free, but would need to charge 200 EUR.
Thank you very much for your reply! I will email you.
-Matt
Thank you! The more specific the list of dates and places and events is, the better. If you have the adoption paperwork, even better.
Is it true that if your grandparent, or who you’re tracing your ancestry to, served in another military voluntarily that you they lose their citizenship? I understand if you cannot answer this. Thanks so much for the resource you’ve provided us.
-Matt
That can be true, depending on the time.
But then, this is also a part that can be omitted from the application because how would the German consulate (or indeed you ;) ) know about the military service of distant ancestors.
Many thanks, Andreas! I have recently determined that my grandfather was drafted so hopefully that part won’t matter for me.
Hello,
is it possible to get a resident permit in Germany if you have a baby with a mother of a Germany baby?Thanks.
If the baby has German citizenship and lives in Germany, then yes (§ 28 I AufenthG). You would need to have at least shared custody for that.
Thanks for your responds ,does it matter when she carries the baby?
I am a German living in the UK for 8yers and I have two children 8 and 6year old both born in the UK, there mother is an asylum seeker .
My question is are my children entitled for a German passport.
Thanks
Kingsley Amadi.
Yes.
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Dear Mr. Moser,
I am a Syrian married to a German for 8 years, we have been living in Munich for 4 years and I have the Unbefristet Aufenthaltstitel.
We both work and support ourselves ( No government support of any kind) although I only have part time job
I have the B1 and passed the Orientierungskurs Exam
Am I entitled to apply for German Passport already?
Many Thanks for your time,
Kind Regards
Ahsem
Yes, you are!
Dear Mr.Moser,
Thank you for the reply. My wife wants Separation suddenly. Will I still be avle to apply without her as long as it is before the final divorce. I understand it takes a whole year of seperation before it becomes final.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas.
That does indeed complicate things if your residence permit is based on the marriage (§ 28 AufenthG).
I would need to know if you have a chance to change your residence permit to one based on another reason (work, business, education) and if you think your wife would be cooperative by not informing the authorities of your separation (because the separation itself is already a problem, irrespective of whether it will lead to a divorce).
For follow-up questions, I would also appreciate a donation to my Paypal account (see button on the right) or a book from my wishlist. Thank you very much!
Sadly, Christmas/New Year is separation season for many couples. :-(
First I’d like to thank you for making this available. If you or an acquaintance ever have questions about Service Dog Laws in the USA, please allow me to reciprocate.
I am the child of a German mother and American father (deceased). I always had dual citizenship. I’ve been to the German Consulate and they are requesting either proof of my Mother’s German Passport or German Ausweis. (My “Ausweis” was lost when I became very ill and lost the house and contents) She refuses to send this information to me and says I no longer have a German Citizenship because I reside in the USA for 23 years. (She never forgave me for staying in touch with my father after their divorce.) Do you have any advise on how I can get proof of her citizenship for the German Consulate? I have never denounced my German Citizenship and want an updated German Reissepass so I can return to help my German grandmother of 97 years of age.
Thanking you in advance,
Robin A. Disotell
*Please let me know if you offer services that would help me get to my goal. I hope you accept American Credit Cards or have a Paypal account.
Hello Robin,
We should be able to get that information from the registrar’s office of the town where your mother resides.
I can find out the correct office and draft the request to them. That wouldn’t cost more than 50 € and yes, I have PayPal: moser@moser-law.com.
If it will be necessary, I can also help with the Consulate because they shouldn’t really require that paperwork from you if you have held German passports until now.
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Thank you very much for such a comprehensive work Andreas.
My question is: I have been residing in Germany since 2015 and I have worked here until April 2017. Since then I am jobless and entitled to Arbeitslosgeld which I will stop receiving soon. My file manager in Arbeitsamt suggested me to register for “Hartz IV” (Better known as Arbeitslosgeld 2) until I find a job since my wife does not work and we have a newborn. I will start working again in a few months because the job starts then. Even though it is a short period, I am afraid of doing so not to have a bad record later when I apply for German citizenship since I read the paragraph below. So, I have to choose between spending a few months on limited savings and have a financial bottleneck or take the Hartz IV and worry later when I apply for naturalization. In that regard, does a person have to have a residence history in Germany absolutely without any social aid when he/she applies for citizenship, or is it only taken into account during the time of application? Besides I hold a 5 year “Residence Card of a Family Member of a Union Citizen” thanks to my wife’s EU nationality. I am 40 and our kid is born here.
Rechtsgrundlagen der Einbürgerung…Außerdem muss er einen auf Dauer angelegten Aufenthaltsstatus besitzen, den Lebensunterhalt für sich und seine Familienangehörigen ohne Inanspruchnahme von Sozialleistungen bestreiten können (Sozialleistungen bedeutet konkret Leistungen nach dem Zweiten oder Zwölften Buch Sozialgesetzbuch „Hartz IV und die fortbestehenden Elemente der Sozialhilfe). Die Anforderung der Lebensunterhaltssicherung ohne diese Leistungen gilt mit In-Kraft-Treten des EU-Richtlinienumsetzungsgesetzes 2007 nun auch für junge Ausländer im Alter von 16 bis 23 Jahren, die davon bisher ausgenommen waren. Allerdings besteht ein Einbürgerungsanspruch auch dann, wenn solche Leistungen zwar bezogen werden, der Einbürgerungswillige die Inanspruchnahme aber nicht zu vertreten hat (§ 10 Abs.1 Nr. 3 StAG). Siehe hierzu auch Deutscher Bundestag (2008a: 6).
Thank you ery much and have a happy new year.
That’s a long question.
I am looking forward to some payment to my Paypal account (see button on the right) or a few books from my wishlist. Thank you very much!
Pertaining to people of Jewish descent, requesting restoration of citizenship…due to WWII, how do they prove their German descent if the records are “missing” or they themselves no longer have the documents? This does not apply to me, just curious
That depends on the specific case. Sometimes, records can be reconstructed from what is kept in archives. There are also lists of people whom the Nazis stripped of their citizenship: http://amzn.to/2lY49Fx
Hi, I’m from India, Indian nationality. I got married German girl on 2012 March and 2012 July onwards I started my life in Germany with my wife. Now it’s more than 5 years in Germany. I completed my Integration course and B1 course and passed too. I’m working and paying tax and following all the German rules, no criminal records. Is it possible that I can apply for German citizenship or need to wait more years ? Please help me.
Regards
Sreekumar
You can apply right now.
I understand that citizenship of Germans in foreign territories prior to 1914 are assumed to have lapsed after 10 years, making 1904 the immigration date of uncomplicated applications.
Are immigrants a year or two before 1904 reasonably assumed to have used travel documents expiring post 1 January 1904, even if the actual travel documents cannot be located?
Enjoy your travels. Please take a look as I don’t see the paypal ‘button on the right’ on any of my browsers anymore.
Hm, I see the “Make a donation” button in the right column of the blog. Alternatively, you can use the Paypal address moser@moser-law.com or of course mail a book from my wishlist.
Thank you very much in advance!
One thing missing: Children born before 1975 who have an American father and German mother are American citizens according to the German Consulate.
But now I have heard that old law no longer applies. But getting German passport is expensive.
Actually, German consulates don’t and can’t decide who is US-American. That is based on US law.
Of course the law from before 1975 does not apply anymore. It was amended in 1975.
You may refer to the option for people born before 1975 to get naturalized as German citizens now. That is explained in no. 8 (a) of my FAQ on naturalization in Germany from abroad.
It’s actually not that expensive to get a German passport. 60 EUR is the fee. But it (supposedly) lasts for 10 years.
But maybe you were thinking about citizenship, not the passport. That costs 255 EUR, which is also not too much, considering the advantages you have with an EU citizenship, both for travel and living/working/studying/retiring in any EU country you want.
Hi i really need your help. Im24 now birth year is 1993, i was born in philippines and currently staying here. My mom is filipina and my dad is german. My dad dont want to send any acknowledgement of paternity so i can get my german passport. I need your help on what to do. Please. Now me and my father dont have communications anymore.
In that case, you need to sue your father for establishment of paternity.
Hi, is it possible that if a foreign national (non-EU) has a right to get German citizenship via naturalization, spouse and kids can also get the citizenship although they have not yet resided 3-8 years?
Many thanks!
D.
It depends:
– What is their citizenship?
– How long have they been living in Germany?
– How old is the child?
Thank you very much in advance for your donation to keep this blog going!
Hello Andreas! Can you clarify how the BVA interprets § 25 of the Nationality Act? My father was a german citizen at birth (born out-of-wedlock in Kassel to my German grandmother in 1949). My grandmother met an American and moved to the U.S. in the mid 50’s with my father. My grandmother naturalized without attempting to retain her German citizenship (I know this is lost). However, per U.S. law, my father became a U.S. citizen automatically. There was no (and there still isn’t any) application for naturalization required for minor children of naturalized citizens. Is § 25 strictly interpreted that one must “apply” for another citizenship and receive it or is the rule broadly interpreted to mean that just simply “receiving” a foreign citizenship will mean one automatically loses his German one?
Also, just to follow up, here the United States Statute that would have been relevant at the time of my grandmother’s naturalization:
§1432. Children born outside United States of alien parents; conditions for automatic citizenship
(a) A child born outside of the United States of alien parents, or of an alien parent and a citizen parent who has subsequently lost citizenship of the United States, becomes a citizen of the United States upon fulfillment of the following conditions:
(1) The naturalization of both parents; or
(2) The naturalization of the surviving parent if one of the parents is deceased; or
(3) The naturalization of the parent having legal custody of the child when there has been a legal separation of the parents or the naturalization of the mother if the child was born out of wedlock and the paternity of the child has not been established by legitimation; and if
(4) Such naturalization takes place while such child is unmarried and under the age of eighteen years; and
(5) Such child is residing in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence at the time of the naturalization of the parent last naturalized under clause (1) of this subsection, or the parent naturalized under clause (2) or (3) of this subsection, or thereafter begins to reside permanently in the United States while under the age of eighteen years.
Thanks!
-T
§ 25 I StAG only applies if there was an application for citizenship, although that can include an application of the parent if that also leads to the naturalization of the child.
If the child became a US citizen by law, without the requirement of anyone’s application, § 25 I StAG does not apply and German citizenship was maintained (and could be passed on to the next generation).
Hallo Mr Moser,
I have been reading questions, comments and also your answers in this page and it’s been very helpful to many people like me thanks so much.
If you don’t mind I would like to share my challenge with you and according to your knowledge I know you will give me good advice and it may also help someone out there though my English is not clear I hope you will understand
I’m married to a German man since 2014, we got married in to my home country then he decide that I join him in Germany and we are now in marriage 4yrs.
After arriving in Germany in 1 week later my husband and I went to Auslanderbehörde then we applyed an Aufenthaltserlaubnis and it was for 3yrs.
After that I got a letter from Stadt saying that I have to lernen german language which I did and got B1 Certificate and als got a certifcate of Life in Germany ( Leben in Germany ) after that I did Vorenteer (Bundesfreiwilligendienst ) for 1 year then I start working 30 hrs per week. 3yrs later we went againto Auslanderbehörde my husband wanted then to give citizenship then they said they will give me for another 3yrs Aufenthaltserlaubnis then I can start citizenship process.
It’s been 8 Months since I applyed a German Citizenship, I have passed naturalisation test I have also sent my passport my identity cand and all Forms in my National Embassy in Berlin have also paid the mount for Renunciation of my citizenship that was January.2018 my Embassy have also confirmed to me that my Forms is already sent to my home County to be processed.
