Reobtaining Citizenship

Reobtaining German Citizenship

Either Article 116 Para. 2 German Basic Law or Section 15 of the StAG may be the basis for a re-naturalization application due to restitution. Or,  you might be eligible to become a German citizen by declaration. Which law applies to you depends on the particular circumstances of your case and also where you reside.

Were you or your ancestors the victims of persecution during the Nazi era?
There could be a claim for German citizenship according to Article 116 Para. 2 of the Basic Law or the Section 15 StAG.

Were you born before 1975 in wedlock to a German mother and a foreign father but did not acquire German citizenship by birth?
If you reside abroad, you might be eligible make a declaration according to Section 5 StAG.

 
The scenarios above are examples only.  A decision by the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) and two decrees in 2019 which were ultimately codified in August 2021 expanded and further defined the eligibility requirements. Which regulation ultimately applies depends on your specific circumstance. Contact us for an initial consultation.