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Will My Baby Be German?

August 19, 2016 by Kathleen Parker 93 Comments

Babies in Berlin

Congratulations on getting through your pregnancy and birth in Berlin! Once you’ve registered the birth of your lovely new arrival and you have the birth certificate in your hot little hands, your next bureaucratic move will probably be determining her citizenship. Or if she’s extra lucky, citizenships.

Though your little bundle of joy will most likely inherit your and your partner’s citizenships by descent, he might not necessarily get German citizenship just because he was born in Germany. Then again, he might. Here are some situations where your baby could be eligible for German citizenship:

  • Your baby’s mother is a German citizen. Cha-ching! No further action required.
  • Your baby’s father is German and is either married to baby-mama, or has acknowledged paternity (or his paternity has been legally established by a court).
  • Neither parent is German but your baby was born in Germany and one of his parents has been in Germany for at least 8 years and this parent is entitled to permanent residency. All this at the point of time at which your baby is born.
  • Your baby is adopted by a German citizen before he turns 18.

If your situation fits into one of the above categories, your baby is probably eligible for German citizenship. You’ll probably get a letter from the Standesamt after your baby’s birth has been registered, letting you know that she’s eligible for German citizenship. This usually happens automatically.

What’s the Deal with Dual Citizenship?

This is a hot topic, and the amendment (the Second Act Amending the Nationality Act) was adopted on 20th December, 2014 – not so long ago!

  • If one of your baby’s parents is German and your baby had two nationalities, obtained by descent from the moment she was born, she won’t have to decide between them when she’s older. As far as Germany is concerned, she is a dual citizen for life. Unless of course, some other country dictates that she must choose.
  • If your baby gets German citizenship because one of his two foreign parents has been in Germany for at least 8 years and has the right to permanent residency, he will have to choose between is German citizenship and his other citizenship somewhere between the age of 18 and 23.

Don’t be too disappointed though, there is one beautiful exception:

If your baby then grows up in Germany, she won’t be obligated to choose one nationality when she’s an adult.

So what does it mean, “to grow up in Germany”?

  • She’s lived in Germany for at least eight years
  • She went to school in Germany for at least six years
  • She completed her schooling or vocational training in Germany

Where’s the Piece of Paper?

You can get a cute little child’s German passport called a Kinderreisepass for your baby, though it’s not always suitable for travel to some countries, e.g. USA and Australia. You can also get a proper German Reisepass that’s suitable for all international travel. You can apply for both at your local Bürgeramt and they’re quite affordable. If you’ve got the right documents, the Kinderreisepass can be issued on the spot.

A passport is usually enough to prove your baby’s nationality, but the unquestionable official document is a pretty yellow piece of paper known as a Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis (citizenship certificate). If you need or want one of these for any particular reason, the Berlin public office responsible for the application is the Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde, and a certificate costs around 25 EUR.

Filed Under: Immigration and Visas, Kids in Berlin, Life Changes Tagged With: having a baby, paternity berlin

How to get your new baby a German residence permit
Buying Property in Berlin: What to Expect

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natasha Lucy Eugene says

    February 7, 2018 at 6:33 pm

    I am one month pregnant right now for a german Citizen but the dad and i are not on good terms. I left germany 1st february but before i left i asked him for his Opinion but no answer up till now he talks bout lawyer etc. I need advice please because i am from St. Lucia

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      February 12, 2018 at 9:08 am

      Dear Natasa, that is a really tough situation to be in. I can’t really give you any advice here and would advise you to talk to some support groups if you do plan on returning to Germany or having any sort of relationship with the father of your baby. A suggestion would be Albatros or Pro Familia in Berlin, or if you want online help in English, you could try https://www.schwanger-und-viele-fragen.de/en/

      Reply
  2. Vicente Mabandos says

    February 25, 2018 at 5:45 pm

    Good day! My partner is german and we are married here both same sex and he has baby in philippines can he get his baby even they are not married with Filipina girl as long as the Filipina girl agree?What we should do?Thank you for advise…

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      February 26, 2018 at 9:09 pm

      Hi Vicente. If your partner is the legally recognized father of the baby and the girl is prepared to give him full custody and permission for him to take the baby to Germany permanently, he’ll need documents that prove all that from the Phillippines. Once you’ve got those, I’d visit an immigration lawyer in Germany! Cheers and good luck, Kathleen

      Reply
      • Arjun says

        January 28, 2019 at 3:30 am

        I am married with eu citizen and registered in Burgaramed but not gone aulander Behode but but now The boy is not in contact so I want dismiss. The boy is not with me so I don’t want go further instead back all the documents from Burgerarmed . What is the shortest method to dismiss the registration from Burgerarmed?

