Citizenship Through Unmarried Father (Section 5 StAG)

You apply for German citizenship through a declaration (Erklärung) submitted to the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt – BVA) in Cologne, or to a German diplomatic mission if you live abroad. The declaration must be received by August 19, 2031—this is a hard deadline, not a target date. Citizenship is acquired on the date your declaration is received, not when you receive the final certificate.

If You Live Abroad

1. Verify your eligibility before gathering documents. You qualify if you were born between May 23, 1949 and June 30, 1993; your father was a German citizen at your birth; your parents were not married to each other; and paternity was formally recognized or established by court before your 23rd birthday. If your father naturalized in another country, confirm he did so after you were born.

2. Gather all required documents from German and foreign authorities. This step typically takes 12–18 months, so begin immediately:

   • Your long-form birth certificate (listing both parents)
   • Your current passport or national identity card
   • Your father's birth certificate, German passport, or naturalization documents
   • Proof that your father was a German citizen at your birth
   • The original paternity recognition document (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) or court order establishing paternity, with the exact date it was issued or finalized
   • Evidence that paternity was recognized or established before your 23rd birthday
   • Your mother's birth certificate and proof she was not a German citizen at your birth
   • Confirmation that your parents were not married at your birth
   • Any marriage certificate if your parents later married (with the date)
   • A police clearance certificate (Führungszeugnis) from your country of residence, issued within the last six months

3. Have all non-German documents translated and certified. Every document not in German must be translated by a certified or sworn translator (beeidigter Übersetzer). Obtain certified copies (beglaubigte Kopien) of all documents. If your documents come from a country that is a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, obtain an apostille for each document.

4. Verify paternity recognition meets German legal standards. This is critical and often overlooked. If paternity was recognized in a foreign country, particularly if you were born before September 1, 1986, consult a German immigration lawyer to confirm the recognition complies with German law and German conflict-of-law rules. A December 2025 Cologne court decision clarified that foreign paternity recognition must be valid "under German law"—foreign procedures alone may not suffice.

5. Complete the official declaration form in German. The form is titled "Erklärung zum Erwerb der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit" (Declaration for Acquisition of German Citizenship). Download it from the BVA website or request it from your German consulate. Complete it fully and accurately in German.

6. Submit your complete application to the German consulate or embassy in your country of residence, or by post directly to the BVA at: Bundesverwaltungsamt, Cologne, Germany. Do not submit incomplete applications—the BVA will not process partial submissions. Include all documents, certified copies, translations, and the completed form in a single submission.

7. Obtain proof of receipt (Eingangsbestätigung) from the receiving authority. This dated receipt is your proof that your declaration was received on time. Keep it safely.

8. Respond promptly to any BVA requests for additional documents or clarification. The BVA will examine your application and may ask follow-up questions. Respond within 2–3 weeks to avoid delays.

9. Receive your citizenship certificate. Once the BVA approves your application, you will receive a certificate of acquisition (Urkunde über den Erwerb der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit durch Erklärung). Citizenship is acquired on the date your declaration was received, not on the date you receive the certificate.

If You Live in Germany

1. Verify your eligibility using the same criteria as above.

2. Gather all required documents (same list as above).

3. Have all non-German documents translated and certified by a certified translator and obtain apostilles where required.

4. Verify paternity recognition meets German legal standards by consulting a German immigration lawyer if paternity was recognized abroad.

5. Complete the official declaration form in German.

6. Submit your complete application to your local citizenship authority (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde) in the city or district where you live. Contact your local town hall (Rathaus) or city administration to identify the correct office and submission method.

7. Obtain proof of receipt from the local authority.

8. Respond promptly to any requests for additional documents.

9. Receive your citizenship certificate from the local authority.

Item	Cost
Declaration acquisition	Free
Citizenship certificate issuance	€51

Total government fees: €51 (if you request a certificate; the declaration itself is free).

This does not include: document acquisition fees (typically €10–30 per German document; foreign vital records vary widely), certified translation costs (€50–200+ per document), apostille fees (€5–50 per document), legal representation (€1,500–5,000+ if you hire a lawyer), or postal/courier costs.

Declaration receipt deadline: August 19, 2031 (hard cut-off—your declaration must be received by this date, not merely sent).

Document gathering: 12–18 months. Obtaining birth certificates, marriage certificates, naturalization records, and other documents from German and foreign archives routinely takes this long. Begin immediately; do not wait.

BVA processing: 12–36 months from receipt of your complete application to final decision. No specific backlog data is publicly available, but processing times vary significantly depending on case complexity and the completeness of your submission. The approaching August 2031 deadline may cause increased volume in 2029–2031, so submit as early as possible.

Citizenship acquisition date: Upon receipt of your declaration by the competent authority (the BVA or local authority), not upon issuance of the certificate. The dated receipt (Eingangsbestätigung) proves the acquisition date.

Document validity: Police clearance certificates expire after six months. Submit this document only when requested by the BVA, or submit it close to your application submission date, as the BVA may not process it if it has expired by the time your application is reviewed.