How could you get German citizenship?

How to Get German Citizenship through Naturalization?

When you have lived in Germany under its permanent resident for a few years, you can apply for Germany citizenship. Yet, The government has set a few rules and regulations over it. The German federal government is strict with them:

A. Living in Germany

Living in Germany under one of its residence permits for eight years.

Living in Germany under a residence permit for seven years. But, you must have attended an integration course.

B. Language proficiency

Proficiency in the German language. At least B1 is required. You could provide one of the following options:

• Zertifikat Deutsch
• DTZ – German test for immigrants. It is the one you have achieved through the integration course.
• Proof to have completed German secondary school.
• Acceptance letter to an upper a German upper secondary school.
• Evidence that you have completed higher education in Germany.
• Completing a four years school in Germany with a passing grade.

Providing that you do not hold any of the above options, you can pass a new course. The officials must authorize the test.

C. Proof to have enough funds

Being financially independent to support yourself and your family. You can not receive any public funds. You could provide a bank statement to prove it.

D. Clean record

Be a well-behaved citizen who has obeyed the law. You must hold a clean record.

E. Test

Passing a citizenship test. It is to see how much you are ready to live in Germany.

F. Renouncing citizenship

You must give up any previous citizenship. You could skip this part if it is impossible to give up your Citizenship.

German Citizenship Naturalization Application Process

The application process for German Citizenship through Naturalization is as follows:

Eligibility

Look at the eligibility criteria before you begin the application process. The rules and regulations are strict and tough. The immigration officials are even tougher. So look before you leap.

Immigration office

You have to apply to the nearest immigration office. Each German state has one. Find the closest one. Depending on the place you live, you can apply to the following centers:

• The local immigration office in the city you reside in.
• City council in the urban area you live in.
• The regional district office in the German district you stay in.
• The council of the town or other local officials.

Application form

When you found where to apply, get the application form for Germany citizenship through Naturalization from that center. Complete it with cate. What you fill in the form must be identical to the rest of your documents.

Remember that the form is in German. So concentrate on the writing principles.

Citizenship test

There is a test you have to complete. It is to prove you are eligible to live in Germany as a citizen. The test is in the following fields about Germany’s:

• Community
• Rules, regulations, and laws.
• The city, region, or place you live in Germany.
• Living in Germany in general.

The test contains 33 questions. Remember, you have to give true answers to 17 questions to pass the test. Once you succeed in the test, the officials will grant you a naturalization certificate.

Is anyone exempt from the naturalization test?

Yes. A few groups are exempt from the naturalization test. They do not need to take the test due to their conditions. They are as follow:

• The minor children under 16.
• People are unable to take the test because of:
  • Disability
  • Sickness
  • Old age
• People who hold a higher education certificate from a German university in the following fields:
  • Social sciences
  • law
  • Politics

Fees

The government has set a fee for application processing. There will be no processing without paying:

• Adults =255 EUR.
• Children under 16=51 EUR.
• Citizenship or naturalization test=25 EUR.
• The certificate of citizenship=25 EUR. It is when you receive the certificate.

Submission of application

Now is the time to submit all the requirements to the officials. You have to bear in mind that to submit the requirements to the office that received the form.

The office will process your application. They will decide whether to grant you Citizenship or not. If they accept it, you h\will have all the rights as a German national. You have to pay the fee for the certificate to receive it.

How to Get German Citizenship by Marriage?

You could also apply for German Citizenship by marriage. You have to marry a German national to be eligible for it. However, it is not the only requirement. Even if you are married to a German national, you have to pass the Naturalization stages:

• Go through the Naturalization test.
• Prove to be fluent in German.
• Pay the processing fees.

As you apply for German Citizenship, you have to fulfill the requirements for marriage:

• You and your couple must have been married for at least two years.
• The two of you must have lived in Germany for at least three years.

The required lengths of stay in Germany are less than Naturalization.

Also., the application process is the first stage.

How to Get German Citizenship by Descent?

There is a way to apply for German Citizenship called the right of blood. If one of your parents were German, then you can apply for Citizenship. Whether you were born in a foreign country does not matter. But, you have to be eligible to apply:

• One of your parents must be a German national or citizen.
• Before you become one year old, your parents registered you to the German officials in the foreign country you were born.
• You have turned over your non-German parent’s Citizenship before you turn 18. Remember that you can decide on it until you become 23 years old.

My Grandparents were German. Can I Apply for Citizenship?

1. You have permission to apply for Germany citizenship if one of your parents were German. You will not be eligible if the other relatives are German.

German Parent born in a foreign country law (2000 law)

Providing that you were not born in Germany, and so your parents, you may not apply for Citizenship after January 1st, 2000.

Divorced parents

What if your parents have got divorced? Well, in this case, you have the authorization to apply for German Citizenship only if your parents have recognized you as their legal child. They must have done it by the rules of German law.

What about adopted children?

If German parents adopt you before you become 18, you are eligible to apply for German Citizenship.

How to Get German Citizenship by Birth?

When you are born inside Germany, you may apply for Germany citizenship. It gets called Citizenship by the right of soil or by birth. However, you have to comply with the below conditions:

• One of your parents must have lived in Germany for at least eight years when you were born, or
• One of your parents must have stayed in Germany under the permanent residence permit.

You have to come to one of the above conditions to be eligible. Also, you must choose to become a German citizen or something else between 18-23. In case you want to become German, you have to turn over the other Citizenship.

The 1990 Rule

You must be born after February 2nd, 1990, to be eligible and apply for Germany’s Citizenship by birth.

Does Germany Allow Dual Citizenship?

Yes. The German government allows dual Citizenship if you are eligible. Yet, it is hard to achieve it. You have permission to apply for Germany dual citizenship only if you meet the following conditions:

• You are a citizen/national of one of the EU countries, or you are from a country that used to be a member of the Soviet Union
• People from countries that the official government does not permit them to give up their Citizenship.
• People considered ethnic Germans.
• Your parents are from the US.
• You have achieved the formal authorization from the German government to possess dual Citizenship.

You could take advantage of dual Citizenship. Yet, your other Citizenship determines what right you have. When you reside in the country of your other Citizenship, you can not use German services. You have no permission to receive help from the German embassy or consulate either.

Can I Have the US and Germany citizenship?

You could have both the Citizenship of the US and Germany. It is only possible if one of your parents was American and the other was German. In such a situation, you don’t have to denounce either of your Citizenship.

When you hold dual citizenship of Germany and the US, you are not exempt from the Military service. Also, you have no authorization to enter the US with a German passport and vice versa. You must hold a US passport to enter the US and a German passport to enter Germany.

I Have Renounced My German Citizenship. Can I Re-naturalize it?

Yes. In case you have given up your German citizenship; you can apply to get it again. You must follow the naturalization process explained above.

Let’s sum up…

This article explained all you should know about German citizenship.

We have covered who is eligible for Germany citizenship, requirements, the application process, FAQs, and more.

Visit the left-sidebar to know more about other types of Germany visas.

You could also visit the homepage of the Visa Library to know more about other country’s visas.

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