In Feb.2018 my husband booked for the first time alone a holiday for three weeks in Brazil and he make sure he did not let me to know at the right moment then I couldn’t do anything, I let him go because I didn’t want to argue with him. He went then he came back and when I talk to him he is talking like he doesn’t want to talk to me and if he answer he is answering very loud and arrogantly.
I am really wondering what is going on him because we had no issues before.
Like 2 weeks we had argument While I was passing where he used to seat while he writes or operating his computer he was looking photos one he took while he was in holiday and he did didn’t pay attention that i was passing and i saw some photos he took with a lady while they were in the apartment together in different styles.
It’s now two weeks we are not speaking when I cook he don’t eat he cook his own.
And now my fear is, if I get letter from my Embassy to bring it to Auslanderbehörde to go ahead and give me a citizenship, of course Auslanderbehörde will sent form to my husband to sign it to be able to know if we are still together like husband and wife.
my question is, if he refuse to sign that form what is going to happen?
What will be the next option for them?
Do think they are going to refuse to give me citizenship because of him refusing to it sign?
Do i have to hire a family lawyer to deal with the whole issue?
What do I do?
Please kindly answer
I don’t want them to deport me after end of my 6yrs Aufenthaltserlaubnis
I thank you in advance
Anitta
That’s a loooong question. I am going to read it and reply to it once I receive a payment of at least 50 EUR.
Thank you very much in advance!
How do I pay that 50€?
Dear Marie Ann/Anitta,
Thank you very much for your payment!
That’s a sad situation indeed, I am sorry to hear about your husband’s strange behavior.
The best thing would of course be if your husband confirmed that you are still living together (which you are), you would receive German citizenship, and after that, you could deal with the relationship, either trying to repair it or move on.
Because you are married to a German citizen, 3 years of residence in Germany are enough to receive German citizenship. But if he refuses to confirm that you are still together, the Ausländerbehörde could indeed refuse to grant German citizenship and you would then need 7 years of residence in Germany (or 6 years if you have B2 level in German).
You wrote that you got married in 2014, but not when you moved to Germany. If you have already been living in Germany for 3 years or more, you have the right to receive a residence permit independent of the status of the marriage (§ 31 I 1 Nr. 1 AufenthG). But this would only cover an extension of 1 year (§ 31 I 1 AufenthG), so it’s not a long-term solution. Within that time, you would need to change the residence permit to a different type (work, business, studies, etc.).
Whether you would be deported depends on your citizenship (note to everyone: please always mention the citizenship of everyone involved!) and/or on your ability to secure a different residence permit. You must also keep in mind that if you get a 3-year residence permit now based on the marriage, it will become void once you are not living together anymore, so you cannot be certain that it will really last 3 years.
Because so much depends on it and because you are just about to obtain German citizenship, I recommend talking to your husband about it openly and asking for his cooperation. He has nothing to lose by you becoming a German citizen, even if he doesn’t want to continue the marriage (something which he cannot be forced to anyway).
Thank you very much for your answer and advice I have learn something from it. May God bless you
Regards Anitta
(Glad that comment with all your bank details doesn’t appear anymore!)
Some people are weird.
After I didn’t reply immediately after the payment was sent, she also wrote me an e-mail, accusing me of being a con-man and promising to hunt me down.
My father was born a German citizen in 1939 and escaped East Germany and immigrated to the United States and became a citizen in 1965. Sadly, he passed away in 1995. I was born in 1979. Since he naturalized to become a US citizen, does Germany see that as a loss of German citizenship? Would I qualify for German citizenship by descent?
I was in a similar situation. The main question would be whether your father was still a German citizen when you were born. If so, then you would need to show this. He would lose German citizenship if he did not first apply for retention thereof before he became a naturalised US citizen.
Thanks deeess. He did not apply for retention. The only documents that I have perhaps proving his citizenship are his naturalization papers, Declaration of Intention and Certificate of Naturalization. I’m not sure of any records in Germany because of him being born during the war. My aunt, his sister is still alive, but is very old and in bad health. I’m in touch with my cousins and other relatives there. I’m hoping there may be a special rule about having to escape East Germany that would have kept him a German citizen, thus giving me the right. My grandfather and grandmother always stayed German citizens, if that helps? My grandfather served in the war and was captured by Russians then released. Not to mention, my dad’s mother, brothers, and sisters also went through hell for Germany! Oh, the stories. I guess my next step is the German Consulate.
There is no special rule because after fleeing East Germany, nobody forced your father to move to the US instead of West Germany, nor to apply for US citizenship. Unfortunately, he lost his German citizenship when he did so (§ 25 I StAG if he already had West-German citizenship, § 3 II StBüG if he still had East-German citizenship). As this happened before your birth, none of your parents were German when you were born.
Thanks Andreas. My grandparents where both German citizens at the time of my birth in 1979 and both died German citizens serveral years later in the late 80s and early 90s. Would that possibly give me German citizenship under ius sanguinis?
Unless you descend directly from your grandparents, your parents’ status at the time of your birth is really more important.
Hallo Andreas,
Danke für deine cool Seite. Also, ich finde auch deine Reisen sehr interessant. Obwohl ich Deutsch lesen, verstehen und sprechen kann, ist mein Wortschatz im Gebiet Staatsangehörigkeit (noch) nicht so gut. Darum schreibe ich leider noch auf Englisch..
We have a proven paternal lineage of birth and marriage certificates linking my wife to her great grandfather, who was born in Germany in 1875. We also a certificate from our (South African) authorities stating that the first immigrant (her great grandfather) never naturalised, nor applied for it.
The only thing complicating the matter is the the loss of citizenship law (that was repealed in 1914). As would be expected from that long ago, we do not have any travel documents. As far as I understand the 10 year counter towards lapse of citizenship started upon expiry of the last travel document. In other words, we need something to take proof of the ancestor being German
past 1 January 1904?
The ancestor in question boarded a ship to South Africa in October 1901 (we can get a certified copy of the ships register) and would likely have arrived in South Africa in January 1902. His son, my wife’s grandfather, was born in South Africa in 1911.
I heard a staff member at the embassy say clearly that documents used in 1901 would almost certainly have been valid in 1904. I am not clear (and I was unable to clarify) whether this was applied as an assumption, in the absense of documents, or whether it was just an observation of travel documents, meaning we still needed to locate one.
Assuming it is not applied as an assumption, can you perhaps suggest something we could do? Or is there a chance that we could apply for a certificate of citizenship for the ancestor?
I have started contacting my of the Stadtsampt authorities of the localities where we the ancestor lived. Will Anmeldung records help? Residence does not proof German-ness. (Also the people in question were obviously ethnically German, speaking the language into the 3rd generation born abroad, but I assume that is of no consequence).
I get the ius sanguinis, but what is the starting point? Are people born in the 19th century in Germany assumed to have been German? I’ve been told immigrants post 1914 just required a birth certificate, and proof of non naturalisation to determine the status of the immigrant. If so the question for pre-1914 is not so much the German-ness as it is whether it was retained. In that case doesn’t proof of non-naturalisation settle the matter. Since no other nationality is in question, the ancestor would have died stateless if he was disowned by his birth country. Perhaps then residence in his 20s in Germany proofs that no other country is in play?
Thanks in advance. There is a little token of gratitude in your PayPal account.
Many thanks for your payment and your kind words on my blog! I wish I had more time to write, there are still so many stories to be published.
Under § 21 of the StAG 1870, German citizenship got lost 10 years after emigration (not the arrival) or, if the citizen held a German passport, 10 years after the expiry of that passport. This consequence could be avoided by registering at the German consulate (in the so-called “Konsulatsmatrikel”). The cut-off date, when this law was removed, was 1 January 1914, when RuStAG 1913 entered into effect (§ 41 RuStAG 1913).
At first, we could think that your wife’s grandfather (the first son born in South Africa) could save the uninterrupted line if he was born German because he didn’t live abroad for 10 years before the StAG 1870 was amended and became RuStAG 1913. But unfortunately, § 21 StAG 1870 states that if his father (the first emigrant) lost his German citizenship due ti his clause, the effect would have also extended to his minor children and his wife.
So, we need to investigate the great-grandfather’s situation more closely.
If he had no passport, he would have needed to register at the German consulate in South Africa by the end of 1911. I don’t know if the German consulate in South Africa still has these records, but most of them got destroyed by war, fire or lack of care.
If he did have a passport, we would need to find out when it was issued, to calculate the 10-year term. If it was still valid until 1 January 1904, we are safe. I am not sure what the consular official meant with the assumption, but he/she may have thought (as I do) that the great-grandfather only applied for the passport before his trip, and then it would have been valid for 10 years (under normal circumstances).
You would need to find out where he would have applied for the passport and see if they still have records.
You could also try the archives of the Foreign Office. But many of the documents in Germany were destroyed during World War I or II, or simply thrown away when municipalities were dissolved.
What part of Germany was the great-grandfather from?
The story about the grandmother who grew up in Germany is a strong indicator, but if they only got married after she moved to South Africa, it doesn’t prove that the grandfather was ever in Germany.
You might want to ask if the German consulate ever issued them German passports to travel or if they had applied for a visa to Germany as South African citizens.
I would try to look for further documents or evidence and not yet file an application based on circumstantial evidence. These requests are rarely successful (one successful example: https://openjur.de/u/448295.html ) because the burden of proof would be on your wife. It seems unfair because it’s not her fault that documents got lost, but then, there is no right to have citizenship being passed on for ever. Particularly if no statelessness is involved (the possible statelessness of the great-grandfather is irrelevant now because it wasn’t passed on).
I am sorry that there is no simple answer, nor any magic trick.
This requires a lot of digging, and in many cases unfortunately it’s impossible to produce the documents.
Hello Andreas,
Thank you for your detailed blog with many useful answers. I have a question that has not been fully explained however, so have made a small donation for your time to give me some advice if possible.
I was born in Germany to 2 married German parents in 1991 who later divorced and my mother moved to the UK with myself in 1993. I had a German child passport which I still own as a result of this. After living in the UK almost continuously since 1993 other than a brief move back to Germany where I went to school for approximately 6 months, I then applied and received UK citizenship in 2006 at which time my mother applied successfully to the German state to keep my German citizenship and therefore legally had dual citizenship.
Later, I made an unsuccessful application to the British military, at which time it was highly recommended by both the UK and Germany to renounce your citizenship voluntarily to avoid any complications with security related matters and national service. This was completed in 2009 when I was 18. I later was not successful in an application to the military and never served in the British armed forces or performed national service in Germany.
Frustratingly the rules were changes a short time after where the EU countries agreed that those serving in any military within NATO could legally retain dual citizenship without security issues.
As a result of a career change and due to the possibility of losing my ability to reside in the EU after the vote to leave the EU, I am considering reapplying for my citizenship. I have made brief contact with the consulate and BVA who suggested I could possibly reapply under the “re-naturalisation” rules intended for those who lost their citizenship by other means. This did not appear to be a conclusive answer to me. Also, whilst I have an A-level qualification in German language and can speak it to a reasonable degree, I am not sure my language skills are currently good enough for the naturalisation requirements. All of my family continue to live in Germany and I can prove my ties so this is not an issue.
My question is – is there any chance of an exemption in this case? Or could I just reapply for German citizenship through my parents/birthright? How would you advise I should proceed in this unusual case?