        Reply
        • Kathleen Parker says

          January 28, 2019 at 7:48 am

          Hi Arjun,
          That sounds like a rough situation, sorry to hear that. I don’t know anything about your situation and I think you should talk to a lawyer who deals with family matters and who can deal in your mother tongue. Good luck!

          Reply
  3. Sara says

    February 28, 2018 at 2:45 pm

    Hello!
    Neither me and my husband are German. But we might soon get our permanent residence by having a Blue Card for the sufficient amount of time. do you think if we can get the PR before our child birth, our baby would be eligible for having a German passport?
    what about after the birth? by getting the PR after the baby’s birth does it work?
    Thanks alot!
    Sara

    Reply
    • Sara says

      February 28, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      I should add that we are now in Germany since 2014, less than 4 years.

      Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      February 28, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      Hi Sara, even with permanent residency, one of the baby’s parents will still have to have been living in Germany for at least 8 years for your child to be eligible for German citizenship. So hang tight and give it 4-5 years.

      Reply
  4. Danny. says

    March 2, 2018 at 9:02 pm

    Hello. Me and my wife are english. I’ve been in Germany for exactly 8 years. And my wife for 7 years. We just had our first baby, born in Germany.

    We are applying for a UK passport for him.

    We also received some documents from the local stadt / asking to prove his Eligibilty for being german

    My question is – I don’t know what best in the current climate with brexit.

    Is it possible? Dual nationality for him? Me and my wife ideally don’t want to give up our UK passports. Also – neither of us speak “fluent” german. Enough to get by.

    Can you help? Offer advice?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      March 8, 2018 at 9:47 am

      Hi Danny,

      Congratulations on the baby! I seem to recall hearing something interesting when researching the meeting at the Berlin Embassy about where we’re at with Brexit (the meeting happened in mid February this year). I thought I heard that if your baby is eligible for German citizenship (and if you are too after an 8 year stay), you should apply for your baby’s German passport BEFORE Brexit (March 29, 2019), and (if you want) put in your own citizenship application before March 2019 too. This is because while the UK is still a part of the EU, you and your baby will be entitled to keep both nationalities because they were both EU nationalities at the point you applied. Once Brexit happens, that might not be possible anymore. Your wife might just miss out. Either way, please check my facts because I’m not a legal expert. You can watch the video of the talk that the Ambassador gave here: https://britishingermany.org/2018/02/26/embassy-brexit-event/

      Reply
      • Kathleen Parker says

        March 8, 2018 at 9:49 am

        Actually, if I understood correctly, she might not miss out, she still slightly more than one year which would bring her up to the 8 years of residency prerequisite.

        Reply
  5. Fritz says

    March 15, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    Me and my partner are working here in germany for three years and we have a 6 mos old baby who was born here in Germany. We are both from the Philippines. The Problem is we are not yet married and because of it, the status of our baby if we apply his passport is illegitimate. And now we receive a letter from the Bürgeramt that inorder for our baby to have his own Ausweis they need his passport or else there will be a punishment. Usually what kind of punishment or penalty? Do we have to pay? And how much?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      March 19, 2018 at 10:12 am

      Hi Fritz,

      I’m afraid I don’t know much about these things, this situation sounds very complicated. I would go to your embassy/consulate or an immigration lawyer to get these questions answered, or call the Bürgeramt and speak to whoever sent you the letter. I hope it works out for you! Kathleen

      Reply
  6. Peter says

    April 30, 2018 at 12:32 am

    I have been living in Germany for four years now as a student, does the 8 years residency applies to me too? I also do student jobs and hope to get permanent residency/citizenship in Germany. Is this possible?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      May 3, 2018 at 9:53 am

      Hi Peter, I’m making lots of assumptions here, but if you graduate from a German university with a recognized degree and then you work in your field for 2 years afterwards, you might be eligible for permanent residency sooner. Talk to your university to find out more.

