Imagine this: your grandmother was German, your father never obtained citizenship – and now you, your siblings, and perhaps even your own children want to apply for German citizenship. Everyone lives abroad. And the first question that arises is almost always the same: can we do this together as a family?
The short answer is: there is no single „family application“ in German nationality law. Each person needs their own application and will receive their own naturalisation certificate – if the requirements are met. However, this does not mean that families cannot coordinate and proceed in parallel. On the contrary: coordination within the family is often the key to a smooth process.
This article is for general guidance only and does not replace individual legal advice. The legal requirements depend on the specific circumstances. For your particular situation, you should consult a solicitor specialising in nationality law.
Why is there no joint family application?
Until a few years ago, the Federal Administrative Office (BVA) still issued so-called joint certificates, which listed parents and their minor children together. This is no longer the case. Since the new regulation, each person – including every minor child – receives their own naturalisation certificate.
Behind this is a fundamental principle of German nationality law: naturalisation is a purely personal administrative act. BVA checks whether the legal requirements are met for each individual person. The result for one family member does not automatically bind the authority for another.
In practice, this means: each applicant fills out their own application form. There is one form for adults (aged 16 and over) and another for minor children. Persons aged 16 and over act independently in the nationality proceedings (§ 34 StAG). For children under 16, the parents with custody submit the application.
The four paths to naturalisation from abroad – and what they mean for families
Those living abroad who wish to acquire German citizenship have different legal bases depending on their personal history. For families, the following is crucial: not all paths are equally open to all family members.
Re-naturalisation of former Germans (Section 13 StAG)
Those who once held German citizenship and have lost it – for example, by acquiring another citizenship before the 2024 reform – can be naturalised again under certain conditions. According to § 13 of the StAG (Nationality Act), this explicitly applies to the applicant's minor children as well.
What does that mean in practice? If you, as a former German citizen, apply for re-naturalisation, your minor child can be included in your application. However, the child must fulfil the requirements of § 8 (1) no. 1 and no. 2 of the German Nationality Act (StAG) – above all, their identity and nationality must be clarified.
Important for families Adult children (aged 18 and over) are not „minor children“ within the meaning of this provision. They must submit their own application under § 13 StAG – however, this is only possible if they themselves once possessed German citizenship. If they did not, then § 14 StAG may be relevant for them.
Naturalisation with ties to Germany (§ 14 StAG)
Individuals who have never held German citizenship but can prove close ties to Germany fall under Section 14 of the StAG. This is the most comprehensive discretionary provision for naturalisation abroad – and at the same time the one with the highest hurdles to overcome.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BVA) requires „ties to Germany in a number of respects“: long-standing contacts with relatives or friends in Germany, regular visits, ownership of property, and professional connections. In addition, the general requirements for discretionary naturalisation under Section 8 of the German Nationality Act (StAG) must be met – financial self-sufficiency, a clean criminal record, proof of identity, German language skills at B1 level, and a naturalisation test.
Important for families There is no explicit „collective naturalisation“ here as there is in § 13 of the Nationality Act (StAG). Each family member needs their own application and must meet the requirements independently. The crucial difference from naturalisation within the country: there are no shortened residency periods for spouses or children, because there is no residency period at all – instead, everything revolves around ties to Germany.
The good news: If several family members apply in parallel, they can partially prove the ties to Germany jointly. Relatives in Germany, shared visits, a family home in Germany – all of these benefit all applications. And for spouses of German citizens, § 14 sentence 2 StAG provides for an abatement: the stay abroad must be in the public interest, for example, if posted by a German employer.
Acquisition of legal capacity in cases of unequal treatment on the grounds of gender (Section 5 of the Civil Status Act)
This route is open to people born after 23 May 1949 who were unable to acquire German citizenship by birth because the rules at the time treated women and men unequally. The classic case: a child was born before 1975 as the legitimate child of a German mother and a foreign father – and, under the law in force at the time, did not acquire citizenship from the father, nor from the mother.