Thank you for your time! Mark
Hello Mark,
thank you for your donation!
That’s a tricky situation,and so tragic indeed that the rules on military service have been changed since.
But once you have given up your German citizenship voluntarily (for whatever reason), there is really no other way than to re-apply for naturalization. That your parents are German and that you used to be German yourself will count as a favorable factor, but are not enough by itself. So you would still need to show fluent language skills (which you can train yourself to, of course) and financial security.
The other complication we are facing due to Brexit is that Germany doesn’t allow dual citizenship for non-EU nationals when naturalizing. So, everything would need to be completed by March 2019 – which is quite impossible, given the huge number of applicants since Brexit. The transition period afterward (if there will be one at all) won’t change this because the UK will have already legally left the EU. Theoretically, Germany could of course change its rules and still give preferential treatment to UK citizens, but I wouldn’t count on it.
My advice would therefore depend on where you want to live in the future and if an EU passport is more important to you than a UK passport. But there is no easy or quick way, unfortunately.
Sorry Andreas I am unsure how to reply directly to your comment above but thank you very much for your detailed answer.
Am I right in thinking that your suggestions would be to give up my UK citizenship to make myself stateless and therefore gain German citizen automatically? The problem here is that should I apply for British citizenship I would also lose German citizenship if I receive it without permission or would this now be allowed considering the UK is still in the EU?
I am really not sure where I want to live in future as most of my family still live in Germany and my work could also take me to working in the EU in the future. This is a decision I just don’t think I can make right now…
Do you think there is any possibility of a special exemption in this case? Since it is fairly unusual or do I have any other option? I honestly don’t think I will be able to meet language requirements at the moment, as I would have to take a test I’m quite likely to fail so the naturalisation route is unlikely to work for me.
Thanks,
Mark
I am not sure if you are able to give up British citizenship that easily, and I don’t see how that would automatically bestow German citizenship upon you.
There is no exemption because you voluntarily renounced German citizenship. The consequence of that is that you have to re-apply and meet the requirements. As to the language requirement, it’s up to you to get yourself to the required level. You have no deadline for that, so it should be doable.
If I had to decide between a UK passport and an EU passport, I would pick the EU one. Being able to live, work, study in 27 countries leaves open many more options than one country.
Thank you again Andreas, I think given the circumstances that it does appear after all that I have no option but to apply for re-naturalisation.
I just have one final question, if I were to apply for this, how likely do you think it would be to retain my British citizenship to become a dual citizen again? Is this basically guaranteed whilst the UK remains in the EU? Since I work in the UK it does not make much sense for me to apply if I were to lose this given the uncertainty at the moment.
Its an extremely frustrating situation to find myself in, since I have very little family in the UK after my parents pass away all of my family would be in Germany and I may not have much reason to remain in the UK but without German citizenship and outside of the EU it will be unlikely for me to be able to move back again.
If only the vote never happened…
I definitely agree with you on the last point. Our biggest hope for your situation would be a reversal of Brexit.
But if you receive the German citizenship while the UK is still part of the EU, there is no problem. After that, you would need to have good reasons to keep the British citizenship that go beyond the normal disadvantages of losing a citizenship (for example if you have a job that requires citizenship, like being an MI6 agent).
Keep in mind that the relevant date is not the date of the application, but the date of the decision, which is almost certainly going to be after March 2019.
Apologies for the late reply Andreas. Many thanks for your helpful advice and for maintaining this site. I will weigh up my options over the next few weeks but think it may be wise to wait for the outcome of the EU deal with the UK before continuing at the moment given my circumstances.
Thanks,
Mark
hello
i’m from Tunisia and i got married there with my husband who is a UK citizen
i came to Germany in January this year 2018
now my husband went back to England and i think he wants a divorce
Germany gave me 5 years resident permit here because im married to an EU
in case of divorce is my visa still valid
and is it possible to change it
thank you
Actually, the residence permit is already invalid now, because your husband left Germany. It was based on the marriage, which requires that you are still together.
If you want to stay in Germany, you would need to apply for an independent residence permit, based on work, business or studies.
thank you very much
my name is eric.my father was a germany from hurmburg.he abandoned us when we were too young that was back in the year 1993.he told us he is going to mombasa then he will came back to us.but since then he has never come back.we have being looking and searching for him but we have never found him.he used to barclays bank at thika branch.please help me on how i can find my dad.
my name is eric.my father was a germany from hurmburg.he abandoned us when we were too young that was back in the year 1993.he told us he is going to mombasa then he will came back to us.but since then he has never come back.we have being looking and searching for him but we have never found him.he used to barclays bank at thika branch.please help me on how i can find my dad.please how can i locate him.becouse i dont have any information about him and how can germany embassy help me to find my dad.he is called paul Gehard.
Does your mother know more about him?
ok when he was leaving they left together.later in 2014 its when we were told that my mother passed away.but we have not heard anything about our dad.please help me .
Hi Andreas,
I’ll receive the German citizenship soon. My question, please: can my wife and kids apply for it directly after I receive it? They are currently not living in Germany. However, they lived here for four years in the near past, and one of the kids was born here.
Thanks in advance,
Abood
It would be easier if they are going to join you in Germany.
Because every applicant has to meet the criteria themselves. You also have to consider that if your wife applies based on the marriage but doesn’t live with you, it will look a bit fishy.
Hello,
is it possible for a non EU citizen to get a resident permit in Germany if you have a baby with a mother of a Germany baby? That is the mother has a first German baby she had with a german and she has an Aufenthaltstitel so i was wondering if she gives birth to my baby will permit me stay and work to carter for the baby since i am non EU citizen?
i am yassin i live in egypt all my life i was born in 1996 i took my german passport in 2015 with no problems untill we have a problem that when my sister and my brother went to apply for german passport they knew that my father have dual citizenship thats why they said to us they need some kind of a paper that my father is only german and thats not possibe because my father own the egyptian citizenship and the german so what we can do about this if my father lost his german citzenship will i also loose my citzenship and my brother and sister will not get their passport and if i lost it can i get it back again please help me and if u need the email which is sent by them to us i can show it to you
Hello,
I am a 26 years old syrian citizen from Aleppo and I am the eldest son of my father. My grandfather from the parental side got the german citizenship in 14/2/1975 after my father’s birth in 1954 who also was his eldest son. My grandfather died in Germany in 26/8/1992 four months before my birth in Aleppo in 6/1/1993. The question is that the son or the grandson of a german citizen get the german citizenship if either born in Germany or born outside Germany after his ancestor got the german nationality according to the german nationality low principle (jus sanguinis). Now, in my case, my father was born before my grandfather’s got the german nationality, but I was born after my grandfather got it, yet, after his death as a german citizen in Hamburg, Germany where he worked and lived. So, am I eligible to get the german nationality according to the principle in the german nationality low or eligible to get a visit to Germany given that I have all the family ancestry papers transcripts of civil record proving this and my father and his sisters are acknowledged in Germany as my grandfather’s children and heirs due to an inheritance case and at least, does this make a humanitarian asylum request from a german embassy accepted additionally to my case based on the war circumstances in Syria.
Hello Mouhammad,
I’ll be happy to look at your case once I receive a donation to keep this blog going. Thank you very much!
Hey my great grandmother was born in 1898 and was a German citizen. She married a Polish man so she lost her citizenship around 1916 and got his. However he then lost his citizenship around 1922 which made him and her stateless. At the time the Germany authorities didn’t know of this so when my Oma was born in 1926 she was registered as a Polish citizen even though she should have been stateless. Anyways was there any law back then that a child born to two stateless parents in Germany was German or no?
Probably a long shot but I couldn’t find the answers. Her travel documents after WW2 said stateless.
That is something that I really cannot answer off the top of my head. I would need to research the legal situation at the time.
– Why did the husband lose his Polish citizenship?
– Where were they living?
– Did they subsequently acquire other citizenship(s)? If so, when and how?
– When were you born?
To look into all of this in detail, I would need to charge 200 EUR.
I am unsure if it’s possible that I already hold German citizenship or possibly duel citizenship. I was born in 1986 to an American citizen father and a German citizen mother. I was born in Germany and have a German and American birth certificate. When I was 7 (1993) my mom obtained a Kinderausweis for me. It expired in 1996. We moved from Germany to the U.S when I was 11 therefore unable at 18 to declare which nationality I would take. Help! :)
You hold both citizenships, US-American and German!
You can go to the closest German consulate and apply for a passport. If you still have your old Kinderausweis, take it there. If not, they will want your birth certificates and some evidence of your mother’s German citizenship. If your mother could accompany you to the consulate with her documents (birth certificate, German passport), it would be even easier.
Because you have been German since birth, you do not need to pass any citizenship or language test.
That’s how easy it is. :-)
Hi Andreas, my grandparents (from russia) went to germany scaping from war in 1945, my mother was born in germany as product of war refugee in 1947. She withheld a collective german passport and traveled to Venezuela when she was 3 years old. She wants to gain back her German citizenship, witch article of the german law could she apply to do so?
Does she still have that old German passport? I would be curious to take a look at it.
She doesnt, the passport was retained when she gained another nationality and never given back. But she has the entry document where it says she is german and has the passport number xxxx and the address where she lived until she was 3 years old. She also has the ID corresponding to the country where she lives where it specifies that she is an immigrant of german nationality and had the passport number xxxx. I have her original birth certificate also.
I’d be curious to look into the situation, but I would need to see all the documents that you have and get an exact timeline of events. In the time between 1945 and 1949, the exact dates are relevant, because there was no Germany as a country between May 1945 and May 1949, making the matter more complicated. I would also need to know the details of how your mother obtained another (which?) citizenship. Did she become naturalized or did it happen by law? Was it together with her parents?
Because of the research required, I would need to charge a fee of 200 EUR. You can contact me at moser@moser-law.com and please include a reference to these comments. Thank you!
Hi there, i was born in Dortmund, Germany on March 1973. I have a german birth certificate, both parents are Filipinos. I don’t have any registration about my birth in the Philippines consulate. But i had been issued with Philippine passport as i was brought home when i was 5months old. Will i be entitled for dual citizenship? Will i be granted a german passport? Hope you can answer my queries. Thanks! Rina
Unfortunately not.
See no. 4 of the above FAQ.
Hello, i was born in Germany May 1980, my parents were studying at that time, they didnt spend up to 8years but I have a german birth certificate. They left germany 1 yr after I was born, I have been living in Nigeria ever since I was brought back, Is there any chance for me to apply for permanent residency, please advice. Thank you.
Residency has nothing to do with citizenship or your place of birth. It depends on the reason that you wish a residence permit for. Because this thread has already thousands of comments on citizenship, I would like to keep the two matters distinct. When somebody will mail me a few books from my wishlist, I will put up a separate list of FAQ on residence permits for Germany.
Hi Respected, I have a german child born in 2014 June, am from India, I have problem with my passport, indan embassy frankfurt wrote me latter, your passport rejact because your police report not clear. Is it possible to get german offantall without passport in germany child based. Please answers.
Thanks
Could you e-mail me the letter from the Indian Embassy? I would like to take a look at it before I analyse the possibility for you receiving/retaining a German residence permit. (Generally, if you have a German child, you are entitled to it, § 28 I AufenthG).
I would need to charge 150 EUR for the consultation on those issues.
My e-mail address and my Paypal address are both moser@moser-law.com.
Hallo Andreas I have aufenthaltserlaubnis for 3 years because of my german child and I have good job in company with good salary paying tax every month my question is how long its take me to get Permanent Resident.another question is it important to live with my girlfriend.