      Reply
  7. Faye says

    May 12, 2018 at 5:46 am

    Quick question. I was born in Germany and moved to the UK with my family at the age of 15 (about 10 years ago). I do not own a German passport but my mum and siblings do (due to change of legislation at the time of their birth).

    Anyways, I was planning on giving birth in Germany and was wondering whether the baby would be entitled to a German passport?

    The father is British and I am British by naturalisation but was born in Berlin (not sure if that matters).

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      May 13, 2018 at 7:31 pm

      Hi Faye,
      To speed this process up, you could firstly consult with a lawyer to see if it’s possible for YOU to get a German passport. I don’t know the answer to this! If it is, then you can get the passport and then get your baby a German passport easily. But if you are not entitled to German citizenship, you might have to wait until you’ve been resident in Germany for enough time to be entitled to permanent residency/citizenship and THEN get your child a German passport (5 or 8 years, depends on a few things). There are options, some would just take longer than others. With Brexit coming up, it’s good that you’re doing this kind of thinking now!

      Reply
      • Maria says

        January 16, 2021 at 5:37 pm

        Hi, is the year spent residing in Germany with a Praktikum Visa also counted to this 8 years? Or 8 years only holding a PR(Niederlangserlaubnis)?

        Reply
        • Kathleen Parker says

          March 21, 2021 at 12:25 am

          8 years of staying in Germany legally with a residence permit. I believe that some types of stays (e.g. student) they count as half the amount of time, e.g. if you were on a student permit for 4 years, that would count as 2 years of residency towards permanent residency. I am actually not sure about an internship permit.

          Reply
  8. Jim says

    June 20, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    Hi Kathleen quick question,
    I am an American living in Germany and my girlfriend is German(born and raised here) we just found out she is pregnant. I want the baby to have American citizenship when he/she is born. Is this possible even though we are not married? We do not plan on getting married right away. Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Shika says

    June 25, 2018 at 8:52 pm

    Hi, I live in Switzerland and my partner who is German lives in Hamburg. We are expecting a baby in October. Will my baby get a German citizenship and what would the requirements be? I also plan on having the baby in Germany. Thanks

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      June 28, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      Hi Shika, lots of variables here. You say “partner” – are you planning on allowing him to acknowledge paternity of your child? If yes and you do this legally (e.g. through a “Vaterschaftsanerkennung”), then your child could receive German citizenship even if you live outside of Germany. If you’re married, then even easier. THe procedure will change according to where you and your child live. If you want more information, book a coaching. Cheers! Kathleen

      Reply
  10. Ana says

    July 3, 2018 at 12:07 pm

    Hi Kathleen,
    I have EU citizenship and my husband is American. Is there any exception to the rule if one parent has a passport from a EU country, or will we still have to get a residence permit for our baby? Thank you in advance!
    Ana

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      July 3, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      Hi Ana, that will depend on what nationality your baby ends up having. If your baby ends up getting EU citizenship and an EU passport just like you, then they will enjoy the same freedom of movement that you do. If your baby gets American citizenship but not your EU citizenship, you’ll have to get a residence permit.

      Reply
  11. Pedro says

    July 13, 2018 at 11:42 am

    Hi,

    I’m Spanish and living in Berlin for 8 years and a half. Now I want to make my 3 months old son a German citizen, (not yet Spanish as I am still fighting with the Spanish burocracy) do you know where do I need to go? The Burgeramt, the Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde or the Standestamt?

    Thanks in advance

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      July 25, 2018 at 10:28 pm

      Hi Pedro,
      I would follow up with the Standesamt. If the conditions you mentioned are all fulfilled at the time of your child’s birth, usually, the entry of “German citizenship” happens automatically.

      Reply
  12. Bruno says

    July 31, 2018 at 10:50 am

    Hi Kathleen,

    I have to confess I am bit lost over here…. So I am Portuguese and my wife Brazilian. My daughter was born in Germany in 2016, but we had just arrived in 2015. So my question is, will we be able to ask for her German citizenship in 2023, or we should have been for 8 years in Germany before she was born?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      October 25, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      Hi Bruno,
      If at least one of you is entitled to permanent residency after having been in Germany continuously for 8 years (so… in around 2023), then your daughter would be eligible for a German passport.
      Cheers
      Kathleen

      Reply
      • Manjit kaur says

        May 11, 2019 at 7:12 am

        Hello
        I am indian and living in germany on Student visa . My husband was already here in germany and doing Job from Last 5 year. I am pregnant now. Will i get visa Extension in the base of baby or i have to continue my study for this. What will be the residence Status of my baby.

