In the normal case, German citizenship is acquired by descent if at least one parent is a German citizen. Other grounds for the acquisition of German citizenship include naturalization and, since 2000, the acquisition of German nationality at birth by the children of foreign nationals born here if at least one parent has had his or her legitimate and habitual residence in Germany for the past eight (8) years.

Possession of German citizenship will be confirmed automatically in cases where the person is able to prove that he or she has been treated like a German citizen by the German public authorities for at least the past twelve (12) years without being personally responsible for this fact. This simplified procedure does not make it possible to determine the exact date of acquisition of German citizenship, which, however, is a prerequisite in many cases.

These cases necessitate an extensive declaratory procedure to investigate the actual descent or grounds for the acquisition of German citizenship (naturalization through acquisition of German nationality at birth by the children of foreign nationals born here after January 1st, 2000). If an investigation of descent is required, the applicant has to prove that he or she, or, where applicable, the person from whom he derives his or her descent, has been treated by the German public authorities like a German citizen at the latest since January 1st, 1950. This requires the presentation of the applicant's birth certificates and, where applicable, marriage certificates on a regular basis. In addition, the presentation of other official documents or other written evidence such as e.g. the parents' marriage certificate or divorce decree may be considered for that purpose. Moreover, every applicant has to plausibly demonstrate by which German public authorities his or her ancestors have ever been treated as Germans. For this purpose, the citizenship office will help the applicant in every respect and actively obtain information from other public authorities and organizations (e.g. registry offices, passport offices, civil registry offices, Wehrmacht German Armed Forces information offices, home country information offices, etc.).

Please submit your applications to the citizenship office (district administration authority). Pre-printed application forms are available from the district administration authorities (district administrator's office, autonomous town municipality). No official pre-printed form have been introduced. In his or her application for issuance of a citizenship certificate, the applicant has to enter all personal data and enclose the required official documents or other evidence.

If it is found that the application is in possession of German citizenship, the requested citizenship certificate will be issued.

Possession of German citizenship.

• Pre-printed application forms are available from every citizenship office (district administration authority)
• Official documents or other evidence required by the citizenship office (district administration authority)

  (e. g. birth certificate, parents' marriage certificate)

• Legal bases, Bavaria-wide: § 30 Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG)
• Legal bases, Bavaria-wide: Verordnung über die Zuständigkeit der Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörden
• Legal bases, Bavaria-wide: Allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschriften über Urkunden in Staatsangehörigkeitssachen (StAUrkVwV)

It is possible to file an appeal against a negative decision with the competent administrative court.

• Naturalization; Granting of German nationality to foreign nationals with an entitlement to naturalization
• Naturalization; Granting of German nationality to foreign nationals without entitlement to naturalization (i.e. naturalization by approval of the authorities or “discretionary naturalization”)
• Staatsangehörigkeit; Prüfung des Erwerbs der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit mit Geburt in Deutschland