Thanks in advance
As long as you will keep (shared) custody of your child, you do not need to live with your girlfriend. The Aufenthaltserlaubnis is based on you having a German child and exercising (at least shared) custody.
Normally, you receive the permanent residency after 5 years of legal residency.
Thank alot for you reply Andreas I have one more question if I get sparate from my girlfriend I can take my German child with me? If yes then ok,if not then how it’s works.
I would need to know who has legal custody, but normally (if you have shared custody) you cannot take your child with you. You need to agree on everything with the mother or you need a court order.
Please see my FAQ on child custody in Germany for more information.
hi; I am 28 years old. I am a student and doing my master. Since 2015 i am living in Germany on a student visa. I do not have German nationality of permanent visa but my father is a German National. So, is their any possibility for me to get German permanent visa on the basis of my father?
No, not really.
You would need to meet the requirements yourself.
(If your father was already German when you were born, we should look into whether you are already a German citizen.)
Hallo Andreas,im a Filipino,living here in Germany for long years.My questions are ,how can i apply a Student Visa for my Niece and at what age is allowed to apply for a Student Visa?
Hi Andreas,
I have a question please: is it true that in some “states” the processing of naturalization-based citizenship applications is easier and a bit faster than other states?
Thanks in advance,
Matie
It could be, but the main difference I observe is between big cities and small municipalities. The latter don’t get as many applications as Berlin or München, so it’s often faster in smaller towns/villages.
I asked my Attorney in Berlin almost the same question…A friend said (His parents and family are from Bamberg) “If I ever wanted to claim my German Citizenship He would go to his families hometown (Bamberg) and the Mayor would make it happen”. I thought that was the silliest thing I had ever heard…but my Attorney stated something like “They have more autonomy in the local regions”….so I think Andreas comment is in line with what I have been told as well….
Or, to rephrase it a bit, every municipality has the same decision-making powers, but in a smaller community, it’s more likely that you will know someone in City Hall or that they will know you. In Berlin, they also won’t care about one more citizen or not.
I tried to do it in Aßlar (where my family is from), but they referred me to an Attorney in Berlin based on some “Technicalities” I will know in a year if that gamble paid off…
Thank you for all the advice here, and to others for sharing their experiences.
I’m gathering all the documentation I need to apply for a German passport. Ironically, my own birth certificate is proving the most difficult as I will need a long-form birth certificate for the consulate.
My (married) German grandparents immigrated to the United States in 1952 and naturalized in 1957. My mother was born in 1955, making her German. My (married) German mother gave birth to me in 1986, making me German.
The document I have either already collected or am having sent by various Standesämter:
Great grandfather (born 1899):
– Wehrpaß (Staatsangehörigkeit: deutsch)
– Marriage certificate (Augsburg)
Grandfather (born 1927):
– Aufenthaltsbescheiningung (Augsburg, Staatsangehörigkeit: deutsch)
– Birth certificate (Augsburg)
– Marriage certificate (Augsburg)
– Passenger list from arrival at Ellis (1952)
– Certificate of Naturalization (1957)
Mother (born 1955):
– Birth certificate
– Marriage certificate
Myself (born 1986):
– Birth certificate
– Marriage certificate
The German consulate okayed my list of documents over email, but I am waiting to hear back if the Wehrpaß, Aufenthaltsbescheiningung, or some combination will suffice in the stead of an old German passport for my grandfather. I believe, but can’t confirm, that my grandparents traveled to the US on American travel documents, which apparently was common in the postwar period. My reading of Nr. 1.3 StAR-VwV is that these documents will suffice: “Die Behandlung als deutscher Staatsangehöriger kann insbesondere belegt werden durch … deutsche Personalpapiere, in denen die deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit eingetragen ist oder die nur deutschen Staatsangehörigen erteilt wurden (zum Beispiel Personalausweise, Reisepässe, Wehrpässe, Arbeitsbücher oder Kennkarten).”
I have seen some individuals who were able to receive a passport without first receiving a Staatsangehörigkeitausweis. But I have also seen some advice to receive the certificate prior to applying. The person I corresponded with at the consulate seemed to suggest the former, but I won’t know for sure until I go to an appointment. (Does anyone know why there are conflicting reports? Chalk it up to different consular practices?)
I will happily report back with what I learned to keep people updated.
You’ve got everything figured out already, very impressive!
The application for a passport without a prior application for a Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis (“certificate of citizenship”) is advised in cases in which there is absolutely no doubt about your German citizenship.
In any other case, where the German Consulate has to verify the applicant’s German citizenship first, you might as well apply for a certificate of citizenship because it really doesn’t prolong the process. Once you got it, the passport is merely a ravel document and will thus be automatically issued upon your application.
If there will ever be a gap again in German passports in your family, the certificate of citizenship will be helpful to your children or grandchildren.
A quick follow-up to this:
I sent scanned copies of everything that I had for myself, my mother, and my grandfather to the consulate. I received a reply saying that my mother and I are indeed German. (To my surprise, they did not request any documentation from my great-grandfather. My grandfather’s two earliest documents go back to 1927 (his birth certificate) and 1948 (his wedding); I recall something about German law requiring proof of ancestry predating 1951, but also frequently see 1914 as the date.)
The consulate requested that I make an appointment and bring in either notarized copies or originals of several documents that I have. There were a few documents that I had only as scanned copies from the Standesamt, but there was some confusion over the usage of the word “notarized.” We finally worked out that we needed “amtlich beglaubigte Kopien” or “official certified copies” – confirmed that the Standesamt can issue these and confirmed that’s exactly what the consulate meant.
I’m waiting for these documents, as well as my long form birth certificate, to arrive. Once they do, I’ll go into the consulate with an appointment and see if this really will happen. I’m still skeptical and anxious since my case sounds more involved than others here, not in fact but in volume of documents. But the facts are plain enough. I would rather just not have to wait two or more years to receive a Staatsanghörigkeit, even though I will be applying for it regardless.
I will report back when my appointment is done. And assuming I am issued a passport, I’ll report back once more after that. Hopefully what I share will help others in the future.
Thank you very much for keeping us up to date and all the best on the remaining steps!
hi Andreas.
This is truly the most useful information in one place on the internet, on this topic. Thank you for the previous thorough paid reply. This is a follow up for a previous paid question (I transferred a little extra to your PayPal account).
For a 1902 immigration, we lack a travel document or a consular registration / Konsulatsmatrikel to proof retention of citizenship up to 1914. (The rest are all in order, including proof of non-naturalisation as South African for the first immigrant.) The first South African born descendent made several trips to Germany, and married a woman who grew up there, my wife’s grandmother, with whom he spent his honeymoon there, leaving with his bride, shortly before WW2.
This what what I knew when I asked the initial question.
We have since discovered, that the couple (the SA born descendent and his wife) made one particular trip to Germany much later in life with South African passports, both passports have exit and re-entry stamps from South Africa, but both lack entry and exit stamps in Germany. Neither of them have German visas (required at the time) in their passports, and both have it indicated that they exchanged DM for the trip. This indicate that they travelled to Germany, and that they did not use their South African passports to enter Germany. The German consulate does not have a record of issuing German passports for them, but they did point out that the date of travel (1983) was before the time that they were required to store records. It seems clear that there would have been no way to enter Germany by flying from South Africa for South African citizens, without visas and having passports stamped. The passports don’t have stamps from any other port of entry for that trip, neither in Germany, nor Europe. It is impossible for me, from everything I know, to interpret that evidence in any different way, than that they made use of German passports on this trip. (There is no third country in question). In case the DM is not sufficient to proof that the said trip was in fact to Germany, my wife’s cousin, who lived with his parents in Germany at the time, remembers the visit from his grandparents whom they picked up in Frankfurt.
I do not have much hope that we may find consular registration (I enquired everywhere) nor travel documents. Would the evidence I mention count strongly in our favour of we apply for a certificate of citizenship? It is impossible for me to offer an alternate explanation (let alone a probable one) other than that they both travelled on German passports.
Wim
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Hi Andreas,
I will soon complete six years in Germany. I have B1 certificate, and I did my PhD in Germany. I currently work in an academic institution.
I did more than 200 hours voluntary job (helping new international students to start their live and study in Germany. I did that through the international office of the uni.) Does this help me to apply now (i.e. after six years) instead of waiting one or two more years?
Thanks a lot,
Kais
Hello Kais,
It’s impressive what you have been doing!
But in order to receive German citizenship after 6 years, you would also need a language certificate at B2 level.
Hi, I have a question, I was born on 1969 in germany. My mother is germany and I have birth certificate (über den erwerb der deutschen staatsangehörigkeit durch erklärung) and kinder pass germany but whenI was teenager immigrate to a foreign country and dont Non-renewal passport(i dont have new passport). I getting citizenship foreign country. I was on foreign armed forces military service on1989 – 1992 (i dont have military) . now, do I loss of german nationality? do I loss of german nationality for voluntary military service before 2000? can i get passport?
It depends on the country you went to, whether the military service was voluntary, and on how you obtained the citizenship of the new country.
Hello Andreas,
I have been following your blog since 2015,even though you have never answer any of my numerous questions I still gain alot from you. I submitted my application finally in July this year in Berlin ,I most let you know that the waiting time till they make a decision in Berlin is killing but I don’t have any option than to be patient, they told me it will take atleast 18 most.
Knowing fully well that alot of people have gain so much from your blog especially the ones you choose to answer their questions, I want to ask ,do you get any feedback? People sharing their testimonies will go a long way in keeping this blog going..
First of all, I am sorry that I can’t answer all questions. Sometimes, I am very busy with other things (mostly university) or offline for a long time. and then I prioritize the questions of people who have made a donation to this blog.
Good question about the testimonials! I actually get very few of them, which is sad. But usually, people only contact me when they have problems or questions. Once they receive the citizenship/passport, they are throwing a party, but never think of inviting the lawyer. And you are right, it would be helpful for others to read such testimonials, because some may also include more practical advice.
First of all, thank you for the assistance and education you have given to so many people, it is very appreciated. I did have a (possibly) quick question for you regarding the loss of U.S. citizenship upon naturalization/attainment of German citizenship.
I am a U.S. military veteran who currently receives a monthly disability compensation due to military service injuries. This will continue until my death, as well as benefits such as the right to be buried in a U.S. national cemetery and no-cost health benefits through the Veterans Administration.
My question is, could the potential loss of these economic and health benefits upon receiving German citizenship be seen as an undue hardship and therefore I be allowed to receive an exemption and keep my U.S. citizenship, making me a dual citizen?
Thanks again and safe travels and best wishes on your journeys.
Hello Jay,
first of all, we would need to find out if you really were to lose those benefits if you gave up US citizenship. I know that it’s possible to serve in the US military without being a citizen, so I am not sure the benefits/compensations are tied to US citizenship.
If we can confirm a link (by pointing to the relevant statute), then we would need to show that losing these benefits would be an undue burden in your individual case. This will depend on the monthly compensation you receive and the healthcare costs you would otherwise have.
I am less worried about this second step because keeping the VA healthcare would mean that you would not need to use the German healthcare system (if you have access to VA healthcare in Germany).
Hi Andreas,
I have a question regarding the “8 years requirement”: I am a Romanian citizen and I have lived in Germany for almost 8 years, so I would like to apply for the German citizenship in a few months. However, I have been living and working in Ireland for 6 months (a few days less than 6 months) two years ago. Is an absence of 6 months acceptable in this case (I know that for the residence permit, for instance, it is not an issue)? I could not find this information anywhere.