        Reply
        • Kathleen Parker says

          June 11, 2019 at 10:44 pm

          I don’t know for sure because there are so many unknowns here, but if you are married and your husband is legally resident in Germany and is working and can support all of you in the household, you would then be eligible for a residence permit based on your marriage (spouse). And then your child could also get the residence permit based on your husband’s permit as well. Have you considered that route?

          Reply
  13. Mercy says

    August 6, 2018 at 8:24 pm

    My husband is a German our child born in Philippines 4 yrs.ago. We have birth cert and Philippines passport. And we want to apply her a kinder ausweiss. How to do it & i dont register it yet her birth in germany? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      October 25, 2018 at 12:44 pm

      Hi Mercy, here are all the details for applying for a Kinderreisepass at the Bürgeramt. If you’d like someone to go through the process with you in English or go with you on the day, get in touch with Red Tape for a coaching or to take a translator.

      Reply
  14. Lynn says

    September 18, 2018 at 3:42 am

    Hi good afternoon my child has a German passport, Im a Filipina and my partner is German, Im planning to apply for family reunion visa, anyone here share their ideas? Is it easy?

    Reply
  15. Taik says

    September 19, 2018 at 10:07 pm

    Hello Kathleen,
    Neither I nor my wife is German, but our son was born in Germany in March 2017. My wife has legally lived in Germany more than 8 years and is expecting to acquire German permanent residence permit in a few months. Do you think our son can apply for German citizenship as soon as my wife is entitled to the permanent residency?
    I looked up StAG § 4 (3), but it does not really say whether those requirements (child born in Germany, parent residing for 8 years, and his/her permanent residency) should be met at the time of birth in order for the child to get the citizenship. In our case, we did not satisfy the requirements at the time of birth. What do you reckon? Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      October 25, 2018 at 2:04 pm

      Hi Taik,

      I have to say, I am not 100% sure either. I just looked at a source that said that you have to have permanent residency (or be eligible for it, perhaps?) at the time of the child’s birth.
      From BMI
      “Seit dem Jahre 2000 gilt für in Deutschland geborene Kinder ausländischer Eltern das Geburtsortprinzip (ius soli). Dazu muss mindestens ein Elternteil seit acht Jahren rechtmäßig seinen gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt in Deutschland haben und zum Zeitpunkt der Geburt ein unbefristetes Aufenthaltsrecht besitzen. ”

      They define an unlimited residence right as either permanent residency, the Dauerhaft-EU residency or freedom of movement (i.e. EU citizen).

      Hope that helps.
      Kathleen

      Reply
  16. Seungtaik Hwang says

    September 19, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    How can I leave a comment here?

    Reply
  17. Annabel Llamado says

    September 29, 2018 at 5:56 am

    Hi,
    I have a baby from my German boyriend and he acknowledged the paternity and its authorized from the local registry here in the Philippines..Can my baby can get a visa to to to Germany? And as a mother can i stay in Germany and share the responsibilities to my boyfriend? Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      October 25, 2018 at 1:12 pm

      Contact the German consulate in the Phillippines to find out more about this process and whether you and your baby can go and live in Germany with your boyfriend. Cheers and congratulations!

      Reply
  18. Lily says

    October 14, 2018 at 11:02 pm

    Hi
    Am pregnant with my first child,and i have an italian permit of stay, but am planning to have my baby in Germany,and the father of my baby is italian,is it possible for me to have my baby in Germany and my baby get a German passport

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      October 25, 2018 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Lily. Read the blog post above this comment to find out more about this situation. Cheers, Kathleen.

      Reply
  19. CM says

    October 24, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    Hi,
    I have Niederlassungserlaubnis und we will get our baby in April 2019. I live in Germany since 6 years and half. Is their any chance to get my baby German citizenship ?
    Your help would be great appreciate.
    Thank you very much in advanced !

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      October 25, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      Congratulations on your pending arrival! If one of the baby’s parents is German, your baby can get citizenship immediately after birth. If not, you’ll have to wait until one of the parents have been in the country for 8 years and is eligible for permanent residency (it seems you already have permanent residency). But by the time your baby comes around next year and you get through all the Kindergeld, Elterngeld and Kita paperwork, you’ll probably find that your 8-year residency has flown by. I wish you all the best!

