Eligibility Quiz
Application Process
You can acquire German citizenship through a declaration if you were born between May 23, 1949, and December 31, 1974, to a German mother and non-German father, or if you are a descendant of someone in this situation. The declaration must be submitted to the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) in Cologne, either through a German diplomatic mission abroad or directly by post. The critical rule: your declaration must be received (not merely mailed) by August 19, 2031.
Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility
Before gathering documents, verify which of the four eligibility groups applies to you:
Group 1 — Children born in wedlock to German mother and foreign father (1949–1974): You qualify if you were born after May 23, 1949, and before January 1, 1975, your parents were married at your birth, your mother was a German citizen at your birth, and your father was not German.
Group 2 — Children whose German mother lost citizenship through marriage before April 1, 1953: You qualify if your mother lost German citizenship due to marriage to a foreigner before April 1, 1953, you were born after your mother lost that citizenship, your father was not German at your birth, and you were born after May 23, 1949.
Group 3 — Children who lost citizenship through legitimization before April 1, 1953: You qualify if you were born out of wedlock to a German mother, later lost German citizenship when your mother married your non-German father, and you were born after May 23, 1949.
Group 4 — Descendants of eligible persons: You qualify if you are a child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of someone in Groups 1–3, you were born after May 23, 1949, and the first discriminated-against ancestor was born after May 23, 1949. Your ancestor does not need to have made a declaration for you to proceed.
Important: A German birth certificate alone does not prove your mother was a German citizen. You must provide additional evidence such as German passports, naturalization records, or your mother's German parents' certificates.
Step 2: Gather All Required Documents
This phase typically takes 12–18 months due to archive processing times. Start immediately—anyone who has not begun by 2028 risks missing the August 19, 2031 deadline.
Core documents you must obtain:
- Your long-form birth certificate (not short form) listing both parents
- Your parents' marriage certificate proving they were married at your birth
- Your mother's birth certificate proving her identity and German birth
- Proof of your mother's German citizenship — German passport, naturalization records, or her parents' documents. A German birth certificate is insufficient.
- Your mother's naturalization records if she naturalized in another country (the date is critical to establish whether she was still German at your birth)
- Your current passport or identity card (copy with photo and personal information)
- Criminal background certificate from your country of residence, national in scope, not older than six months. For U.S. applicants, this means an FBI background check. Do not submit this with your initial application—wait until the BVA requests it, as certificates are valid for only six months.
Special documents (if applicable):
- Adoption decrees, paternity acknowledgments, or court orders
- Divorce or separation decrees
- Legitimization documents
Obtaining documents from archives:
For U.S. applicants, naturalization records are available from USCIS (post-1906) and the National Archives (pre-1906) via FOIA request. German registry offices and Registry Office I in Berlin issue historical documents; processing times range from weeks to many months.
Translation and certification:
All documents in foreign languages must be translated into German by a certified translator. Original documents must be certified at a German consulate or by an honorary consul. Honorary consuls often have faster availability than main consulates. There is no governmental fee for document certification as part of this application.
Step 3: Complete the Declaration Form
Use the official form "Erklärung zum Erwerb der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit" (Declaration for Acquisition of German Citizenship). The form has English translation help, but the German section must be filled out and submitted. Download the form from the BVA website or obtain it from any German diplomatic mission abroad.
Step 4: Submit Your Complete Application
For applicants residing abroad:
Submit your declaration to the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) through the relevant German mission abroad (embassy or consulate), or mail it directly to the BVA in Cologne. You can also submit directly by post to:
Bundesverwaltungsamt (BVA)
Cologne, Germany
For applicants residing in Germany:
Contact your local citizenship authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde).
Critical deadline rule: Your declaration must be effectively received by the competent authority by August 19, 2031. Mailing the declaration before the deadline is not sufficient—it must have arrived. Declarations received after August 19, 2031, are invalid unless you can demonstrate the delay was entirely beyond your control under Section 32 of the Administrative Procedures Act (VwVfG).
Completeness matters: Submit a complete application from the start. The BVA does not process partial applications. Submitting everything at once is the most effective way to avoid delays.
Step 5: Respond Promptly to BVA Queries
The BVA will make regular enquiries during processing. Respond to all requests within two to three weeks. Prompt responses will shorten the overall processing time significantly.
Step 6: Receive Your Citizenship Certificate
Upon approval, you will receive a "Certificate of Acquisition of German Citizenship by Declaration" (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) as proof. Important: You acquire German citizenship on the date the BVA receives your declaration, regardless of how long the procedure takes or when you receive the certificate.
Step 7: Apply for a German Passport
Once you have the citizenship certificate, apply for a German passport at any German diplomatic mission abroad.
Fees
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Declaration procedure | Free |
| Citizenship certificate (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) | €51 |
| Total government fees | €51 |
This total does not include: document procurement from archives, certified translations, notarization and apostille services, criminal background checks, or optional legal representation. Document-related costs vary significantly depending on the number of documents required, the countries from which they must be obtained, and translation needs. One applicant reported a complete documentation packet of 77 pages with costs under €100, though this is not typical for all cases. Legal representation is not mandatory but is strongly recommended for complex cases, particularly when determining which of the four eligibility groups applies to you.
Processing Time
Document gathering phase: 12–18 months (typical). This is often the longest part of the process. Archive processing times for German registry offices range from weeks to many months. FOIA requests for U.S. naturalization records can take several months.
BVA processing: 12–36 months after your complete application is received. Since the 2021 reform, the number of applications has risen sharply, leading to significantly longer waiting times in many cities. Some large cities report waiting times exceeding two years.
Total end-to-end timeline: Realistically, expect 24–54 months (2–4.5 years) from initial document gathering to receipt of your citizenship certificate.
Factors affecting speed:
- Completeness of initial submission: Submitting everything at once avoids delays.
- Responsiveness to BVA queries: Replying within two to three weeks shortens processing time.
- Document availability: Some archives process requests faster than others.
- Archive backlogs: Processing times have increased significantly since the 2021 reform.
Citizenship acquisition date: You acquire German citizenship on the date the BVA receives your declaration, not on the date you receive the certificate or passport.