Many thanks!
Buna ziua, Anca,
for German citizenship, this is governed by § 12b I 1 StAG, which says that foreign stays of less than 6 months do not interrupt the residency time in Germany.
I should also mention that the 8 years are shortened to 7 years if you speak German at B1 level and have passed the integration course, and to 6 years if you speak German at B2 level and can show a deep integration, for example through social, political, environmental activities. So you might already overvfulfill the residency requirement.
Vă urez succes şi reuşită!
Good Day Sir,
I am a non EU national, is it possible to get resident permit in Germany if i have a baby with a non EU national who has an Aufenthaltsstitel ( Resident Permit) base on the fact that she has a German baby?
I would need to know both your citizenships, the type of residence permit (for what purpose was it issued?) and whether you both have legal custody or shared custody could be established.
And I would appreciate a donation of at least 50 €.
Both From Cameroon and her resident was issued because she her first baby is a German Baby and yes we have shared custody Thanks for your responds sir?
I will attend to your case as soon as I receive the payment.
Great!! Thanks for sharing the awesome post. Yeah, really it will be very helpful those who want to get the new citizenship in Germany. Also, I am mentioning the one company Easy Document they provide the best quality fake documents that you can use with confidence anywhere, anytime.
Novel idea! I’m sure the German authorities never in their wildest dreams considered vetting documents for authenticity.
Come to think of it, maybe we could all get a few PhDs from them?
Hi Andreas,
I lived in Germany between 2009 and 2015 (5 yeas and 10 months in total). During that time I did a PhD and worked full time for 1.5 years (paid all taxes and insurances). I returned to Germany in January 2017. Since then I work as researcher in a university, and I still have contract till 2023. I passed B1 last year, and recently I received the permanent residence (previously I had a blue card). My question: can I apply now (i.e. can I benefit from § 12b II StAG, or should I wait more years)?
Thanks in advance,
Sameera
You can apply already, as your time adds up to 7 years even if we only count 5 years of your previous stay (as per the limit in § 12b II StAG).
Hallo Andreas,
very interesting blog and becoming relevant for our family. Since you did mention that you
receive many inquiries without any detail, herewith I am giving you quite a comprehensive
summary of our family situation :
• German Father
• Singaporean Mother
Parents married since 1993
• 1 son (today 21 yrs old), born in Hong Kong 1997
o Holding both Singapore & German passport since birth
o Grew up in Singapore, Japan, UAE, back to Singapore
o Attending German School in all these places upto Abitur Graduation 2016
i.e. fluent in German like a native language although never lived in Germany
o Then 2 years compulsory military service in Singapore
o @ University in Netherlands since 2018
• 1 daughter (today 18 yrs old) born in Singapore 2000
o Holding both Singapore & German passport since birth
o Grew up in Singapore, Japan, UAE, back to Singapore
o Attending German School in all these places upto Abitur Graduation 2018,
i.e. fluent in German like a native language although never lived in Germany
o Planning university in Europe from summer 2019 (potentially also in NL)
• Singapore allows dual citizenship till age 21, then allows time till 22nd birthday to renounce the
other citizenship.
• Singapore requires proof of renouncing the other (German) citizenship.
• Son received written notification of this process a few days after his 21st birthday
Now the question :
If either of the 2 children (or both) would renounce their German Citizenship (with proof) in order to retain their Singapore citizenship, what are their chances to reinstate their German citizenship at a later stage, say 1 or 2 years later ?
Is it correct that it would be relatively easier for them because of
o German father, grandmother, uncles, aunts, cousins
o Mastering the German language
o Having attended & graduated from a German Gymnasium overseas
Understand from your blog that Germany usually does not support dual citizenship, but that there
are exceptions. Would their background qualify them for such an exception, namely to retain the citizenship of both their mother and father ?
Thanks a lot for reading this patiently and for your assessment of the situation.
I’ll work on the donation task after pressing “Post comment”.
Hallo Martin,
vielen Dank für die großzügige Spende und für die detaillierte Darstellung des Falles!
Zuerst muss man bei der Entscheidung auch beachten, dass Eure Kinder mit der deutschen Staatsbürgerschaft problemlos in den Niederlanden (und anderswo in der EU) studieren, arbeiten und leben können. Ab dem Zeitpunkt, zu dem sie nur mehr die Staatsbürgerschaft von Singapur hätten, würden sie unter das niederländische Ausländerrecht fallen und wahrscheinlich ein Studentenvisum benötigen. Das ist kein unüberwindbares Hindernis, aber es schränkt sie insbesondere bei der Berufswahl in der EU ein.
Wenn Eure Kinder jetzt auf die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft verzichten, müssten sie später einen Antrag auf erneute Einbürgerung nach § 13 StAG stellen. Die Einbürgerung von im Ausland lebenden Personen wird im Einzelfall geprüft, unterliegt hohen Hürden und wird nur im Ausnahmefall genehmigt. Einen Anspruch darauf gibt es nicht.
Das gilt insbesondere im vorliegenden Fall, wo die Entscheidung, die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft (a) als Volljährige(r) getroffen würde, und (b) es ziemlich offensichtlich darum geht, die Staatsbürgerschaft von Singapur zu behalten.
Euer Sohn oder Eure Tochter müsste schon sehr gute Gründe darlegen, warum er/sie zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft wünscht und, erheblich schwieriger, warum dies im Interesse der Bundesrepublik Deutschlands läge. Ich kann mir das eigentlich nur vorstellen, wenn Euer jeweiliges Kind eine familiäre Verbindung mit einem/einer Deutschen eingeht und eine Familie in Deutschland gegründet werden soll und/oder aus beruflichen Gründen. Keinesfalls dürfen wir davon ausgehen, dass wir nur ein oder zwei Jahre warten müssen.
Außerdem kann die (Wieder-)Einbürgerung als Deutscher nur gewährt werden, wenn Eure Kinder dann nachweisen können, dass sie wirtschaftlich unabhängig sind. Sie bräuchten also schon ein eigenes Einkommen. Während des Studiums ist das praktisch ausgeschlossen.
Zudem würde Deutschland bei der Wiedereinbürgerung verlangen, dass die Staatsbürgerschaft von Singapur aufgegeben wird. Wer hiervon eine Ausnahme geltend machen will, muss dies gut begründen. Ein Grund wäre eine Arbeit oder selbständige Tätigkeit, die etwa zu gleichen Teilen in Singapur und in Deutschland stattfindet.
Aber auch hier sind die Hürden ziemlich hoch, denn es besteht weder ein Anspruch auf die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft, noch auf die Beibehaltung der Staatsbürgerschaft Singapurs.
Eure Kinder befänden sich dann in der Rolle von Ausländern, die um eine zweimalige Ausnahme bitten. Insbesondere für Studenten oder gerade erst Graduierte dürfte das schwierig bis unmöglich sein.
Ich würde bei der jetzt anstehenden Entscheidung also davon ausgehen, dass die Staatsbürgerschaft, auf die verzichtet wird, auf absehbare Zeit verloren geht. Für welche Staatsbürgerschaft sich Eure Kinder entscheiden, hängt natürlich von vielen Faktoren ab (rechtlich, wirtschaftlich, vielleicht auch emotional), aber die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft hat den Vorteil, dass man mit ihr auch in 27 bzw. bald 26 anderen EU-Staaten ohne Notwendigkeit einer Aufenthaltserlaubnis oder eines Visums leben, studieren und arbeiten kann.
Falls sich eines Euer Kinder für die Staatsbürgerschaft Singapurs entscheidet, ist der realistischste Weg zur späteren Wiedererlangung der deutschen Staatsbürgerschaft ein Umzug nach Deutschland und dann die zeitnahe Einbürgerung (wobei wiederum alle anderen Staatsbürgerschaften aufgegeben werden müssten).
Hallo Andreas & danke fuer die ausfuehrliche Rueckmeldung. Hab nur eine Nachfrage zum Thema duale Staatsbuergerschaft. Bei der Deutschen Botschaft in Singapur wurde mir schon vor Jahren gesagt, dass es nach deutschem Recht kein Problem sei beide Paesse zu behalten, auch nachdem die Kinder das 21. Lebensjahr erreichen, aber,dass Singapur diese Moeglichkeit bis zum heutigen Tage explizit ausschliesst (hatte seit der Geburt der Kinder immer gehofft, dass sich das aendert). Deshalb nochmal die Rueckfrage : Fuer eine der von Dir erwaehnten Ausnahmen beide Staatsbuergerschaften zu behalten , bzw. die Deutsche neben der Singapurianischen wiederzuerlangen (nach Dt. Recht) sind unsere Kinder nicht qualifiziert ?
Das sind zwei unterschiedliche Szenarien:
(1) Nach deutschem Recht stellt die aktuelle doppelte Staatsbürgerschaft tatsächlich kein Problem dar und könnte lebenslang beibehalten werden.
(2) Wenn Eure Kinder aber mal die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft aufgeben, sind sie nach deutschem Recht nur mehr Ausländer, die dann die (Wieder-)Einbürgerung als Deutsche beantragen würden. Wer die Einbürgerung als Deutscher beantragt, muss grundsätzlich seine bisherigen Staatsbprgerschaften aufgeben. Das ist eine ganz andere Situation als jemand, der kraft Geburt zwei Staatsangehörigkeiten hat.
Im zweiten Fall gibt es nur sehr enge Ausnahmen, von denen man keinesfalls davon ausgehen kann, dass Eure Kinder sich automatisch dafür qualifizieren. Das hängt wie gesagt von den familiären und beruflichen Umständen im Zeitpunkt des späteren Antrags ab. Aber da nicht einmal ein Anspruch auf Einbürgerung besteht, würde ich das Risiko nicht eingehen.
Vielen Dank Andreas,
jetzt alles klar verstanden.
Gruesse aus Singapur!
Hello
Please how can I get residents through my kids and my fiance has they already have 3years residents in Germany and I was given negative
Thanks
Hello. Is this sexist law legal under European equality legislation?
People born to a German father before 1976: German citizen
People born to a German mother before 1976: NOT a German citizen
How is this justifiable?
It isn’t.
That’s why it was changed in 1975.
Hello
I am a current serving British soldier assigned in Germany. I have been living in Germany with my wife since 2001, with BREXIT I have applied for my German citizenship, passed both the B1 and einbürgerung test and put my application in, all was going well until paderborns Burgeramt got in touch with mine in Unna, (due to someone I know mentioned me to Paderborns burgeramt).
Paderborn have been saying that due to my situation being a soldier I am not entitled due to the SOFA agreement with UK and Germany.
Now my application is looking as it won’t go through.
I have been married to my German wife since 2006, have a 3 year old child with another on the way, and own a house since 2016, with renting flats since 2001 (with my name on the lease as well).
Is there truth in this?
Thank you.
Hello Woody,
unfortunately there is indeed some truth to that.
Art. 7 of the Supplementary Agreement to the NATO SOFA states that the time spent as a NATO soldier, civilian employee or family member does not count as residence in the country within the meaning of immigration law.
However, I am not quite certain if this would preclude you from applying for German citizenship, as Art. 7 of the Supplementary Agreement only mentions residence permits, deportation or work permits, but not citizenship.
Also, no. 4.1.2 VV-AufenthG does allow for a declaratory residence permit for NATO soldiers, although it is of course not necessary.