The right to make the declaration also extends to the descendants of these persons. This means that if your mother falls within the scope of section 5(1) of the StAG, you, as her descendant, may make the declaration under section 5(4) of the StAG.
Important for families Acquisition by declaration is not a naturalisation procedure in the traditional sense. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BVA) has no discretion in the matter – provided the requirements are met, acquisition takes effect by virtue of the declaration. However, each person must submit their own declaration. A spouse who has no direct line of descent from a German ancestor cannot make use of acquisition by declaration.
Please note the deadline: The right to make a declaration may only be exercised within ten years of the Fourth Amendment Act coming into force. The deadline expires on 19 August 2031. Anyone who fails to submit the declaration to the BVA in time will irrevocably lose this right.
Restoration of nationality for victims of National Socialism and their descendants (§ 15 StAG)
This route is intended for individuals who, in connection with Nazi persecution between 30 January 1933 and 8 May 1945, lost their German citizenship not through revocation but by other means, or who were never able to acquire it – and for their descendants.
Unlike Article 116(2) of the Basic Law, which governs reinstatement in the event of direct deprivation, this provision covers § 15 StAG the cases that slipped through the cracks of the constitution: for example, individuals who were not naturalised because they were considered „racially inferior“, even though they met all the requirements.
Important for families Naturalisation under § 15 of the Nationality Act (StAG) is a right – not a discretionary power. The requirements are significantly eased: no language test, no residency requirement, no naturalisation test, and no relinquishing of previous citizenship. Naturalisation is free of charge. Every descendant has their own right and must submit their own application. However – and this is the major practical relief – the documentation of descent overlaps considerably within the family. If one sibling has already submitted the birth certificate of the persecuted grandmother, the BVA will often use these documents for the siblings' applications as well.
Comparison: Which path suits whom?
The following table shows the four paths to naturalisation from abroad and how each interacts with the family situation.
| § 13 Nationality Act | § 14 StAG | § 5 StAG | § Section 15 StAG | |
| Group of people | Former German | Individuals with ties to Germany | Gender discrimination after 1949 | Nazi-persecuted individuals and their descendants |
| Legal character | Discretion | Discretion | Claim (Declaration) | Claim |
| Underage children | Naturalisation expressly provided for | Own application required | Only by acquiring the ability to reason for oneself as a descendant | Own application as a descendant |
| Spouse without German ancestors | Not eligible | Own application with own bindings | Not eligible | Not eligible |
| Language Skills | B1 required | B1 required | None | None |
| Fees | 255 € / 51 € (Type) | 255 € / 51 € (Type) | Free of charge | Free of charge |
| Deadline | None | None | By 19/08/2031 | None |
Applying together: What families should consider in practice
Even if there is no joint family application, families can coordinate their applications to reduce the effort for everyone and speed up the process. There are several tried and tested approaches for this.
- Document the chain of descent clearly once. The birth, marriage, and, if applicable, death certificates of the common ancestors must be obtained for the initial application anyway. If all family members apply in parallel, one set of certified copies is usually sufficient. The BVA can use documents already submitted in an ongoing procedure for the applications of siblings or children.
- Submit applications simultaneously. If parents and minor children apply at the same time, the BVA can process the applications together. This avoids repeated inquiries and duplicate work – for both the family and the authority.
- Please provide a reference file number. If a family member already has an ongoing procedure with the BVA, all further applicants should include this file number in their application. This allows the BVA to recognise the connection immediately.
- Clarify and document custody rights. For children under 16, the parent with custody rights must submit the application. In cases of joint parental custody, the consent of the other parent is required. This document should be prepared and certified in good time.
- For each path, select the correct legal basis. In a family, different members may be eligible to apply on different legal bases. The child of a former German national falls under § 13 StAG, their spouse may fall under § 14 StAG, and the grandchild under § 5 StAG. The correct assignment saves rejections and new applications.
