German Citizenship

Acquisition by descent

Most Germans obtain citizenship by birth, inheriting it from German parents. But does this rule apply to you? Let's analyze!

1. Generation Leap: Impossible! You cannot have received nationality directly from your grandparents. But if your parents inherited it and passed it on to you, then yes, you are German!

2. Were Your Parents Married?

• Between 01/01/1914 and 12/31/1963:

German father: You are German by birth! German mother: No German citizenship, but you may have obtained it through declaration until 1978. If not, from 08/20/2021, you can declare your intention to acquire German citizenship.

• Between 01/01/1964 and 12/31/1974:

German father: You are German by birth! German mother: You are only German if you have no other nationality, otherwise you would be stateless. If you had another nationality and your mother was German, you could have acquired German citizenship by declaration up until 31/07/1977. If you did not do so, from 20/08/2021 you can declare your intention to acquire German citizenship.

• Between 01/01/1975 and 31/12/1999:

German father or mother: You are German by birth!

• From 01/01/2000:

German father or mother: You are German by birth! Important notes:

Born abroad with German parents born abroad after 31/12/1999? You are not automatically German. Citizenship is only yours if the birth is registered in Germany within one year.

For more information and specific details about your case, please consult the website of the German Federal Foreign Office. Please note: This analysis provides an overview. Each case is unique and may have nuances. Please explore the official information and seek expert advice to ensure your rights to German citizenship.

Cidadania Alemã

Between 1 January 1914 and 30 June 1998, a special opportunity existed for children born to unmarried parents. If their parents subsequently married, the child could acquire German citizenship, even though they were not automatically German by birth. This rule allowed many families to unite under the same citizenship, providing an important step towards integration and legal recognition. It is important to note that this rule only applied for a specific period and is no longer in force. For information on how to acquire German citizenship today, please see the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Cidadania Alemã

Acquisition by birth in Germany

Since January 1, 2000, the principle of "ius soli" ("right of the soil") has allowed children of foreign parents born in Germany to also acquire German citizenship. To do so, certain requirements must be met:

1. Legal residence of the parent(s):

At least one of the parents must have been legally habitually resident in Germany for at least eight years at the time of the child's birth. If the child was born after August 28, 2007, one of the parents must also have an indefinite residence permit.

2. Recognition of paternity:

If the requirements apply only to the father, legal paternity must be recognized before the child reaches the age of 23. Biological paternity alone is not sufficient.

3. Date of birth: This rule does not apply to children born before 1 January 2000. Children who were under the age of ten on 1 January 2000 had the opportunity to apply for naturalisation for one year, if the above conditions applied. Important notes: German nationality is not granted automatically. You must apply for naturalisation. For further information and specific details about your case, please consult the website of the German Federal Foreign Office. Example: A Brazilian couple has been legally resident in Germany for ten years. Their son was born in Frankfurt in 2005. The child can acquire German nationality by birth, as the parents have met the legal residence requirements.