Citizenship; application for determination of German citizenship

As a rule, the authorities in Germany only need a valid passport or identity card to verify German citizenship. In cases of doubt, it can be determined with binding effect whether German citizenship exists.

Upon application, Germans receive a citizenship card as proof of German citizenship.

Foreigners can apply for a negative certificate to prove that they do not have German citizenship.

• Certificate of citizenship: Possession of German citizenship and proof of an interest in a material decision
• Negative certificate: Non-possession of German citizenship

The application for a certificate of citizenship / negative certificate must be submitted to the citizenship authority (district administrative authority).

The application for a certificate of citizenship / negative certificate must include the applicant's personal details and documents or other evidence proving possession or non-possession of German citizenship.

The application can already be submitted to many authorities online or alternatively in paper form.

The processing time can take several months. It is significantly influenced by the extent to which you support the citizenship authority within the scope of your duty to cooperate and the informative value of the enclosed documents. Considerable delays may occur if inquiries have to be made in old registers.

• Application available from the competent authority or online procedure
• Documents proving possession of German citizenship
  
  • Documents or other evidence of the acquisition or possession of German citizenship such as
    • Naturalization certificates
    • Certificates/certificates on the acquisition of German citizenship by declaration or option
    • Certificate in accordance with § 15 of the Federal Expellees Act
    • Appointment certificates for civil servants
    • Assessment notices on the acquisition of citizenship through service in the former German Armed Forces and other comparable associations
    • Documents on membership of the group of persons to whom collective naturalization applied
    • Expellee ID cards, ethnic list ID cards, certificates of ethnicity or other documents relating to German ethnicity
    • Proof of (former) right of origin, citizenship or residence in the territories concerned, certificates of waiver of the right of renunciation
    • Documents relating to possession of German citizenship or previous legal status as a German or treatment as a German
    • Certificates of citizenship, certificates of origin, certificates/identification of legal status as a German
    • Passports, identity cards and other identity documents (including old ones)
    • Extracts from (former) family registers, citizen lists, citizen directories
    • Documents relating to military service or employment as a civil servant
    • Confirmations of registration; certificates of authorization to retain German citizenship, expellee ID cards, (old) refugee ID cards, registration certificates as a single copy
    • Other possible documents
  • If necessary, the following additional documents may also be required:
    • Documents regarding the non-acquisition of another nationality (non-acquisition certificate)
    • Proof of acquisition/possession of other nationalities
    • Name change certificates/certificates
    • Civil partnership certificate
    • Approval from the Federal Ministry of Defense or Federal Office of Defense Administration for service in the foreign army
    • Custody documents (for applications from persons under the age of 16)
  • Further documents will be requested by the competent authority if required.
• Documents as proof of non-possession of German citizenship
  
  • In addition to the information on your ancestry
    • Proof of acquisition and possession of foreign citizenship
    • Proof of loss of German citizenship
    • Proof of military service abroad

  are regularly required.

  • Further documents will be requested by the competent authority if required.

The fee for a certificate of citizenship or a negative certificate is 51.00 EUR. Rejection is also subject to a fee.

An appeal against a negative decision by the authority can be brought before the competent administrative court.