Germany · For your nationality or ancestry
Germany German citizenship by descent
German citizenship by descent and certificate of citizenship (StAG § 4; Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis via the Federal Office of Administration)
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
German citizenship by descent is a for your nationality or ancestry route for Germany. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
Time and long term
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Federal Office of Administration for people living abroad; German documents are requested through the consulate.
What you'll need
Who can apply5
- You acquired German citizenship at birth because a parent was a German citizen at that time.
- If only your father was German and paternity had to be acknowledged or established, that must have been done before you turned 23.
- If your German parent was also born abroad after 31 December 1999 and lives abroad, you are German only if the birth was registered in Germany within one year.
- That generation stop does not apply when the child would otherwise be stateless.
- Descendants of people naturalised or entitled under Article 116(2) of the Basic Law or StAG § 15 are not affected by that generation stop.
Steps1
- Apply to the Federal Office of Administration for a determination of German citizenship (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) if you live abroad.
When you become tax resident
How Germany decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
A continuous stay of more than six months counts as habitual abode from the start (section 9 AO), unless it is solely for a visit, recreation, cure or similar private purpose and lasts no longer than one year; a dwelling kept available for use creates a domicile (section 8 AO).
- Foreign-source income
Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
All tax rules for Germany Tax records checked
Full official text
A child acquires German citizenship at birth when a parent is German, wherever the child is born. For births abroad since 2000 the chain stops when the German parent was also born abroad after 31 December 1999 and lives abroad, unless the birth is registered in Germany within a year. People living abroad prove their citizenship with a certificate of citizenship issued by the Federal Office of Administration. 1 2
Requirements
- You acquired German citizenship at birth because a parent was a German citizen at that time. 1
- If only your father was German and paternity had to be acknowledged or established, that must have been done before you turned 23. 1
- If your German parent was also born abroad after 31 December 1999 and lives abroad, you are German only if the birth was registered in Germany within one year. 1
- That generation stop does not apply when the child would otherwise be stateless. 1
- Descendants of people naturalised or entitled under Article 116(2) of the Basic Law or StAG § 15 are not affected by that generation stop. 1
- Apply to the Federal Office of Administration for a determination of German citizenship (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) if you live abroad. 2
Stay
- Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.
Nationality
Open to anyone descending from a German citizen through an unbroken chain, subject to the post-1999 generation stop.
Work
A German citizen may live and work in Germany and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.
Family
Each person applies for their own certificate; parents apply for minor children.
Official sources
- Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG) § 4 Erwerb durch Geburt · Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11
- Feststellung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) · Bundesverwaltungsamt · checked 2026-10-11
German citizenship by descent and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| German citizenship by descent | – | – | – |
| German citizenship by declaration | – | – | – |
| German restorative naturalisation | – | – | – |
| CPLP residence Portugal | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Spanish nationality by descent and option Spain | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the German citizenship by descent?
Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.
Can I work on the German citizenship by descent?
A German citizen may live and work in Germany and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.
Can I bring my family on the German citizenship by descent?
Each person applies for their own certificate; parents apply for minor children.
How are German citizenship by descent holders taxed in Germany?
No special regime in our records is tied to the German citizenship by descent. The standard rules apply: Residents are taxed on worldwide income. The 2026 tariff is zero up to EUR12,348, (≈ $13,800) rising progressively to a 42% marginal rate from EUR69,879 (≈ $78,100) and 45% from EUR277,826 (≈ $310,000).
More in Germany
Nationality or ancestry visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG) § 4 Erwerb durch Geburt · Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11
- Feststellung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis) · Bundesverwaltungsamt · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.