After all, you are in Germany legally, and in your case, you are even highly integrated, probably far beyond what anybody had in mind when they negotiated the SOFA.
Have you been a soldier all the time since 2001? For now, I would recommend to uphold the citizenship application and argue that you are particularly integrated and exceed the residency requirement of 3 years by far. Then, let’s see how they decide. If they deny your petition, please contact me again and then we’ll take it from there. I may have to do some further research then. (I used to work as a lawyer for the US Army JAG Corps, but there I never had clients who stayed in Germany that long. And in any case, as Americans they would have been required to give up their US citizenship, which nobody was willing to do.)
Hi Andreas,
I was wondering if you could help me…
The low down:
Maternal great grandparents:
Great Grandad – British
Great Gran – German (both her parents German born pre 1911 in Germany)
Grandad born 1950 in Germany
His parents married 2 days after his birth
Moved to UK when he was still young
My mum born in UK 1967
Me born uk 1984
As far as I can see i should be entitled to German Citizenship, the wait for the certificate is 2 years so ideally I would prefer to apply directly for a passport (no dual citizenship once we leave EU) My other issue, would the marriage of my great grandparents 2 days after his birth legitimise him and mean I am not entitled to be German?
Thanks a lot in advance! So much useful information on your page!!
Sorry. They married 15.03.1949, not 1950.. My grandad was born 13.03.1949
Hello Daniel,
because of the pre-marital birth and because all of this happened before the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, I would need to know if they lived in East or West Germany at the time.
This is a case that would require some research, so I would need to charge 100 EUR.
I am from Namibia and have a 17 months son with Italian man,we are not married just boyfriend and girlfriend for 5 years and I live in Germany for two years but no residence permityet,but he start giving me problems and now I want to go back to Namibia can I able to bring my son with me?or do I need his permit ? We have problems with social services regarding my son because of my partners violence in the house and we went to court only to find out that he has violence background and he was in prison for police finds drugs in his house.
This is something for my FAQ on custody law or the FAQ on international child abduction.
I was adopted as a baby but still have my birth certificate in Germany. Am I still a citizen?
It depends on whether you had German citizenship by birth (a birth certificate does not establish citizenship) and by whom you were adopted when and where.
thank you for these useful infos
I’m from Iran and I was born in germany when my father had been living there for about 9 years. unfortunatelly Im 26 years old now and just found out about right of soil law. I was wondering is there any chance for me to get citizenship of germany in my age???
Unfortunately, it’s too late for that. The application would have had to be filed in the year 2000 (§ 40b StAG)
Hi Andreas, i was born on 1991 from abroad. my father is german citizenship. but i dont have german citizenship and i dont live in germany. now, can i get german passport and german citizenship?
If your father is not only your biological, but also your legal father, then yes.
Andreas,
I was born in Bogota, Colombia and acquired my German passport through my father and grandfather as he was expelled from Nazi Germany.
I held and renewed my Germany passport throughout the decades, but later had to emigrate to the USA and became a US citizen.
Before becoming a US citizen, I petition and received the German passport for my US born daughter. Her passport as well as mine have since expired.
I would like to ask you for the best way of renewing them.
Reading through your notes, would I have to wait until my daughter is 18 to get petitioned or since I will be living in the EU (Madrid) this summer, is there a way of renewing them there?
I appreciate your thoughts.
Best,
Howard
Hello Howard,
you would need to go to the nearest German consulate of wherever you live in the US.
There is no need to wait until your daughter turns 18. It sounds to me like she has been a German citizen all along (due to your German citizenship at the time of her birth), as well as a US citizen (due to ius soli), so she doesn’t need to decide between the two.
In your case, I am not quite sure about the timeline. If you applied for US citizenship after having reinstated the German citizenship and if you did so without asking for German permission to hold dual citizenship, you would have lost the German citizenship in the process (§ 25 I StAG). In that case, you cannot get another German passport for yourself.
I was born in Germany in 1977 am now 43 years old and a citizen of Ghana
I have documents that show I was born and baptized in Germany
I was wondering how your office could help me to visit where I was born or if I can apply for citizenship.God bless you
I was born in 1975 and until now, I believed that I am 43 years old, too. One of us has got to have his math wrong.
In 1977, Germany did not have any “ius soli” law, meaning that you could only get German citizenship if one of your parents had German citizenship at the time.
The baptism is completely irrelevant for citizenship or indeed for any other legal status. It’s merely a church ceremony, not a government one.
Father born out of wedlock in 1948 to a German father in USA. Both of his parents were listed on his USA birth certificate.
In 1950 my grandparents (his parents) married.
Again, the same issue with me.
Born out of wedlock to (possible) German father in 1977 in USA.
Both parents listed on USA birth certificate.
Parents married in 1983.
Does this qualify me for legitimation? There was no acknowledgement of paternity done for my father, not that I’m aware of, especially not in 1948. U.S. Census records and his birth certificate are all that list my grandfather as his father.
This is going to take some time to delve into, especially as the laws changed a few times in the post-WW2 period.
I would appreciate a donation of at least 40 $ to my PayPal account at blog@moser-law.com . Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Andreas,
As you know, in late June, the German Parliament has revised the Nationality Act. One of the revisions (new condition) aims to ensure that those naturalized “integrate into the German way of life.” Could you please what does that exactly mean?
Thanks a lot,
Sarah
Oh yes, the new law that is worded so vaguely that it will be something between confusing and pointless.
I don’t really think it will change anything for at least 99% of the people commenting on this blog or contacting me with questions, that’s why I decided not to incorporate it in this article. But I am going to address it in a separate article. Please remind me if I won’t have done it in a week or so. Or send me a book to remind me. ;-)
So if both my parents were citizens in the U.S. and I was born in Germany in 1985 because my dad was in the U.S. ARMY. I do not have dual citizenship because neither of my parents were German citizens. Right?
Exactly.
In fact, due to the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, your family was not even considered to be resident in Germany for immigration law (and other laws, particularly tax law) purposes.
We applied for German citizenship together as a family through our mothers, who are sisters (we are US citizens). Since we sent in our applications, one of our mothers passed away. Does this affect our application? What action should we take? I made a donation back in July.
Hello. Thanks a lot for this information! It’s very useful!
I have two questions. Some context first:
I’ve been in Germany for 4 years, have a permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis), I have a C1-C2 level in German and I am considering moving to Trier to work in Luxembourg.
1) I’ve been told that due to my German language level I could get the passport after 6 years. Is this correct?
2) If yes, would this also apply even if I live in Germany and work in Luxembourg?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Hello Victor,
thanks for the concise presentation of your case and your questions.
The answers are yes and yes. You must only make sure to remain registered in Germany to pay income taxes there. (Once you have the citizenship, you are free to move to Luxembourg or anywhere else, of course.)
Good day
I am a 63 year old African woman married (second marriage) to a German and I have been living in Germany since 1999.
I have 4 adult children (all married with families) from my FIRST marriage (Africa)
Is there a chance that my children can get citizenship OR at least they can have it easier to obtain long visitors permits ? Thank you
I’ll be happy to delve into your questions once I receive a donation to my Paypal account at blog@moser-law.com or some books from my wishlist. Thank you very much!
Hi Andreas,
My Grand Farther was born in Germany and went to South Africa in 1955. My Mother was born in South Africa in 1961 but had a german passport as a child which has long since expired . I was born in 1982 to her and South African Father.
Would I be able to become a German Citizen ?
Am I eligable ?
Thanks Jacqui
Possible.
Your mother’s German passport expiring is no problem, as she could still have retained German citizenship. Did she ever apply for South African citizenship or did she (also) have it from birth?
On your paternal line, I would also need to know if your German grandfather ever applied for South African citizenship.
If you send me an e-mail with the details to blog@moser-law.com and a Paypal donation to the same address, I’ll be happy to help.
I am 55, born in UK. My father was British and my mother was born in Germany in 1920. She became a British citizen in 1949 (leaving Germany when she was around 22/23 I think) she did not keep dual citizenship. Her father was German and her mother was originally Dutch. I have a degree in German but otherwise no ties with Germany. Can I apply for a German passport?
Hi
I was born in Ghana 🇬🇭 but now living in Germany for 9 years and my father is a German citizen can I apply for Germany citizens without writing B1
Only if you have other ways of proving your proficiency in German.
Hello, if you could ever answer that means so much for me. If a person is married to a German and has a German child and now a distance learner at a German university and has very close ties to germany like having a german life style can speak german fluently etc. but the problem they live outside germany. can this person naturalised from abroad?
Yes, this could fall under § 14 StAG, about which I have a separate set of FAQ on this blog.
My question is regarding the possibility of US/German dual citizenship. I contacted the German Consulate in San Francisco with the details of my situation, and was encouraged to submit an application. But, I’m wondering if I should hire an attorney to assist because it is not a cut and dry situation…My father was born in Heidelberg in 1950 to unwed parents. My grandmother was a German citizen and my Grandfather an American citizen. My grandparents married in 1953 and the family moved to the US in 1954. According to what I have read on the consulate website, my father would have been born with dual citizenship and therefore passed it down to me. My concern is regarding my father’s US military service. He voluntarily joined the US Air Force in 1968 when he was 17 years old, served in Vietnam, and was honorably discharged in 1970. He had no knowledge of potential dual citizenship, nor that by joining the US military he could be jeopardizing German citizenship. Could the fact that he was 17 at the time he joined be a saving grace? If you do think I should hire an attorney, do you have any recommendations?
Hello Jessica,
you have pinpointed the problem.
But the rule about the automatic loss of German citizenship when voluntarily joining the military of another country was only introduced in 2000.
Until then, the old Citizenship Act from 1913 only allowed Germany to rescind the German citizenship. This clause had not been applied since 1949.
Therefore, you are fine, and you need no other lawyer besides me. :-)
But I would of course appreciate a donation to keep this helpful blog alive. My Paypal address is blog@moser-law.com. Thank you very much!
Thank you very much for the donation!
I wish you a swift and uncomplicated process to obtain the German passport.
Thank you! I have another question regarding any need to include a letter from my dad stating he didn’t know of any potential ramifications of voluntarily joining the military, that he was a minor, etc. with the application? Or will the document showing the date he enrolled be sufficient?
We are going to go ahead and apply for my dad, myself, and my son. SO exciting! I was able to order my grandmother’s birth certificate from Eberbach thanks to google translate. It arrived two days ago! We have a family friend who is going to help with translating our applications. I’m learning German, but I’m not quite at that level yet (ok, nowhere close as of now 😂). I’m a Registered Nurse and would love to one day work there…is that something I should include in my application as well?
I can’t even express how much your response means to me. I was quoted a rate of $450/hr by an attorney yesterday and a total cost of at minimum $6,000.00! No way can I afford that right now…
Hello Jessica,
oh my gosh, I am so angry to read about those outrageous attorney’s fees. Even in complicated cases, I rarely charge more than 400 EUR as a flat fee.
I am really worried how many people pay that kind of money, thinking that we lawyers can pull off some magic trick when it comes to citizenship. (Ok, very rarely I can, but usually not in descent-based cases.)
And the biggest part of the job is collecting documents, anyway, which the attorney can’t do for you. (Unless you want him/her to contact your dad, which would be weird.)
Because you are already well on track with the timeline of events, you don’t really need any letter from your father.
And because you are applying based on descent, you don’t need to mention anything about your motivations or your language level.
You are just applying for a certificate of citizenship and a passport, not for naturalization, as you have always been German (without knowing it).
