A German economy is an attractive place not only for investors but also for regular citizens. The German healthcare system, attractive business sector, and many other factors attract many individuals towards citizenship. Yet, citizenship is hard to obtain due to the strict German immigration system. This brief article will provide information about a few ways of getting German citizenship.
Different Types of German Citizenship
There are three main ways of obtaining German citizenship, and although it is possible, it’s very hard to obtain. The three main ways include:
- naturalization
- citizenship by birth (a person was born in Germany)
- citizenship by a descendant (right of blood – through family)
The following paragraphs will explain in detail each method of getting citizenship including criteria and all requirements.
Citizenship Through Naturalization
Starting with the most complex- citizenship through naturalization is the hardest way of obtaining citizenship as a foreigner due to the compound application process. To be eligible for citizenship application through naturalization, individuals must:
- Live in Germany for at least 8 years, or if attending a German integration course – 7 years of residency is required.
- Know the German language at a B1 level (language proficiency can be confirmed with German language certificates, German secondary school certificate, a certificate that approves individuals who went to a German educational institution for at least 4 years, higher degree certificate from a German university).
- Be able to support themselves financially (this can be proved with bank statements or earnings statement)
- Have no criminal record
- Pass the naturalization test
- Reject any previous citizenship statuses
Once all eligibility requirements are fulfilled, the application process is fairly straightforward. Stage one of the application is to submit an application form (which can be found in the city council, local immigration office, regional district office of town council) and pass the naturalization test.
The test contains 33 questions and the pass percentage is 50% – hence, 17 questions answered correctly will grant you a positive outcome. The test fee is 25 euros. Those that do not need to take the test are children who are under the age of 6, people who suffer from disabilities, or illness, those who have university degrees (in law, social sciences or politics) and people who are over the age of 65.
Both documents – the naturalization test and application form are fully in German, as it is expected that the applicant knows the language well. Next, fees must be paid and applications should be submitted (at the office where the form was obtained from). Fees for application are:
- 225 euros for adults
- 51 euros for minors under the age of 16
- 25 euros for the naturalization test
- 25 euros for a citizenship certificate (once approved)
Lastly, naturalization by marriage. Marriage to a German citizen will mean that an individual is not required to complete the full residency length. Other requirements, such as naturalization test, language test, and fees, still apply. Additionally, couples must be married for at least two years and live in Germany for at least 3 years. Naturalization by marriage also requires a marriage certificate to be provided as proof.
German Citizenship by Descent
German citizenship through blood ties is another way of getting citizenship. By applying using citizenship by descent, applicants are not legally required to be born in Germany. The following statements must be true in order for citizenship to be granted; one of the parents is a German citizen, the parents of the applicant are registered with German authorities in the country they were born (before turning one), and the applicant gave up on citizenship of the non-German parents.
Citizenship by descent application is not permitted if grandparents are German but parents aren’t. Furthermore, from January 20020 a new regulation came in place that if the applicant was born in a foreign country and their parents were also born in a foreign country then citizenship by descent is not possible.
Note: minors under the age of 18 who were adopted by German citizens have the rights to citizenship through ancestry.
German Citizenship by Birth
Citizenship by birth requires the candidate to be physically born on German soil. Furthermore, the following conditions must be also fulfilled so citizenship is approved:
- parents of the applicant had to live in Germany for a minimum of 8 years prior to their birth
- at least one of the parents had to have a permanent residency permit at the time of birth
- the child has to be born after February 1990
Once the child becomes the age of 18, they can choose to keep German citizenship or obtain the citizenship of their parents. Candidates should decide before turning 23 years old, another option is to apply for dual citizenship. Dual citizenship permits individuals to have two citizenship statuses at the same time. This only applies to a special group of people:
- who are citizens of any other EU countries
- those who are from countries that do not allow citizens to give up current citizenship
- ethic Germans
- candidates with legal guardians who live in the US
- individuals who obtained permission to hold dual citizenship by German authorities.
German Citizenship Re-naturalization
If a candidate has given up on their German citizenship in the past, they are able to apply for re-naturalization so they can become German citizens again. This can be only done if they apply for naturalization just like first-time applicants, if they give up on all current citizenships and if they didn’t lose their citizenship in the past due to criminal activities.
German Passport Photo Guidelines
Once citizenship is confirmed, people may start to apply for a German passport. Apart from citizenship proof, and other standard requirements like passport application, candidates will need to provide a passport photo for their German passport. Here are a few tips on how to take a correct German passport photo at home using your mobile device!
First of all – passport photo format. The format of the passport photo must:
- measure 35×45 mm in size
- measure a minimum of 600×600 and a maximum of 1200×1200 pixels in digital form
- be in colour
- have a white background
- be printed on high-quality paper
- be recent (photos older than 6 months will not be accepted)
Secondly, candidates must follow special procedure when taking their passport photo at home. Candidates have to keep a neutral face, have their eyes open, mouth closed, stand 40cm away from the camera lens and stand straight. Individuals are not allowed to smile, frown, wear any headwear, wear a uniform, or white shirt.
