German Citizenship by Declaration [2025 Guide]

Key Takeaways

• You can acquire German citizenship by declaration if you are born after 23 May 1949 and couldn’t acquire German citizenship by birth or lost the German citizenship that you acquired by birth.
• The deadline to acquire German citizenship by declaration is 19 August 2031.

This is how you do it

• Inquire about the requirements and procedures at your local citizenship authority (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde) or your respective German diplomatic mission if living abroad.
• Submit your documents to the Federal Office of Administration or your German diplomatic mission. The Federal Office of Administration should receive your application by 19 August 2031. 
• Once your application is approved, you’ll receive a certificate confirming that you acquired German citizenship by declaration (Urkunde über den Erwerb der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit durch Erklärung).

Table of Contents

How can you get German citizenship?

You can get German citizenship via one of the six ways.

1. Naturalization
2. Descent
3. Adoption
4. Birth
5. Marriage
6. Citizenship by declaration

In this guide, we focus on German citizenship by declaration.

Applying for German citizenship through declaration

The Basic Law (Grundgesetz) of the Federal Republic of Germany (23 May 1949) allows you to acquire German citizenship by birth. Typically, children of a parent with German citizenship at the time of their birth are entitled to this right.

However, several individuals couldn’t acquire German nationality by birth or lost their German citizenship. This is due to gender-discriminatory regulations under the old Reich and Nationality Act.

On 20 August 2021, the Fourth Act Amending the Nationality Act came into force and allowed these individuals and their descendants a right to obtain German citizenship by declaration. 

The individuals are given ten years (until August 2031) from the Act’s enactment to acquire German citizenship by declaration. 

What are the eligibility criteria for acquiring German citizenship by declaration?

You are entitled to German citizenship by declaration if you are born after 23 May 1949. You must also meet any of the following conditions:

1. You are born to a German parent but did not acquire German citizenship by descent (e.g., children born in wedlock to a German mother and a foreign father before 1 January 1975, children born out of wedlock to a German father and a foreign mother before 1 July 1993).
2. You are born to a mother who lost her German citizenship after marrying a non-German. The marriage should have happened before your birth and before 1 April 1953*.
3. You lost your German citizenship acquired by birth due to “legitimation.”* This term refers to the marriage of parents of a child born out of wedlock. 
   In this case, your German mother lost her German citizenship after marrying a non-German. This marriage must have occurred after your birth but before 1 April 1953.
4. You are a descendant of the persons eligible for nos. 1 to 3.

*The loss of German citizenship is not limited to such circumstances.

We have also created a checklist that you can use to check if you are eligible for German citizenship by declaration.

Documents required to apply for German citizenship by declaration

You can access all the necessary forms and information on how to fill them out in this application packet. The application packet also offers English aid.

• Declaration form or Form EER
• Appendix EER (if required): This is for individuals making a declaration and are not currently involved in German citizenship proceedings (e.g., naturalization, confirmation of German citizenship) at the Federal Office of Administration.
• Appendix AV (if required): This is for additional information on other ancestors.
• Power of attorney to a third person if you allow this person to apply for German citizenship on your behalf.
• Copy of current foreign passport or identity document (pages with photograph and personal details)
• Birth certificate or certificate of descent
• Marriage certificate (if you are married)
• Valid document of having no criminal record (e.g., certificate of good conduct/police clearance certificate). This must be the original copy issued by your country of residence. It should also be no more than six months old and must relate to the whole country of residence, not just particular areas.

You must also submit the following documents from the parent and/or ancestor from whom you derive the right to German citizenship by declaration:

• Birth certificate or certificate of descent of your parent/grandparent
• Marriage certificate of your parents and/or of your grandparents, if necessary
• Documents to prove their German citizenship. Here are some examples:
  • Naturalization certificates
  • Certificates confirming that they have acquired German
    citizenship by declaration or by opting for it
  • Ethnic German repatriate’s certificate pursuant to section 15 of the Federal Expellees Act (Bundesvertriebenengesetz)
  • Letters of appointment for civil servants; citizenship cards
  • Certificates of native country 
  • Documents certifying their German status
  • Passports
  • Identity cards and other ID documents (including old ones)
  • Registration certificates
  • Expellees’ cards

Here are additional documents that you might have to submit if required:

• Adoption documents (e.g., certificate of adoption, court order)
• Divorce documents. The judgment dissolving the marriage should indicate that it is a final divorce judgment. 
• Civil partnership certificate
• Documentation acknowledging or establishing one’s paternity
• Documentation on any changes of name. This may include change of name certificates, marriage certificates, or other official documents relevant to the use of the name 

NOTE: If your document is not in English or German, you must translate it to German before submitting it. A sworn translator should do the translation. You can use Translayte* to book a sworn translator.

