If you were born in Germany, whether you hold German citizenship depends on one thing above all: who your parents were. At least one German parent almost always means you are already a citizen, wherever in the world you were born. Two foreign parents means it depends on your birth date and how long they had lived in Germany when you arrived. A child born on German soil on or after January 1, 2000 can be German automatically if a parent meets the residency rule; a child born earlier generally is not, though naturalization and several special routes remain open.
If One of Your Parents Was German
German nationality law runs on descent. If at least one parent was a German citizen at the moment of your birth, you acquired German citizenship at birth. No application. No residency requirement. No test.1Gesetze im Internet. Nationality Act Since you were born in Germany, this rule applies directly and the generational limit for births abroad does not affect you.2Federal Foreign Office. Acquiring German Citizenship
There is a wrinkle worth checking, though. The old rules about which parent could pass citizenship down were not equal, and some people born in Germany to a German parent did not in fact become German at birth because of the parent’s gender or marital status.3German Missions in the United States. Obtaining German Citizenship
The Old Gender Rules
- Born in wedlock before January 1, 1975: only the father could pass on German citizenship. A German mother married to a foreign father generally could not, with a narrow statelessness exception from 1964 onward.
- Born in wedlock on or after January 1, 1975: either parent could pass it on.
- Born out of wedlock to a German mother: citizenship passed from the mother regardless of the date.
- Born out of wedlock to a German father before July 1, 1993: the father could not pass on citizenship automatically, and the outcome depended on whether paternity was formally established.
The Declaration Fix Through Around 2031
A 2021 amendment opened a ten-year window, running through roughly 2031, for people cut out by those old rules. Under Section 5 of the Nationality Act, you can acquire German citizenship by filing a declaration if you were born in wedlock before January 1, 1975 to a German mother and foreign father, born out of wedlock before July 1, 1993 to a German father and foreign mother, or if your mother lost her German citizenship by marrying a foreign national before April 1, 1953. Descendants of anyone in these groups can claim independently.4German Missions in the United States. Declaration or Application for German Citizenship if You Do Have a German Parent This is a declaration of right, not naturalization, so the residency and testing requirements do not apply.
If Both Your Parents Were Foreign, Born on or After January 1, 2000
Germany added a birthplace rule effective January 1, 2000. A child born on German territory to two foreign parents becomes German at birth if, at the time of birth, at least one parent had been legally living in Germany for a sustained period and held a permanent right of residence.1Gesetze im Internet. Nationality Act
The residency threshold changed in mid-2024. For births from January 1, 2000 through June 26, 2024, the parent needed at least eight years of legal residency. From June 27, 2024 onward, five years is enough.5Federal Foreign Office. Law on Nationality The date you apply doesn’t matter; what matters is the rule in force at the time of birth.
If you got citizenship through this birthplace route, the old “option model” that once forced a choice between German and foreign citizenship by your mid-twenties has been abolished. Anyone who holds both under this rule can now keep both for life.6Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. New Law on Nationality Takes Effect
If Both Your Parents Were Foreign, Born Before January 1, 2000
Being born in Germany before the year 2000 to two foreign parents did not, on its own, make you German. The birthplace rule is not retroactive, and there is no application that would extend it back.2Federal Foreign Office. Acquiring German Citizenship The route in this situation is naturalization.
Naturalization if You Don’t Qualify at Birth
The 2024 reform cut the standard residency requirement for naturalization from eight years to five years of legal residence in Germany. Three years is possible for people who show exceptional integration through outstanding professional achievements or active community volunteering, provided they speak German well and support themselves financially.6Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. New Law on Nationality Takes Effect
On top of the residency period, you need:
- German at B1 level. Guest workers and contract workers who arrived before the mid-1970s only need to show they can communicate about everyday matters in spoken German.
- A passing score on the naturalization test: 33 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, at least 17 correct, €25 fee.7Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Naturalisation in Germany
- Enough income to support yourself and your dependents without social welfare.
- A commitment to Germany’s constitutional order, including specific acknowledgment of Germany’s historical responsibility for the Nazi era and the protection of Jewish life.1Gesetze im Internet. Nationality Act
- A clean criminal record, with particular scrutiny for antisemitic, racist, or xenophobic offenses.
Since June 27, 2024, you no longer have to give up your original citizenship. Dual citizenship is generally permitted, so you can naturalize as German and keep your other passport.5Federal Foreign Office. Law on Nationality
The naturalization fee is €255 per adult. Children naturalizing alongside their parents pay €51 each; children applying on their own pay the full €255.8Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Naturalisation in Germany Processing times vary and can run past a year.
If Your Family Lost Citizenship to Nazi Persecution
If your parents or earlier ancestors were German but lost or were denied German citizenship because of Nazi persecution, you may have an entitlement to citizenship rather than a discretionary path. Article 116(2) of the Basic Law gives an unconditional right to naturalization for anyone deprived of German citizenship between January 30, 1933 and May 8, 1945 on political, racial, or religious grounds, and for their descendants.9Federal Office of Administration. Naturalization on Grounds of Restoration of German Citizenship
A 2020 Federal Constitutional Court decision widened the group covered by Article 116(2) to include children born in wedlock before April 1, 1953 to persecuted mothers and foreign fathers, and children born out of wedlock before July 1, 1993 to persecuted fathers and foreign mothers.10German Missions in the United States. Naturalization for Individuals Whose Families Were Persecuted by the Nazi-Regime Section 15 of the Nationality Act reaches further, covering descendants of anyone who gave up, lost, or could not acquire German citizenship because of Nazi persecution, even if they were never technically citizens. Each descendant has an individual claim and can apply independently.11Federal Foreign Office. Naturalization for Victims of National Socialist Persecution Pursuant to Section 15 StAG
Confirming Citizenship You May Already Have
If the rules above suggest you have been German all along but you have never held a German passport, the right first step is usually a certificate of citizenship rather than a passport application. This is a formal determination by the Federal Office of Administration of whether you are, and have been, a German citizen. The BVA traces the family history through births, marriages, and emigration and issues a certificate confirming your status.12German Missions in the United States. Certificate of Citizenship
The certificate costs €51 and processing runs two to three years. If you live outside Germany, you file through the nearest German consulate, which forwards the case to the BVA. If you live in Germany, the local naturalization authority handles applications for naturalization and related matters, while citizenship determinations go to the BVA.13Federal Office of Administration. Citizenship Older family lines with unclear chains of descent are exactly where this certificate matters most.