Who is eligible for German citizenship?

German citizenship is mainly acquired and passed on through descent from a German parent. The parent has to be German citizen at the time of the birth of the child. Children who are born to former German citizens do not acquire German citizenship.

Is it hard to get German citizenship?

Austria, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States are five nations that make it especially difficult for foreigners to establish permanent residency or obtain citizenship.

Can an American become a German citizen?

A child born to an American parent and a German parent acquires both American and German citizenship at birth, regardless of place of birth. Neither country requires a person born under these circumstances to choose between American and German citizenship. They may keep both for life.

Does Germany allow dual citizenship?

Under German law, a person may not have more than one citizenship unless he/she was born with both. There are, however, exceptions in special hardship situations. While Germany recognizes the concept of dual nationality, for most purposes it considers a dual national in Germany a German citizen only.

What happens if you marry a German?

If you marry a German citizen, you are not automatically entitled to German citizenship. However, spouses of German citizens are permitted to apply for citizenship by naturalisation much sooner than others: usually after two years of marriage.

Can I get German citizenship after 5 years?

If you’ve been here between 5 and 8 years, you automatically acquire the right of permanent residence. Under German law, dual citizenship may be granted to citizens of EU states, the EEA and Switzerland, refugees, children born to a German parent abroad, and children born after 2001 in Germany to non-German parents.

Can you buy German citizenship?

In terms of visa-free travel, here are the 25 countries with the most powerful passports, according to a new ranking by Henley & Partners, which is into “citizenship planning.” But among them is only – Austria – one whose citizenship can be bought (more on that in a moment): Germany: visa-free travel to 176 countries.

Does a baby born in Germany get citizenship?

A child can attain German citizenship by being born in Germany even if neither parent is German. A further condition is that one parent has been legally resident in Germany for eight years and has a right of unlimited residence or for three years an unlimited residence permit.

What are the benefits of German citizenship?

A person with German citizenship can receive a German passport which entitles the holder to:
  • travel without a visa to 177 countries.
  • live, work, and study inexpensively in Germany.
  • live, work, or study in the UK or other EU or EEA countries, with very few restrictions.
  • assistance from an excellent consular service.

Why are German passports so powerful?

When taking coronavirus-related border closures into account, a German passport is currently the most powerful passport in the world, with visa-free or visa-upon-arrival access to 134 destinations.

Does German citizenship expire?

Can I automatically lose my German citizenship? Yes. Any German citizen who applies for and acquires foreign citizenship, whether in Germany or abroad, automatically loses his or her German citizenship. This occurs automatically by law; you do not have to make a special declaration or notify the German authorities.

Does having a German passport make you a citizen?

Did you know that if you have German ancestry, you might be eligible for German citizenship and an EU passport? This means you can live, work and study in any of the 28 EU member countries with no restrictions.

Can I get a German passport if I marry a German?

German citizenship by marriage

Foreign women who married a German citizen between 1 April 1914 and 31 March 1953 automatically acquired German citizenship. Foreign women who married a German citizen between 1 April 1953 and 31 December 1969 could have acquired German citizenship under certain conditions.

Can you pass the German citizenship test?

In order to pass the test, you need to answer 17 out of the 33 questions correctly. If you answer fewer than 17 questions correctly, you can retake the test. There is no limit to the number of times you can take the naturalisation test.

Is dual citizenship bad?

Drawbacks of being a dual citizen include the potential for double taxation, the long and expensive process for obtaining dual citizenship, and the fact that you become bound by the laws of two nations.

Which country is best for dual citizenship?

5 Great Countries To Get Dual Citizenship
  1. Paraguay. If you ever desired to live the South American lifestyle, Paraguay can be a great option.
  2. Italy. You can emigrate to Italy permanently if you have your family tree documents in place to prove that you have an Italian heritage.
  3. Ireland.
  4. The Dominican Republic.
  5. Guatemala.

Can I travel with 2 passports?

Not only can you live abroad, but you can use your second passport to access more countries visa-free. Plus, the coronavirus outbreak has made dual citizenship even more useful — in a world where many borders are closed to Americans, having a second passport means you may be able to travel where others can‘t.

How much does dual citizenship cost?

You will need to pay a total of $725 for these two services – $640 for N-400 form and $85 for the biometric services fee. The whole payment can be made at once through different means which include money order, cashier’s check, or personal check.

How can I get citizenship for free?

The application for U.S. citizenship, known as Form N-400, is among the immigration forms for which an applicant can request a fee waiver. The fee waiver application consists of Form I-912, which you will need to submit to USCIS together with your application and documents supporting your need for the waiver.

What is the easiest country to get dual citizenship?

Here are five easiest countries to get dual citizenship:
  • Argentina. Argentina is the fastest country to get citizenship.
  • Paraguay. You can obtain dual citizenship in Paraguay in just three years.
  • Italy.
  • Ireland.
  • Dominica.
  • So, you’re planning to move to one of these countries?