CITIZENSHIP & HERITAGE
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Germany

Citizenship by descent, in plain words.

Furthest routine descent
Parent
Fee
See the Federal Foreign OfficeCheck with the consulate
Watch out
Germans born abroad on or after 1 Jan 2000 had to be reported before their first birthday.

The rules

  • Automatic citizenship through a parent only.
  • §5 declaration: for descendants excluded by old gender-based rules. Deadline: 19 August 2031.
  • Germans born abroad on or after 1 January 2000 must be reported (birth registration) before their first birthday, or the line can stop.

Beyond the routine route: A §5 declaration can restore people left out by old gender rules (deadline 19 August 2031).

Documents to check

Check the official application checklist for this route before ordering records. It may ask for birth records linking each generation, name-change or marriage records, and proof of the ancestor’s citizenship. Special routes may need additional evidence. The consulate can confirm which documents, translations and certifications apply to you.

Official source

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en

Federal Foreign Office (diplo.de).

Checked 8 November 2026.

Verify before applying. Rules and fees change. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Check the official source above, or ask the country's embassy or consulate, before you send anything.