Germany German citizenship by declaration

People born after 23 May 1949 who did not become German, or lost citizenship, because of earlier rules that treated mothers and fathers differently can become German by a simple declaration, together with their descendants. The declaration needs no residence or language test and can be made until ten years after 20 August 2021. ^{1 2}

Requirements

• You were born after 23 May 1949 as the child of a German parent but did not acquire German citizenship from that parent. ^{1 2}
• Or your mother lost German citizenship before your birth by marrying a foreigner, or you lost citizenship through legitimation by a foreign father. ^{1 2}
• Descendants of those children may also declare. ^{1 2}
• Excluded: people sentenced to two years or more in prison for intentional offences. ¹
• Also excluded: people who held German citizenship after birth, or after losing it through legitimation by a foreigner, and then gave it up, lost it or declined it, and their descendants born or adopted afterwards. ¹
• Also excluded: people who could acquire German citizenship under section 4(4) sentence 2 but did not, or still can. ¹
• The right to declare can be exercised only within ten years of 20 August 2021. ^{1 2}
• Submit the declaration to the Federal Office of Administration, directly or through the German mission abroad; receipt by the Federal Office is what counts. ²
• Citizenship is acquired on the date the declaration reaches the Federal Office of Administration; a certificate is issued. ^{1 2}

Stay

• Citizenship is permanent once acquired; it is not a time-limited permit.

Nationality

Open to anyone of any nationality whose German parent or mother-line ancestor could not pass on citizenship under the old discriminatory rules.

Work

A German citizen may live and work in Germany and, as an EU citizen, across the EU and EEA.

Family

Descendants of eligible children have their own right to declare; minors are represented by their parents.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

1. Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG) § 5 Erklärungsrecht · Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 2026-10-11
2. Was ist Einbürgerung nach § 5 StAG (Erklärungserwerb) · Bundesverwaltungsamt · checked 2026-10-11