Common mistakes in family applications from abroad
In practice, naturalisation procedures from abroad often fail due to avoidable errors. Particularly with family constellations, there are stumbling blocks that can be overcome with careful preparation.
- Applying for a spouse who is not eligible on the wrong legal basis. If your spouse has no German ancestors, they can neither use the declaration of acquisition of nationality under § 5 StAG nor the restitutionary naturalisation under § 15 StAG. For him or her, only discretionary naturalisation under § 14 StAG can be considered – with its own, high requirements.
- Underestimating deadlines. The declaration period under Section 5 of the Nationality Act (StAG) expires on 19 August 2031. This sounds like a lot of time, but the procurement of documents – especially from countries with poorly maintained registers – can take years. Start your document research early.
- Overlooking the generational cut-off. Under Section 4(4) of the Nationality Act (StAG), children whose German parents were also born abroad after 31 December 1999 generally no longer acquire German nationality by birth – unless the birth is registered in the German birth register within one year. This deadline has already passed for many families. Acquisition by declaration under Section 5 StAG often offers the last chance here.
- Do not have documents translated. All documents in a foreign language must be submitted in a certified German translation. The only exception: documents in English. Anyone submitting originals in another language must expect queries and delays.
- Inability to prove subsistence. In discretionary naturalisations (§§ 13 and 14 of the Nationality Act), the applicant must prove that they can independently secure their own livelihood and that of their family in their current country of residence – including health, long-term care, and pension provisions. Those who fail to provide conclusive evidence risk their application being rejected.
Dual nationality from 2024
Since the entry into force of the Citizenship Modernisation Act On 27 June 2024, naturalisation from abroad under §§ 13 and 14 StAG no longer requires the renunciation of the previous citizenship. Restitutionary naturalisation under § 15 StAG and Article 116(2) of the Basic Law have always accepted dual nationality.
However, whether you can actually keep your previous citizenship depends on the law of your current country of origin. Some states automatically revoke citizenship upon voluntary acquisition of another. The BVA cannot provide information on this – please seek information from the authorities of your country of origin in good time.
Checking German citizenship from abroad
Do you have German ancestors and live abroad? With our free online check, you can find out without any obligation whether you are entitled to German nationality by descent, declaration pursuant to § 5 StAG, restitution or discretionary naturalisation may be considered.
The online preliminary check does not replace individual legal advice and does not establish a client relationship.
When legal assistance is advisable
An application for naturalisation from abroad is more complex than a domestic application. Obtaining documents is more time-consuming, the legal bases are more convoluted, and the BVA (Federal Office of Administration) has broad discretion. For straightforward cases – such as acquiring citizenship by declaration under § 5 of the Nationality Act (StAG) with complete documentation – the application can also be handled without a lawyer.
For families where different members are eligible to apply on different legal grounds, in cases of unclear parentage, or where documents from difficult-to-access archives are missing, a solicitor specialising in nationality law can make the difference between a successful and a failed application.
Lawyer Helmer Tieben advises clients worldwide on all matters of naturalisation from abroad – from examining the legal basis and obtaining documents to representation before the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. If you wish to apply for German citizenship as a family, an early legal assessment is the safest way to avoid mistakes and loss of time.
Contact: Kanzlei MTH Partner – Rechtsanwalt Helmer Tieben, Sachsenring 34, 50677 Köln. Telephone: +49 221 20426165. E-mail: info@mth-partner.de
Conclusion: No family application – but a family strategy
German law does not recognise a joint naturalisation application for families from abroad. However, the law certainly acknowledges the reality that naturalisation is often a family project. The possibility of jointly naturalising minor children under § 13 StAG, the shared use of documents under § 15 StAG, and parallel application submissions under § 14 StAG demonstrate that coordinated family applications are not only possible but are also considered by the legislator.
Crucially, each family member must identify the correct legal basis for themselves, obtain the necessary documents early on, and – where multiple applications are being made – link the procedures at the BVA. Those who do this carefully will save money, time, and, above all, stress.
