Eligibility Quiz
Documents Required
All documents must be submitted as officially or notarially certified copies. The following documents are typically required:
Identity and Current Status
- Copy of your current foreign passport or identity document (pages with photograph and personal details)
Civil Status Documents
- Your birth certificate or certificate of descent
- Marriage certificate of your parents
- Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Birth certificates, certificates of descent, marriage certificates, and family registers of your ancestors (if applicable)
Criminal Record
Upon request, a valid document from your country of residence providing comprehensive information confirming no criminal record (certificate of good conduct or police clearance certificate). The information must relate to the whole country of residence, not just particular states or provinces, and cannot be older than 6 months when you file your application.
Persecution Documentation
- Proof of persecution grounds and persecution measures
- Evidence of former German residence that had to be surrendered due to persecution
Citizenship Documentation
- Proof of former German citizenship or evidence of persecution-related denial of citizenship
- Documentation indicating German citizenship, such as naturalization certificates, certificates confirming acquisition by declaration or option, ethnic German repatriate's certificates, or letters of appointment for civil service
Additional Documents (if applicable)
- Proof of acquisition of foreign citizenship
- Proof of name changes
- Adoption documents (certificate of adoption, court order)
- Divorce documents (judgment dissolving marriage with remark that it is final)
- Civil partnership certificates
- Documentation regarding paternity acknowledgement or establishment
Apostille and Legalization
Foreign official documents (such as civil status documents) must be legalized or carry a Hague apostille. As of December 2024, applications for apostilles must be submitted through an online portal managed by the Federal Office of Foreign Affairs (BfAA), with an apostille fee of €25 per document.
You must also obtain police clearance certificates from all countries where you have lived for more than six months in the past 15 years.
Flexibility Regarding Missing Documents
The Federal Office of Administration (BVA) recognizes that documents may have been destroyed due to persecution and does not require all documents to be available. The standard of proof is "sufficient probability" rather than absolute certainty. In cases of incomplete documentation, the BVA may conduct research in German archives.
Translation Requirements
Translations of foreign documents should be done by a sworn or certified translator in Germany. Copies of certification marks or marks certifying only the translator's signature are insufficient.