German Citizenship by Descent (Info Video)

I do know someone who has dual UK/US citizenship (British but lived and worked in US for 40 years).
However, I don't know how he got round what I believe is the US requirement to give up your alternative. citizenship.

It's not about giving something up . It's about the fact that, under certain conditions, one can now apply for German citizenship without giving up one's current one. Even if you haven't ever lived in Germany.

Or maybe I misunderstood you?

I think I got the wrong end of the stick - apologies.

Wow - thanks for the link! I enjoy Feli’s content, but hadn’t seen this one.

I have applied for Danish citizenship by descent but have so far been turned down, despite LOTS of Danish ancestry. I have less of a claim to German descent (one German/Danish grandparent) but think I will give it a shot. What do I have to lose?

Fingers crossed

I have German citizenship, as do all three of my sons. My mother was born in the Black Forest and I received my citizenship through her, although I’ve never lived there. A few years ago when I initially looked into getting citizenship, I visited the German Consulate in NYC to see what the possibility might be. Showing them documents, such as my original birth certificate (which doesn’t include a father’s name) and my mother’s German passport and U.S. naturalization papers, allowed them to determine that I was considered a German national at birth because

A. My mother was unmarried and
B. She naturalized many years after my birth.

Subsequently, my children were able to receive their citizenship (and passports). We are all very appreciative of the opportunities we now have to live and work outside of the U.S.

@redheadlibrarian

Thanks for sharing. Sounds great.

The United States does not require you to renounce US citizenship if you acquire a second citizenship.

I know plenty of dual citizens (including plenty of people on this Forum!).

We watched that video a few nights ago. Trying to figure out when my great-grandmother naturalized. I know when she came over just trying to figure that second piece out.

On a side note, we were able to visit her home town, find the location where my great-great grandfather had a sawmill (It is now a swimming pool), and the road is still named after the family. So that was cool.

A friend of mine, born and raised in the US whose mother was a German Holocaust survivor was able to get a German passport even though she still lives in the US.

Many countries do this although none where my ancestors came from. That country no longer exists.

I just watched it and even though both sides of my dad's family came from Germany, my great-great-great grandfather on the paternal side came over in 1835 with his 5 sons (including my great-grandfather), and my great-grandfather on his maternal side came over in 1879, which puts him in the ranks of those who lost their citizenship under the current law. So I'm fairly sure I'm ineligible.

And sadly my mom's family came over in the 1600's from the Netherlands and Belgium, and I have a strong feeling that this won't work for me. :-)

But thanks for the info, Mignon! Very good info to know!

Thanks for the link. Our DIL, her siblings and their children qualified with the new law in 2021. They all applied, received citizenship and then passports under rule #1. It was about a 2 year process for them during Covid at the German consulate in SF. I don’t think I would qualify under one of the other laws as once my ancestors left Germany in the 1800s they never went back. I have some good documentation though, so when I am at home I’ll check the dates and their situations more carefully for the ten year rule or some other new entry possibility. It would be great to have dual citizenship.

It is not true that anyone of German descent can get German Citizenship. You can however if one of your ancestors had their citizenship taken away by the Nazis.

The content is somewhat misleading. There is essentially a generational limit. So someone born in the US can still pass their citizenship on, but the second generation born in the US, can no longer pass on to the third unless the birth is registered in time. For example, if Hildegard moved to the US and then had child Walter, who was born in the US, Walter's kid Annegret could be German. Annegret's kids could not unless Annegret properly registered their births with the German authorities within the first year. Furthermore, if Walter never got his, then Annegret is likely SOL. There is no generational skipping. And the whole thing even said ancestors who came AFTER 1904 with very few exceptions.

Germany did not allow dual citizenship by acquisition of a foreign nationality until I believe the 1990s. So if Hildegard became a US citizen before Walter was born, she would have had to renounce her German citizenship, thus meaning Walter would not be eligible, even retroactively. However, if she was stripped of her citizenship (for example, by the Nazis), Walter and Annegret could apply and likely would be granted German citizenship and Hildegard, if she is still alive, would automatically have hers reinstated.

I think the latter--the naturalisation--might end up being a kicker for many, as would the generational limit. I am, by the way, no expert, and it is always worth a shot. But German citizenship is typically much harder to get than other European passports.

Thank you to everyone who shared their story!

It is not true that anyone of German descent can get German Citizenship. You can however if one of your ancestors had their citizenship taken away by the Nazis.

Did you watch the video?

The content is somewhat misleading.

I think the video explains it really well. It is also mentioned that it is not that easy, but that more is possible today than a few years ago.

In general, German citizenship is not established through birth on German territory but by descent from a German legal mother and/or a German legal father.

Official website about Obtaining German Citizenship and about Declaration or application for German citizenship if you do have a German mother or father but never were considered German.

Just as example from another country: Since the mid-1980s, around 2.3 million Russian-German (late) repatriates from the former Soviet Union have come to Germany. Today they are normal part of our German society.

Did you watch the video?

I watched some of it. Another video that is mostly a talking head and thus should have been be an article, not a video.

But I did go and look up the laws and regulations. And on the German government website there is nothing that says that anyone of German descent can become German. And nothing has recently changed. You are not going to get German citizenship because your ancestors moved to the US several generations ago.

you are not going to get German citizenship because your ancestors moved to the US several generations ago.

Under certain circumstances, this is now possible. And these circumstances don't just have to do with the Nazis.
I'm more in agreement with what the German embassy staff said in the video. I don't have to delve into the legal texts myself to believe what she says.

Besides, it makes perfect sense to me that it could now be possible under certain circumstances, since Germany allows dual citizenship now.

Another video that is mostly a talking head and thus should have been be an article, not a video.

Wengen, you must be a visual learner like me, rather than auditory. I understand information much more when I can read it. But i also understand that many people learn better via audio, and for them, this video is probably much easier to comprehend than reading an article. If you would rather read it, there are captions and a transcript. Granted, they are not as appealing visually as an article, but still available if you don't like video info.

I found it misleading because the set of circumstances that might apply are quite small and haven't changed, yet suddenly everyone feels hopeful.

The reality is that it only works if one of your parents was (or should have been) a German citizen at the time of your birth. It's the *should have been that creates opportunities that might help a small group of people with good documentation. The should have been also makes it possible for grandchildren and maybe great grandchildren, but not beyond, with good documentation according to one thing I saw.

I found it misleading because the set of circumstances that might apply are quite small and haven't changed, yet suddenly everyone feels hopeful.

I agree with you about the fact that there hasn't been a change in circumstances. It's about the opportunity that dual citizenship now offers. It's also mentioned that a lot of things have to fit together. But there do seem to be people out there whose circumstances are right. I would be happy if there were more.

Hello,

To respond to your question. I am in the process of applying for my Dual Citizenship. My Mother was German and I was born in Landstuhl Germany. I have collected all my Mother's German Documents and filled out the application. I spoke with an advisor in the consulate in Cologne Germany and she said based on my answers to her and that I have so many documents that show my ancestry I should be in good shape for my dual citizenship.

@pwalker2359

Thanks for sharing this