For your son, it depends on the year of his birth. (Before 1975, you would not have automatically passed on German citizenship if you were married to a non-German at the time. You are lucky that your paternal grandparents weren’t married, therefore.)
But generally, there is great demand for people in the health sector here!
As of today, German has a new Skilled Labor Immigration Act, which opens up immigration to skilled vocational workers, not only to university graduates as had been the case:
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa/skilled-immigration-act/
As a German citizen, this won’t directly affect you, but I hope this will make it easier to have foreign qualifications recognized.
If anything will be missing in the application, the consulate will tell you and then you’ll have a chance to supply more paperwork.
If need be, you can of course contact me then.
Just remember, the application for citizenship through decent takes 2-3 years for review and disposition…
Not generally.
Those applications based on discretion per § 14 StAG take a long time because they are all handled centrally by the Federal Administration Agency in Köln (and because they are overwhelmed after Brexit).
But an application based on direct descent is decided locally by the consulate and this can happen quite quickly, depending on how many generations you have to go back and how many documents need to be checked. Theoretically, you can even file a lawsuit if you haven’t received a decision within 3 months (§ 75 II VwGO), although I wouldn’t usually recommend that, because it’s something else which only makes the lawyers rich.
Oh…I hired a lawyer in Berlin and she sent the paperwork to Koln…in Nov of 2018…anddddd I am still waiting lol
Yeah, that agency in Köln has a huge backlog indeed. I really don’t know why they didn’t increase their staff (or not sufficiently) when they saw that the number of applications was rising (probably not least due to my articles about the subject ;-) ).
Good to know! My initial contact at the Consulate in San Francisco told me that their role is to make sure all necessary documents are included before they send the application off to Köln. I will definitely be asking about it being processed at the consulate.
Update. I was informed by the Consulate that in order to directly apply for a passport I would need proof of citizenship of my father. I’m pretty sure he never had a citizenship certificate, and I know that his first passport was American. My thought then is that if we can locate citizenship documentation for my grandmother that my dad can apply for a passport and then I can apply after he gets his…only problem now is locating that document. I have emailed the city my grandmother was born in and they don’t have anything other than her birth certificate. I emailed the city she was married in…fingers crossed. I also asked (and have not heard back yet) my new point of contact at the Consulate if since my grandmother’s marriage certificate that states she was a German citizen, would it qualify as proof for these purposes. If we aren’t able to locate any documentation of citizenship then it looks like we will have to go through the application for citizenship that is processed in Germany and can take between 2-3 years.
Does your father’s birth certificate include any information about his parents’ citizenship?
If your grandmother lived in Germany, the city where she last lived should have a full record of her, including date of birth, civil status, citizenship, date of death.
If you need any help, I can draft a latter for you, inquiring about those details. Actually, if that letter could be sent in your father’s name, it would be even better because he is closer in kinship.
But we must not confuse the process of proving that you and your father have always had citizenship (which is what we are doing and only depends on providing documentation) with the process of applying for German citizenship by way of naturalization (which is the lengthy process, but not your situation).
My father’s birth certificate has very little information on it…it does have where my grandfather was from, but just my grandmother’s name.
Now the consulate is saying that I can’t circumvent the system by having my dad apply for a passport first. I’m confused because regardless, he wants confirmation of German Citizenship as well…looks like I need some help!
Of course your dad can apply first/alone. I mean, he is an adult.
I would be happy to talk to you about everything and look at the documents you have. When you tell me the whole family history, maybe I can think of a few more possible documents or pieces of evidence that we can try to get.
It might also make sense to speak while your dad is there.
Let’s coordinate this by e-mail. But I will be incommunicado from 10 to 17 March.
Hey I was wondering if you could advise me based on the new decree passed last year StAG 14 which made it easier for persecuted Jews to naturalize and also made it possible for decentdents of former German mothers who lost German citizenship by marriage before 1953 to as well (in non persecuted or persecuted cases).
My situation:
My German great-grandmother married a Russian citizen in Germany in 1919 and lost her German citizenship
The husband lost his Russian citizenship based on the treaty of Riga 1921. Thus the wife was also stateless.
My grandma was born in Germany in 1926 as a stateless person.
In 1938 the Family left Germany for Amsterdam due to persecution.
My grandma married a non-German in Amsterdam 1946
My mom was born 1950
I was born in wedlock before 1999
According to what I read online, I would probably fall under:
Click to access staatsangehoerigkeit-wiedergutmachung-en-data.pdf
1.3 – 2nd point.
According to that doc it says you are allowed to naturalize in that instance under „simplified naturalisation“ (basic language test and social order“…but no work history, education, finances etc. like a normal one).
However according to my friend the embassy’s doc is incorrect and later said if you wish to naturalize under that instance you need to do fill out the hole form and nothing is excemt unlike NS persecution; updated BMI docs:
https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/veroeffentlichungen/themen/verfassung/aenderung-vah-stag.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1
Of course my great grandfather might have naturalized as a German after he was made stateless as my mom is indicating which would make it straight forward for me regarding the earlier points in the decree but I’m not convinced.
My friend also says the embassy said 1.3 point 2 is actually marrying a foreigner before 1975 and that the docs wrong. Something about a lack of a nexus app and NS persecution putting it in the 1975 bracket (not that it matters to me). I got the forms and everything just waiting to hear back from the embassy myself after I told them my situation.
Thanks!
I just wanted to follow up and mention I have an internal DOC from the BVA that states:
„Ferner wird der Personenkreis nach Nr. 3.1.2 erweitert um
– eheliche Kinder, deren Mütter frühere deutsche Staatsangehörige im Sinne des
§ 12 Absatz 1 (1.) StARegG a.F. und deren Väter Ausländer sind, unabhängig von ihrem Geburtsdatum, einschließlich der Kinder, deren Mütter im Zusammenhang mit anderen NS-Verfolgungsmaßnahmen nach § 17 Nummer 6 RuStAG a.F. durch ihre Eheschließung mit einem ausländischen Mann die deutsche Staatsangehörig- keit verloren haben, und
– nichteheliche Kinder, deren Väter frühere deutsche Staatsangehörige im Sinne des § 12 Absatz 1 (1.) StARegG a.F. und deren Mütter Ausländerinnen sind, un- abhängig von ihrem Geburtsdatum,
sowie deren Abkömmlinge bis zum Generationenschnitt nach § 4 Absatz 4 StAG.“
This doc is from Sept. 2019, so not as updated as the BMI degree on the website and maybe what they go by.
Hello Blake,
for now, I recommend that you wait until you hear from the Germany embassy.
Because your family history is a bit tricky, and I would need to spend quite some time to delve into it, for which I would need to charge 200 EUR in consultation fees.
Yes ok I’ll wait, I do believe I fall into that category (i know someone who send in an app based on the same situation – although his dates are more recent.
They don’t indicate the start point of a mother losing citizenship but I assume the 1913 law since it’s not a „Nazi measure“.
Hello Andreas,
I lived 6 years in Germany (did PhD, worked and B1) till 2016. In that year I unregistered (abgemeldet) and went back home. Two years ago I came back to Germany. I have a blue card and unlimited job contract (expert position). I could apply for the unlimited residence permit.
The employee in charge told me that I cannot apply for citizenship because my previous residence period can not counted. I showed him paragraph 12b-2, he said: it doesn’t apply to my case because I unregistered in 2016. He said I should have arranged my long (longer than 6 months) absence with the foreigners authority before leaving!
What do you think please?
Thanks a lot. I’m willing to pay consultancy fees.
Thanks,
Mo Jabary
Hello Mo,
I think you were right to deregister (because you weren’t really living in Germany) and you are also right regarding § 12b II StAG.
The person in charge seems to confuse § 12b I StAG (which requires permission to leave for a certain time, and then the time will definitely count) with § 12b II StAG. That’s why § 12b II StAG gives the authorities discretion whether to recognize a previous stay or not. In your case, I would say 5 years of it will definitely count because (a) the stay was recent, (b) you were fully integrated (studying and working), and (c) you learned German.
Obviously I was too quick to answer to charge any fees. :-) But if you want to support this blog in any way, I am of course very thankful!
If you want me to draft you an e-mail to the Ausländerbehörde pointing to the difference in the two paragraphs and explaining it, then I can do that for you.
Hello Andreas. Thanks a lot. Drafting an email would be really appreciated. Plz let me know how to support this great blog (sorry, I don’t use PayPal). Can you send me the IBAN? Alternatively, tell me plz which books you like to read and how to deliver them :) …. it remains to wish you a nice weekend!
I got all the ways of support listed here, including an old-fashioned bank account: https://andreasmoser.blog/support-this-blog/
For readers in Germany, I have a German book wishlist because they are cheaper to get and mail from Amazon, for example. My address is at the bottom of the list.
But if we want to proceed, you can also just e-mail me directly at moser@moser-law.com and then we can take it from there.
I was told children born in Germany during the 60’s regaurdless if their Mother was a German citizen can’t become a German National.
I was told that they receive the citizenship of their Father.
But recently in 2019 someone told me this Law has changed and no longer exists. I have been told those people born in the 60’s can now become German citizens. What’s the truth.
The truth is hidden in no. 8 (a) of these FAQ on naturalization as a German citizen without living in Germany: https://andreasmoser.blog/2013/09/26/naturalization-in-germany-from-abroad/
Hi Andreas, a bit of a complicated situation for me. I am British married for 25 years to a German National. We met while serving in our respective armed forces in Belgium got married and settled in Belgium, we jointly own a house there. We both work for NATO and up until 4 years ago we both worked together in Belgium when my job was transferred to Germany. I am now registered here in Germany because of my job but my husband is still registered in Belgium and lives in our home with our son (dual national thank goodness). I travel home every weekend and holidays to be with them. Can I still apply for dual nationality even though we are technically not living together? We are still a married couple and I will retire in 3 years and return to our home to be with him. Thank you for any advice you can give.
Hello Joyce,
I’ll be happy to look into your situation, but as you said, it’s a bit complicated because of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, but there are also exceptions for spouses of Germans working in other countries for the German government or on secondment.
I would really need to look into everything in detail, for which I would unfortunately have to charge my consultation fee of 250 EUR.
You can e-mail me at moser@moser-law.com.
I was born in Germany to two German parents; and I was a German Citizen. My parents got divorced and I moved to the US with my German mother. She was naturalized in the US when I was still a minor and she had to give up her German Citizenship. Did I lose my German Citizenship as well because I was under the age of 18 at the time of her US Naturalization? I acquired a US Citizenship automatically without application because I was under the age of 18 at the time.
That’s a tricky situation.
The answer depends on whether (a) your mother had sole custody for you based on a court order and (b) whether you were included in her application (which would be a different thing than acquiring US citizenship automatically).
Do you still have your mother’s application?
And their divorce/custody paperwork?
If yes, I’ll be happy to take a look at it, although I would of course appreciate some support to keep this blog up and running.
Thank you! I have sent some support for your blog. It is a great blog and thank you for creating it!
I have her application and divorce paperwork if you wanted to look it over. However, I can summarize it if that is easier for you. (a) My mom had full custody of me after the divorce. (b) she did not include me in her application when she applied for US Naturalization.
Andreas,
My Great-Great Grandfather was born in Behla, Posen in 1866, and emigrated to the United States in 1888. He NEVER naturalized, and was only a resident alien for his entire life in the USA. I believe I am eligible for citizenship by descent because he would have passed citizenship down to his son (my great-grandfather) born in the US in 1892, and then through my grandfather (born 1920) and my father (born 1945).