How do you apply for German citizenship by declaration?

You must accomplish the following steps on or before 19 August 2031. 

1. Contact your local citizenship authority (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde) or your German diplomatic mission if you live abroad for necessary requirements and procedures.
2. Prepare and submit your documents directly to the Federal Office of Administration. If you live abroad, submit your documents to your German diplomatic mission. The German diplomatic mission will then forward the documents to the Federal Office of Administration.

NOTE: The Federal Office of Administration (not the German diplomatic mission) must receive the documents on time (before Aug 2031). The date of their receipt of your declaration is considered the date of your submission.

The Federal Office of Administration will verify your documents. Once they approve your application, you’ll receive a certificate confirming that you acquired German citizenship by declaration. This certificate is called “Urkunde über den Erwerb der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit durch Erklärung” in German.

You can also consult an immigration lawyer if you have doubts or need support. You can book the services of an immigration lawyer we recommend here.

What can make you ineligible for German citizenship via declaration?

You are not entitled to acquire or re-acquire German citizenship by declaration if you fall under these circumstances:

You acquired and lost German citizenship

You already acquired or re-acquired German citizenship (e.g., after your birth, after loss through legitimation, through naturalization). However, you lost your German citizenship for certain reasons (e.g., through renunciation, release, or acquisition of a foreign citizenship).

Unfortunately, your biological and adopted children also become ineligible for German citizenship by declaration in this case.

You were born abroad

• You did not acquire German citizenship by birth because you were born abroad and, 
• Your German parents were also born abroad after 31 December 1999 and,
• Your parents did not certify your birth within one year, as required under Section 36 of the Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz).

You have a criminal record

You have criminal records that may affect your acquisition of German citizenship. This includes:

• Terms of imprisonment or youth custody of at least two years, even if imposed abroad.
• Preventive detention orders for serious offenders ordered in connection with the most recent incontestable conviction.
• The existence of grounds for exclusion under section 11 of the Nationality Act.

FAQ

Can you acquire German citizenship if you are born before May 23, 1949?

Yes, according to Section 14 of the German Citizenship Law, you (a foreign national) residing abroad can acquire German citizenship. 

You must speak German at an adequate level and have ties to Germany to apply for German citizenship.

If you are a former German residing abroad, you can apply for German citizenship per Section 13 of the German Citizenship Law.

Are there any fees for acquiring German citizenship by declaration?

No, there is no application fee for applying for German citizenship by declaration.

However, you may incur other costs during the application process. This includes the cost of procurement of documents, translations, and certifications.

You can use Translayte* to book a sworn translator.

Do you have to resubmit the documents if you have other pending German citizenship proceedings?

No, you don’t have to resubmit your documents if you are currently undergoing citizenship proceedings (e.g., German citizenship via naturalization, confirmation of German citizenship, etc.). 

Just provide the reference number of the relevant citizen proceedings when filling out the EER form. The Federal Office of Administration will check the documents from that proceeding.

You must still submit the Form EER and Appendix EER when applying for German citizenship by declaration. Federal Office of Administration may ask for additional documents.

You may need to resubmit the documents if the citizenship proceeding was conducted long ago.

Does Germany allow dual citizenship?

Yes, German law allows dual citizenship. This means you can keep your previous citizenship after getting German citizenship.

However, be aware that your original country may have legal regulations that revoke your citizenship rights under them after becoming a naturalized German.

References

• https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/citizenship/citizenship-by-declaration/2472178
• https://www.bva.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Einbuergerung/Ermessen/Paket_EER.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3
• https://stadt.muenchen.de/service/en-GB/info/hauptabteilung-ii-buergerangelegenheiten/10425365/
• https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/03-citizenship/2479488-2479488