German Citizenship Application by Descent

Around 45 million U.S. citizens have German roots, and millions more people of German ancestry live in Canada, Brazil, Australia, and many other parts of the world.
Many of them may be eligible for German citizenship by descent.

In addition, individuals who were persecuted or threatened by the Nazi regime, as well as their descendants, may be entitled to German citizenship under Article 116 (2) of the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) (so-called reparatory naturalization). People who lost their citizenship for various reasons may also be eligible to regain it under § 15 of the German Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz – StAG). Applications for determination of German citizenship are submitted to the
Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt – BVA).

How We Can Assist You

We can support you with the genealogical and administrative aspects of your citizenship application by:

Explaining the general application process and providing an initial, non-binding assessment of whether an application might be promising in your case.
Researching and obtaining the necessary civil and historical records about your ancestors (such as birth, marriage, and residency documents).
Ensuring that all documents are certified and translated in the format required by the Federal Office of Administration.

Note: We are not a law firm and do not provide legal representation or legal advice.
Our services are purely informational, genealogical, and administrative in nature.

Interested in Learning More?

If you’d like to know whether we can assist you with your research,
please request a non-binding offer — we’ll respond within 24 hours.

Helpful Official Resources

For applicants applying based on descent

For applicants applying under Article 116 (2) of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) or § 15 of the German Nationality Act (StAG)