I appreciate any help you can offer, as I want to make sure this is even a possibility before I spend a lot of time and money obtaining documentation.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
Unfortunately unless he had a passport or went to the consulate every 10 years he would have been stripped of citizenship…I have the exact same situation..before 1912/1913 anyone outside of Germany for more than 10 years looses citizenship
Hi Andreas,
Thank you very much for your valuable information and providing answers. Much like the most recent comment, I was going though lineage and found that a direct correlation to my Great-Great-Great Grandfather from Baden. I found his birth certificate from Baden in 1828, as well as his subsequent residence from the US Census years later. Like others, I’m stuck at him re-upping at the German Consulate every 10 years until his passing in 1903.
Is there anyway I could find if he re-upped with the German Consulate besides old family documents? Also, is there a donation amount I could make for you to look into my case? :)
Cheers,
Clay
I’m also needing help with the 10 year rule as well. Is that addressed in the “116” law?
Hello Andreas,
Hope all is well,
I’m a Canadian citizen living in Toronto with:
– German citizen grandparents that moved to Canada in 1960
– had my father in wedlock in 1964
– naturalized in Canada in 1967
My father had me in wedlock after 1975 (and before 2000) and none of us served in any military… I have all necessary supporting documents especially my grandparent’s Reisepasse and Canadian naturalization certificates after my dad’s birth…
I’m pretty certain that my father and I are dual citizens and we’re just about to apply for Feststellung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit through the Toronto consulate and BVA.
My question: Is it possible to apply through the Einwohnermeldeamt of the town my grandparents were born because they already have a record of my grandparents/great grandparents? This might be faster (weeks vs. months or years).
Or, do we have to apply through the BVA because we live outside of Germany and that’s what the consulate told us?
Danke,
Tristan
Hello Tristan,
your name reminds me of the series of articles I am currently writing about King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was a great benefactor of Richard Wagner and his operas.
At the moment, I receive so many questions that I prioritize those from people who are regular supporters of my blog on Patreon or Steady.
Thank you very much already if you decide to sign up!
Dear Andreas,
Thanks for the very informative website. I have a question please: I’m ready to apply for the citizenship. I’m hesitating to apply since the score of the B1 exam is not good (altough I passed it). Do you think it’s better to redo the exam? Please note that I was outside Germany for 1.5 years, and therefore it’s (as you wrote above) not certain that 5 years of my previous stay will be counted.
Thanks a lot.
Rafi
Hello Rafi,
I would usually say that passing is enough, but as you are applying for a discretionary decision on the 5 years (as per § 12b II StAG), maybe it wouldn’t hurt to retake the B1 exam if you think that you can do much better. Or even take a shot at B2, although it’s a big step between the two.
Hello Andreas,
this was a really informative article. Thank you for your effort.
I have a question: if I want to apply for the German Citizenship, do they count only the consecutive years? or would they consider previous ones?
I was in Germany in 2012 for a year (on a student Visa). Then I came back to Germany in 2016. Would they consider the year in 2012 in their count?
Thank you.
regards,
Serina
Hello Serina,
thank you for your comments!
I’ll be happy to answer your question and point you to the relevant (very helpful) clause in the Citizenship Act once I receive a small donation to keep this blog alive.
Thank you very much,
Andreas
This is a great help to me to have read about what I didn’t know because I have a fiancee who has lived in Germany for over 20 years without the required documents. I don’t know what to do in order to marry him
I have a separate set of FAQs on marriage in Germany:
If you don’t find the answers there or in the comments below that article, you can also contact me directly. I would need to know more details about both your citizenships, the papers you have, and the papers that are missing.
Hi Andreas,
Thanks so much for this informative text!
My great-grandfather emigrated from Germany in 1885 to Brazil and realized in 1895 (Before the 10 years loss) the German Matrikel in the Porto Alegre consulate. Besides that my descent is fully masculine and married before the child birth. Is there any chance of acquiring the German Citizenship for my family? Thanks!
Hello Raphael,
that sounds like a perfect case!
I am excited to read from someone whose ancestors have actually registered with the German Consulate, because very few people did (and even fewer can prove it, because the records were often lost/destroyed).
Hi Andreas,
I am currently working on my own German citizenship through the new amendment to the Nationality Law (Section 5). No issues there. However, I am also working on my partner’s citizenship by descent and it’s proving to be an interesting case. Given your other well-informed posts, I figured I would bounce this one off you as well.
My partner’s Great Great Grandfather (and wife + children) emigrated Germany in 1905, settling in Canada. As per the Canadian law at the time, they only needed 3 years of residence in order naturalize, which they did in 1908. Under the more modern laws, this would have resulted in loss of citizenship. Though in this case I believe there are several points that would have meant the citizenship was never lost:
– They emigrated German after 1904, avoiding the 10 year rule
– They naturalized prior to the 1913 nationality law, meaning that naturalization would not have resulted in a loss of citizenship, as there was no provision for this in the 1871 law (only a 5 year time-out of citizenship if one naturalized and there was also a bi-lateral treaty in place, like the ones with the US and several of the German states for example). Reference: https://ghdi.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=1830
– With Canadian law prior to 1915 (Naturalization Act of 1886, Chapter 114: Section 22-26: https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.9_08081/292?r=0&s=3), the spouse and minor children of a father would not be strictly naturalized, or even included on the application. The father’s new nationality simply extended to them as well. On the Canadian German mission website, I noticed that a retention permit would not be required for a minor child if the naturalization automatically extends to the child without an application being made for them (https://canada.diplo.de/ca-de/konsularservice/03-Staatsangehoerigkeit/beibehaltung/1106156). So even if there was an issue with the naturalization, the minor children should have avoided loss of German citizenship anyway by that. I think it’s a moot point for us in this case given the dates, but it would still provide a small window for people naturalized in Canada after the 1913 Nationality Act,
I am curious to hear your thoughts/comments on this case.
Hello Alex,
thank you for presenting that interesting case in such an organized fashion and with all the links, as well as for your donation!
It would really take a long time to get into all the points deeply, so let me just address two points briefly:
1.
I am not sure what you mean by “time out”. § 21 III of the North-German Citizenship Act from 1870 shortens (or rather permits the shortening by international treaty) the time for the loss of citizenship from 10 years to 5 years. But if the requirements are met, German citizenship is lost. There is no “time-out” on citizenship.
2.
I am not quite sure what the difference is supposed to be between (a) being naturalized based on someone else’s naturalization and (b) someone else’s citizenship extending to oneself.
Of course, there are many different ways a spouse or a child can receive another citizenship, with application or without, automatically or not, knowingly or not. but § 21 II of the North-German Citizenship Act 1870 is quite wide in its application. If the father lost German citizenship, it extended to his wife and children as long as he had custody (and after an amendment in 1896, if they were living with him).
The information about the retention permit pertains to § 25 StAG in its current form, not to historical cases (where anyway, there was no possibility for a retention permit).
I can tell you my experience trying to regain citizenship through descent. My Family came to the United States in 1885, but never became US citizens (just to shorten the overall story). They lost citizenship after 10 years out of Germany ~1895. I tried many arguments, They were left Stateless (did not matter), They travelled back and forth to Germany (prove it with records, you can find many records of people entering the US, but you will have little to no luck finding records of your ancestor entering or staying in Germany). Proof that they were a German Citizen (prior to leaving, in my case those records were destroyed in WWII). I have had 2 German Lawyers one only contacted Koln for needed records, the second went into detail on exact documents to move forward. the cost is around $4,000US + translation fees..with a low probability of success. There are a few easier ways to go then through descendants if they left Germany prior to ~1905 that will take less time than this process…Find a nice city, settle in, get your German skills up to B1, get to know the local Mayor..then petition the mayor to help your paperwork for citizenship (selling your ancestory)..this can be done in around 5 years (about the same as trying to meet all the paperwork needs of descendants)
Hi Andreas,
With the recent change to the nationality law ( gender discrimination) I’d like your opinion please. Grandfather and grandmother both born in 1900, married in 1925 and my mother was born in 1930. In 1952 my mother married my South African father. The law back then would have resulted in my mother losing her German nationality due to the marriage. I was born in 1969 after my mother obtained South African nationality in 1957. My understanding is that I stand a good chance to obtain my mothers German nationality. Your thoughts?
I am a bit confused about your mother’s citizenship between 1952 and 1957.
If she lost her German citizenship due to applying for naturalization in 1957, then there is no chance, because that was/is not a discriminatory law. It equally hits German men and women.
I’d be happy to look into this more deeply, but I would need to know what happened exactly. And I would appreciate a donation to this blog. :-)
I was met a guy who said his oppa was in the nazi party his mothers dad his father was us military . His birthcert was in Germany he was in the us military and so was his brother retired Conolmajor in the U S Army he was born in 1962 is that possible
I am not sure where the legal question is.
Hi Andreas,
I have no question this time. I only want to say THANK YOU. My family and I got the citizenship recently. We benifited a lot from this website, especially your information about § 12b II StAG.
If your time permits, I suggest to describe § 12b II StAG briefly in your own words, as many others may benifit from it. My family and I left Germany and unregistered (abgemeldet), and returned after 2 years. The Regierungspresedium counted 5 years (the max) out of 6 years of our former residence in the country.
Nochmal vielen Dank 🙃
Cheers
Rafi
Hello Rafi,
I am very happy to hear that!
Hi Andreas,
I am living in Germany for seven years, obtained my PhD, and now working for a company. I am planning to apply for naturalization. The naturalization office told me that I should wait another year to have eight years, and cannot reduce the period because my PhD was in English. Is that correct or can I apply after seven years?
BTW, I have B1 German level
I will be happy to answer your question once I receive a donation or a few books from my wishlist.
Thank you very much already!
Thank you for the donation!
The internal guidelines for the application of the Citizenship Act state that the 8 years residency requirement shall be reduced to 7 years, if the applicant has taken part in an integration course (no. 8.1.2.2 VAH-StAG 2015).
German at B1 level and having passed the citizenship test is equivalent to having completed the integration course.
So you can apply already, pointing to aforementioned rule.
The language of your studies is completely irrelevant, as long as you have managed to learn German by other means.
Hello
I was studying in Germany from September 2014 till February 2017 then I left Germany and deregistered from the office for foreigners. After 4 months in my home country, I got a PhD position and applied for a visa in the German embassy and were able to get back to Germany in June 2017. Since that date I live in Germany. I tried to apply for a German citizenship but they refused and told me the 8 years of residency in Germany should be uninterrupted and ignored my application
My question is, do I have the right for the German citizenship or not?
Thanks very much in advance
Kind regards,
Doaa
The information you were given is clearly wrong, see § 12b II StAG. I would let the caseworker know of this clause in the Citizenship Act.
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Hi Andreas,
I have arrived to Germany in January 2016 to work for full time with a blue card, then I moved to the UK in August 2017 and stayed there for 3 years. During the time in UK, I kept my blue card and made sure to come back to Germany once every six months (I have plane tickets as a proof). I have also paid all tax and pension in both Germany and UK. After the 3 years I came back to Germany on a new blue card as the old one was expired, and been here for more than two years with German B1.
I would like to apply for citizenship ASAP, do you think it is worth it getting a lawyer and try to claim the first period I stayed and paid in Germany, and apply for a citizenship as soon as the total is 6 years?
Thank you in advance for your reply.