Citizenship

I have received dual citizenship by birth and have not acquired any other citizenship voluntarily since my birth. Do I have to choose between the two citizenships at the age of 18?

German law, in general, does not oblige you to choose between the two citizenships at the age of 18.

How can I obtain a certificate proving my German citizenship?

If your citizenship status cannot be determined by the German diplomatic or consular mission and in some other cases where the law requires it, you will need to apply for a German certificate of citizenship (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis). Such a certificate might be needed in order to be able to issue you a German passport.

Processing times for these applications can be fairly long depending on the amount of necessary research and the possible involvement of other government offices.

Application form for a German certificate of citizenship (German only)

Please Note: Although the information on this website has been prepared with utmost care, we can not accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.

Citizenship

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Consulate Finder

German Missions in the United States (© Germany.info)

Nine German Missions throughout the US offer consular services. Each Mission covers a specific geographic region. To find out which Mission can assist, what the hours of operation are and how to reach it please use our interactive Consulate Finder.