      Reply
  20. Audrey says

    November 8, 2018 at 11:32 pm

    Hello, I have a daughter with a German guy and she is currently 12 years old. She was born and living in South Africa for her entire life. Is she entitled (by law) to get a German citizenship even after she turns 18 years old?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      November 12, 2018 at 11:34 am

      Lots of unknowns here, I suggest you talk to an immigration lawyer about her chances of getting German citizenship. Good luck!

      Reply
  21. Mustaq says

    November 9, 2018 at 4:52 pm

    two weeks ago, my wife gave birth to a cute baby girl, we are actually from India and i have been living in germany since 2012 ( 6 years ) with Permenant residency, in german it says Niederlassungerlaubnis.
    Now, the staatamt said, they can not give German citizenship to our baby
    my question is next year2019 probably i am eligible for german citizen, can i also apply for german citizen for my baby at the same time?

    thank you in advance

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      November 12, 2018 at 12:22 pm

      Hi Mustaq,
      Congratulations! When you go for your citizenship interview, please ask about this, but I don’t think it will be possible in 2019 for your baby. I think you have to have lived in Germany for 8 years at the time of her birth for your baby to obtain citizenship automatically through birth, and at the time of her birth, you were only here for 6 years. Still, worth asking about your options at your meeting, as I’m not qualified in Einbürgerungsrecht in the slightest! Cheers, Kathleen

      Reply
  22. Aziz abdulai says

    February 20, 2019 at 11:47 am

    I am in Germany since 2012 with no residents permit but I am having a baby with an African woman with residents permit of 3 years ,so my question is did I also qualify for residents permit in Germany?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      February 27, 2019 at 6:46 pm

      I can’t answer that, sorry, I’d ask a lawyer to find out for sure! Good luck!

      Reply
  23. Chris says

    March 1, 2019 at 8:38 am

    I have a I have Italian permanent permit and my children were born and living in Germany, how is their chances to get German citizenship.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      March 11, 2019 at 11:02 pm

      Hi Chris, an Italian permanent residence permit isn’t going to get your child German citizenship. If your children were eligible for German citizenship at birth, chances are the Standesamt would have let you know automatically. To be absolutely sure, talk to an immigration lawyer. Cheers, Kathleen

      Reply
  24. Arjun says

    March 2, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    I am married and registered in Burgerarmed but I don’t like to take it further instead cancel and take all the documents back from Burgararmed. How can I take documents back?

    Reply
  25. Luzi says

    March 11, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    We are in thre process of divorcing
    With my ex German . In few weeks I will be a mother and would like to know how possible it is for my child to have his biological fathers name on the birth certificate .And is it possible for the biological father of my Child to come to Germany since he resides in Africa.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      March 11, 2019 at 10:55 pm

      There are too many unknowns for me to answer these questions on a forum, Luzi! In any case, I’d recommend you get the answers you need from an immigration lawyer. Good luck!

      Reply
  26. Greg Omon says

    March 12, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    Hello,

    My wife and I are both Nigerians, visited Germany when my wife was pregnant. During our visit as tourist, she had some issues with her pregnancy and following a doctor’s advise, she had to stay back in Germany to deliver our son( her visa was extended to cover the duration of her stay). After delivery, my wife returned back to Nigeria with our son. This happened since 2015. What is the possibility that our son who was issued a German birth certificate will ever be given the rights to German citizenship in the future.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      April 3, 2019 at 9:40 pm

      For your son to gain citizenship by birth, you would have had to have been in Germany for at least 8 years lawfully at the time of his birth. It doesn’t sound like that was the case. It might be possible for him to get citizenship if he lives in Germany, and one of his parents also lives in Germany and has had permanent residency (settlement permit) for at least 3 years or has lived in Germany for 8 years lawfully. It doesn’t sound like that’s the case at the moment, but it might be in the future. This article has some good information. Cheers, Kathleen

      Reply
  27. Ali says

    March 18, 2019 at 2:56 am

    Hi KATHLEEN PARKER,
    I am a master student in Germany since 2016. my wife came in 2018 on study visa. but we both are living in different states in Germany due to our universities therefore, we didn’t register our marriage here.
    1. Is it possible to register marriage in my or in city because with both have different city registration.
    2. my wife is pregnant too. so what are the benefits for pregnant student.
    I hope to hear from you soon. thank in advance.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      April 4, 2019 at 11:32 am

      1. Yes, you can register your marriage even if you live in different states.
      2. Congratulations! I’m not quite sure what you mean by benefits for pregnant student. Are you talking about child allowance, parental allowance etc? If so, that would be a very long conversation. Let me know if you’d like a coaching, but you might also find that your respective universities offer the same type of help to students for free.

