Technically, you are considered a German citizen and can reclaim your German citizenship if: You were born to married parents and your father was a German citizen. One of your ancestors was a German citizen, whose citizenship was revoked under Nazi rule due to political, racial or religious reasons in 1938.

Does Germany allow dual citizenship with us?

Both the United States and Germany recognize the concept of multiple nationality. A child born to an American parent and a German parent acquires both American and German citizenship at birth, regardless of place of birth. American-German dual nationals may owe taxes in both countries.

Can a US citizen become a German citizen?

Becoming a German citizen is not possible under all circumstances. There are three general instances that can lead to you getting German citizenship. Getting citizenship by naturalization implies that you have fulfilled certain requirements that the German government has set and qualify to apply for German citizenship.

Many people whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were born in Germany qualify for German citizenship through descent. In essence you can reclaim your German citizenship by descent if: You have ancestors who had their citizenship taken away under Nazi rule on political, racial or religious grounds in 1938.

Can I keep my American citizenship if I become German?

Many German citizens can become US citizens and retain their original citizenship thanks to Germany’s retention permit. The retention permit allows Germans living in the US to become Americans and still remain German citizens. This makes it possible for many Germans in the United States to have dual nationality.

Does Germany have citizenship by descent?

German citizenship is mainly acquired and passed on through descent from a German parent. The parent has to be German citizen at the time of the birth of the child. Children who are born to former German citizens do not acquire German citizenship.

How much does German citizenship cost?

Pay the application fees There are some fees that each applicant will have to pay during their application process, which are as following: Application form for adults – 255 € Application form for children under 16 years old – 51 € Naturalization/Citizenship test – 25 €

Can a person with German citizenship claim US citizenship?

As most immigrants from Germany were affected by this automatic loss of German citizenship, it is usually not possible to base a claim to German citizenship on ancestors who immigrated to the United States before 1904.

How long does it take to become a naturalized German citizen?

The period is shortened to six years if the applicant has knowledge of German at B2 level or has been volunteering for a non-profit organisation over an extended period of time. Spouses and children can also be naturalized, even if they have not legally lived in Germany for eight years.

How did a child get citizenship in Germany?

German citizenship by legitimization. The marriage of the parents of a child born out of wedlock was called „legitimization“. Children born out of wedlock between Jan. 1, 1914 and June 30, 1998 could have acquired German citizenship through the marriage of their parents.

Can a naturalized German citizen hold two passports?

Exceptions for EU citizens and refugees have led to more naturalized Germans holding two passports in recent years. Some nations prohibit or make it difficult for nationals to give up citizenship when becoming German.