German Citizenship by Birth
Germany
Citizenship
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See if you're a match →This citizenship pathway is for people who may already be citizens because they were born in Germany or in another qualifying birth situation connected to Germany. It generally turns on birthplace, birth date, and the parents' citizenship or immigration status at the time.
- Type
- Citizenship by birth
- Who it covers
- People born in Germany or another qualifying birth situation
- Core records
- Birth records plus parents' status at the time
- What to know
- Usually a strong right if the facts and records line up
Summary
Germany is mainly a citizenship-by-parentage country, but birth in Germany can still mean you are already German.
You are generally German from birth if you were born in Germany and at least one parent was a German citizen when you were born.
Since 1 January 2000, children born in Germany to two foreign parents can also acquire German citizenship at birth if one parent had enough lawful residence in Germany and a permanent right of residence. For births before the 27 June 2024 nationality-law reform, the parent generally needed 8 years of lawful residence plus a permanent right of residence. For births on or after 27 June 2024, the residence period is 5 years plus a permanent right of residence.
The 2024 reform also removed the old requirement for many Germany-born dual citizens to choose between German citizenship and another citizenship.
Eligibility
You may already be a German citizen if one of these is true:
- You were born in Germany and at least one parent was a German citizen at your birth.
- You were born in Germany between 1 January 2000 and 26 June 2024, and at least one foreign parent had lived lawfully in Germany for at least 8 years and had a permanent right of residence at your birth.
- You were born in Germany on or after 27 June 2024, and at least one foreign parent had lived lawfully in Germany for at least 5 years and had a permanent right of residence at your birth.
If you were born in Germany before 2000 to two foreign parents, birth in Germany alone usually did not make you German. A German parent or a separate naturalization route would need to be reviewed instead.
What This Route Allows
This route can help confirm or document citizenship in Germany when the citizenship-creating facts named above are proven. For many people in this category, the main work is evidence: civil records, family-link records, prior citizenship records, and any registration or restoration paperwork needed to show the claim.
What This Route Is Not
This is not a shortcut around documentation. Even when the citizenship claim is based on a right, you still need records that prove each required fact and family link.
Next Steps
- Get your German birth certificate from the local registry office (Standesamt) where your birth was registered.
- Confirm parent status at your birth. If a parent was German, gather their German passport, citizenship certificate, or German birth/citizenship records.
- If both parents were foreign citizens, gather evidence of the qualifying parent's lawful residence period and permanent right of residence at your birth.
- Request confirmation or citizenship evidence from the German authority or mission handling your case.
- Apply for a German passport once your citizenship is documented.