      Reply
  28. Kay says

    March 29, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    Hi there,
    So I’m a German citizen, born and raised there.
    I have a 2 year old child who was born in Australia. I was told by the consulate that she cannot enter Germany without her German passport.
    However, I have to send her to Germany with my mother due to personal circumstances.
    And it is urgent… Would you know if she, in fact, cannot enter Germany on her Australian passport alone? And then apply for her passport and other documents at our local Bürgeramt once there.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      April 4, 2019 at 11:44 am

      I assume this has already been resolved as my reply isn’t immediate. I have to say, I am not 100% sure but I think it is possible, because I recently accompanied a citizen of another country who was also German to the Bürgeramt to apply for his German passport and ID card. I hope it worked out! -Kathleen

      Reply
  29. Chichi says

    April 23, 2019 at 9:47 am

    Hi,
    Can i apply for a child’s german passport a month after birth? We are foreigners but my husband has a permanent residence in Germany, and i am 11months in germany and also expecting my baby soon. Is it possible to get the german passport for the child to enable us travel after two months of birth?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      April 23, 2019 at 9:16 pm

      Hi Chichi, I did this successfully for my baby – she was born in August and we travelled 5 weeks later – it just depends on how quickly you get the birth certificate, which also depends on how quickly your district’s Standesamt issues it. My baby was born in Berlin-Mitte, which is about as slow as it gets. Once you’ve got the birth certificate and you get signed consent from the other parent and a photo (eyes open, mouth shut – harder than it looks!), you can get a Kinderreisepass on the spot when you visit the Bürgeramt. Kinderreisepass (child’s passport) are good enough travel documents for some countries (e.g. EU-area) but not good enough for all countries (e.g. US, Australia). Then you’d have to get a proper Reisepass, which would take longer. But you can pay more to get an express version, and then you’re looking at 72 hours turnaround.

      Reply
  30. Jherlitus Bautista says

    April 30, 2019 at 9:14 am

    Hi I am a filipina citizen with a german boyfriend. Currently I am visiting him for 3 months with a Schengen Visa. However, we flew back together last april and found out that I am pregnant with his child. Therefore, we both wanted to give birth here, raise and live together with the baby, but how could we do it when I have only a Schengen Visa. Eventually, we want to get married as well.
    Hoping for a positive response. thanks

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      June 3, 2019 at 3:18 pm

      Hi Jherlitus,

      That’s tricky. I would get in contact with an immigration lawyer for more detailed information about your situation. Good luck and I hope you have a smooth pregnancy! Kathleen

      Reply
  31. jonna marie barcelona says

    May 6, 2019 at 4:51 pm

    Dear Kathleen,

    I love reading inquiries and your replies really helped a lot. You give hope to those confused with their citizenship status,visa etc.. helped little babies to have a good future ahead of them. More power and might use red tape translation in near future.

    Good luck! 🙂

    Jo Barcelona

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      June 11, 2019 at 9:58 pm

      Well, thanks!

      Reply
  32. Nora Borngreat says

    May 14, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    Hi,
    I got pregnant from my German boyfriend while he was on a visit to Italy. 6 months later I moved to Germany and seeked asylum. And my son was born in Baden-Wurttemberg in 2016. When BAMF questioned me about my son’s father I didn’t know his whereabouts because I had last his only contact which was phone number. Considering it was just some one night stand that let to pregnancy. Now my son is almost 3 and his father called that he learnt I gave birth to his child. My question is this 1. If I declare his name on baby’s birth certificate with his consent will my child still be eligible for German citizenship after 3 years since his birth?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      June 11, 2019 at 10:41 pm

      I don’t know your baby’s status, I’m sorry. There are special rules for asylum cases and it’s not my area of expertise. I can only suggest you’d get the right answer from an immigration lawyer. But I hope for you that the answer is yes!

