I’m now a German citizen thanks to the new citizenship by declaration law!

37 comments

  7. Congratulations. I don’t know you but I am jealous of you. One day I will follow your lead. Well done again.

  8. general guidelines:

    Must be born after: 23.05.1949

    AND either:

    – children of a German parent

    – Children of women that have lost their German Citizen status based on marriage with aforeigner

    – Children born with German Citizen status that have lost it because their mother married a non-german father.

    – and any descendants of the 3 above mentioned groups.

    ​

    sidenote: There are a bunch of criteria that make it hard to unlikely to be able to declare German Citizenship regardless of fulfilling the above criteria.

    e.g.: being sentenced to 2+ years in prison in a german or foreign court or preventative detention.

    ​

    ps.: here is some further information:

    [https://www.bva.bund.de/EN/Services/Citizens/ID-Documents-Law/Citizenship/4_StAG/german_citizenship_law.html](https://www.bva.bund.de/EN/Services/Citizens/ID-Documents-Law/Citizenship/4_StAG/german_citizenship_law.html)

  9. Welcome. Your turn to clean the stairs every third Thursday. Don’t leave your trash in the hallway, and no loud music after 10 pm.

    Just kidding. Thanks for adding your Brazilian vibes to this country. We are often more serious than is good for us.

  15. Congrats from a fellow German-American dual citizen. I moved to Germany pretty much as soon as I was able to. I fell under the 1975 law because my mother was still German at the time I was born, but I never knew I was a citizen until I turned about 30 and I read about it on the internet. Now I live in Germany and my life has changed 100%. I’ve been here since 2008.

  16. Ah, the Staatsangehörigkeitserwerbsurkunde. You may now legally eat Bratwurst.

    Die allerherzlichsten Glück- und Segenswünsche zur Einbürgerung!

  17. wait, that law only went into effect on August 20th. How is it possible that a German authority was able to get something done so fast?!?

  18. Here the context: The change to the nationality law (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz) went into effect on August 20th in order to make up for sex discrimination in the past. German citizenship is given upon application to the following groups who previously did not automatically become German citizens:

    – Children born between May 23, 1949, and January 1, 1975, to a German mother and a foreign father in wedlock (and all of their descendants)

    – Children born between May 23, 1949, and July 1, 1993, to a German father and a foreign mother out of wedlock (and all of their descendants)

    – Children born after May 23, 1949, to a foreign father and a German mother who lost her German citizenship because she married a foreigner before April 1st, 1953 (and all of their descendants)

    This opportunity to become a German citizen will stay open for 10 years and then close again. You do not have to give up your current citizenship(s). The process is free of charge. You do not have to learn German, serve in the German military, pay German taxes (unless you actually move to Germany) or have any other obligations. Citizenship is not possible if you were convicted of a crime and got 2 years or more. German = EU citizenship allows you to live, study and work not only in Germany but also in [30 other European countries without restrictions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Single_Market#People).

    The German embassy in the US has some information in English about the change in the law: https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/03-Citizenship/-/2479488

    The official website for the application is currently only available in German: https://www.bva.bund.de/DE/Services/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Einbuergerung/EER/Einbuergerung_EER_node.html

  20. Genuinely wanna say congrats to OP and anyone who manages to regain citizenship. It seems to be an easier and more fair process now. This is awesome. I hope you enjoy the fresh baked goods and bratwursts of Germany, especially the beer and overall culture. 😀

  32. Does anyone know if it would be a quicker process to apply in person in Germany or if applying through the normal channels would be about the same speed?

  33. I’ve lived in Germany for so many years and I cannot get a citizenship without denouncing my Canadian one. 🥴

  34. https://www.bva.bund.de/DE/Services/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Einbuergerung/EER/01-Informationen_EER/01_01_EER_was_ist/01_02_EER_was_ist_node.html#doc895978bodyText3

    >Der Erwerb der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit durch Erklärung erfordert nicht die Aufgabe Ihrer bisherigen Staatsangehörigkeiten. Dies bedeutet, dass Sie Ihre bisherigen Staatsangehörigkeiten behalten können, soweit die Gesetze Ihres aktuellen Heimatstaates dies zulassen.

    Great. Now can we please implement this across the board?

    If I want to get an additional citizenship, Germany shouldn’t be revoking my existing German one.

  35. I’ve been trying to do this but as a US citizen living in the US I can’t figure out where to send paperwork or apply. Could anyone help me out??

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