      Reply
  33. Daniel Aliu says

    May 30, 2019 at 6:06 am

    Hi my name is Daniel Aliu ,my baby was born in Germany and working too now for 4 and half years although am a refugee and still using temporary resident .my question is can I get German passport for my baby when am 8 years leaving in Germany and when I have obtain permanent resident.kindly reply thanks.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      June 11, 2019 at 10:29 pm

      Hi Daniel. Congratulations on the birth of your baby! No, as far as I understand it, that particular route wouldn’t be open to your child – you need to have lived in Germany for 8 years at the time of your child’s birth. But if you become a German citizen at one stage, there’s a possibility of your spouse and/or child becoming a German citizen with you, through discretionary or derivative naturalization. You can visit the Einbürgerungsamt to find out more about this. Cheers, Kathleen.

      Reply
  34. Tin says

    July 4, 2019 at 2:48 am

    I was born and went to school in Germany until the 6th Grade. I am registered as German in Standesamt but never had a German Passport. Can I still apply for a German Passport or is it too late? I am 39 years old right now.

    Reply
    • Tin says

      July 4, 2019 at 2:51 am

      I moved to the Philippines since 1993, I was still a minor and my parents who worked in germany for about 25 years decided to spend their retirement in the Philippines. They both had unlimited residence permit at the time.

      Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      July 4, 2019 at 8:01 am

      Hi Tin, if you are registered as German at the Standesamt, then yes, you can get a passport, it is not too late. There is no deadline. The only thing that might stand in your way is something along the lines of “the suspicion that you are acquriing a German passport to avoid criminal sentencing or maintenance obligations in another country”, etc. If you’re already in Germany, you go to the Bürgeramt wherever you are registered to apply for the passport. If you are overseas, you have to do it through the German Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence.

      Reply
  35. Cel says

    July 17, 2019 at 10:22 am

    How long does it normally take to get the confirmation letter from the auslanderbehorde that your child is eligible for German citizenship?
    I am British and have been working in Berlin for over 8 years, but I got my German citizenship 12 days after the birth of my son.
    He was born at the beginning of may and until now we have only received his birth certificate.

    Many Thanks

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      July 31, 2019 at 1:12 pm

      Hi Cel,

      The letter might come from the Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde responsible for your district. Keep in mind that this office is also responsible for a whole lotta Brexit naturalisation chaos right now, so it could simply be that you need to wait longer. However, if you’d like to follow it up, they can do a check to see if your baby is eligible for German citizenship. Here’s a list of district offices in Berlin.

      Reply
  36. Cel says

    August 16, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    Thank you so much for your help!

    Reply
  37. Amadou Leigh says

    August 21, 2019 at 11:37 am

    Hi i and my girlfriend we have our baby girl two weeks ago and my girlfriend lives in Germany for 18years and she had a German passport through adoption but until some months ago before the child birth she has little trouble with her passport and has to give out but she’s still waiting to get it back the chances are 50/50 but till now the child doesn’t have a birth certificate through her mother situation so is she eligible to get German citizenship r

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      September 6, 2019 at 11:54 am

      I have no idea, I’m sorry. It depends what the “trouble with her passport” was and whether she gets it back or not. It also depends on whether you are German and if so, whether she submits a formal acknowledgement of you as the father. So many unknowns! Maybe try talking to an immigration lawyer or a Stelle that offers free legal advice. Good luck with it all.

      Reply
  38. Jung says

    October 9, 2019 at 12:29 pm

    Hi, I have a permanent residency in Germany, I have been living in Germany since mid July 2012. We are due to our new baby on May 27th, 2019. Would that make up 8 years in total as we still lag behind one and half month untill July 12th of 2019. Would my baby get a German citizenshipt here ?

    Reply
    • Jung says

      October 9, 2019 at 12:34 pm

      Sorry, I would like to make a correction, our due date is My 27th 2020 (not 2019) and my 8 years of completion since I my arrival in Germany would be in July 12th, 2012,

      Reply
      • Kathleen Parker says

        October 14, 2019 at 8:22 am

        Hi Jung,
        To be honest, I am not really sure, but if your baby IS eligible for German citizenship at birth, you will get a letter within some weeks or a couple of months after the birth certificate is processed. Hope the pregnancy and birth goes well! Kathleen

        Reply
  39. Ada says

    December 14, 2019 at 8:48 pm

    Hi! Me and my boyfriend are Nigerians but he has a permanent resident permit in Germany and am in another EU country studying and am planing to give birth in Germany, is my baby eligible for Germany citizen since the father has a permanent resident permit.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      March 18, 2020 at 11:09 am

      Congratulations! Yes, your baby might be eligible for permanent residency if born in Germany and he is legally acknowledged as the father (since you’re not married, you should do a paternity acknowledgement in advance). If your baby is eligible for German citizenship, you’ll get a letter automatically.

      Reply
  40. Keysh says

    August 18, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    Hello, I am expecting a baby in March. I have lived in Germany legally for more than 8 years on a temporary permit but my husband is not german and does not live with me. Will my baby be eligible for citizenship ?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      August 20, 2020 at 7:09 am

      Are you eligible for permanent residency? (It sounds like you are, but I can’t be sure). And when you say you’re expecting a baby, that means you are the mother, yes? If so, this all sounds good to me for your baby getting German citizenship, regardless of what the father does or where he lives.

      Reply
  41. Anna lenz says

    September 9, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    Hello,

    My ex husband is German, and i live in germany since 9 years.

    Can i apply for permanent residence for myself because we have son ?

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      September 9, 2020 at 9:50 pm

      HI Anna! Maybe – there are too many unknowns to be certain whether you’d be eligible. E.g. do you have custody of your son? Is he still a child? Do you have pension contributions or access to your ex-husband’s pension contributions? Plus more factors. If you want to book a coaching, I’d be happy to help you figure it out further. –Kathleen

      Reply
  42. Najib says

    March 21, 2021 at 1:39 am

    Hello,
    I have been living in Germany for over 10 years now i have permanent residency visa and am eligible to apply for Germany citizenship buy due to missing documents i can’t apply, I’m married and my wife is in germany since 2018, our first child was born in 2019 and got German citizenship, and the second child was born few weeks ago but is not given the German citizenship status, can you please explain what is going on and what should be done.

    Sincerely

    Najib

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      April 28, 2021 at 9:11 pm

      Not without knowing more and even if I knew more, I think your best approach is to talk to an immigration lawyer. I can only rave about Juliane Linke. I hope you find out what’s changed!

      Reply
  43. Sunbul Javaid Carstensen says

    March 31, 2021 at 10:54 pm

    Hi,
    My husband is a German and I am a non-eu citizen and we both live and work in denmark (just at German border so we are in germnah to my husbands family all the time). Our marriage is registered in Denmark but so far we didn’t feel the need to get it registered in Germany (but we hope its not a problem because its generally valid through whole Europe?). We are soon having a baby and are interested in having dual nationality for our kid (because he will live in Denmark with us of course and I don’t need to apply for visas everytime they visit my home country).
    Can you please guide what to do in our case?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      April 28, 2021 at 8:58 pm

      Yes, your baby will probably get German citizenship, since its father and your husband is German, but there are some details you’d need to check first. I would recommend talking to the German Embassy in Copenhagen about what to do next and which documents to show. If you got married in Denmark, you can get an Apostille on your marriage certificate and then Germany will acknowledge it, but that might not be necessary since you’ll be dealing with the embassy in Denmark. Good luck! –Kathleen

      Reply
  44. Asani says

    January 30, 2022 at 9:39 pm

    Hi,
    Greetings!!!
    I and my wife have been living in Germany since more than 10 years. We are Indian citizens and have EU permanent residency. Last month we are blessed with a baby boy. We received a letter from standesamt that, he has acquired Germany citizenship by gem. $4 Absatz 3 Staatsangehörigkeitgesetzes.

    Is it compulsory to have German citizenship for our son? . Do we have option not to go for German citizenship and apply indian passport ?

    We have not yet applied for any passports. We want indian citizenship for our son.

    Reply
    • Kathleen Parker says

      February 23, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      Your son acquires German citizenship from birth and can still have Indian citizenship as well, so apply for the Indian citizenship and passport as planned. You don’t HAVE to get your son a German passport, but he’s a German citizen. And he can be an Indian citizen as well. For life. No decisions necessary at a later date.

      Reply

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