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Can an American of German descent get a German passport?
If you do not have any family ties to Germany (i.e. none of your parents or grandparents were German citizens), then your only path to German citizenship is through the naturalization process. If you do have family ties, then you may be eligible to apply for German citizenship by descent.
Who qualifies for German citizenship by descent?
German Citizenship Through Descent
- You were born to married parents and your father was a German citizen.
- You were born on or after 1 January 1975 to married parents and either one of your parents was a German citizen.
- You were born to unmarried parents but your mother was a German citizen at the time of your birth.
Does Germany determine citizenship by bloodline?
In general, German citizenship is not established through birth on German territory but by descent from a German legal mother and/or a German legal father.
Can an American gain German citizenship?
Based on US and German law, you can have citizenship of both countries. Dual German/US citizenship can happen only when the child is born to one American and one German parent. If an American citizen applies for naturalization in Germany, the American will have to give up their US citizenship to obtain the German one.
Can you get German citizenship if your grandparents were German?
Many people whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were born in Germany qualify for German citizenship through descent. In essence you can reclaim your German citizenship by descent if: You have ancestors who had their citizenship taken away under Nazi rule on political, racial or religious grounds in 1938.
How does ancestry get German citizenship?
German citizenship is mainly acquired and passed on through descent from a German parent. The parent has to be German citizen at the time of the birth of the child. Children who are born to former German citizens do not acquire German citizenship.
How long does it take to get German citizenship by descent?
It can take as long as two or even three years to hear back about your citizenship status in Germany. We couldn’t stress the importance of making sure you’re eligible to apply, but if you’re absolutely sure and have connected all of the historical dots, you’re now ready to lodge the actual citizenship application.
What is the history of German immigration to America?
Chronology. 1850s – Nearly one million Germans immigrated to America in this decade, one of the peak periods of German immigration; in 1854 alone, 215,000 Germans arrived in this country. 1856 – Margaretha Meyer Schurz, a German immigrant and wife of Carl Schurz, established the first kindergarten in America…
What percentage of Americans have German ancestry?
German-Americans make up the largest percentage of the population in America today, with a whopping 17 percent referring to themselves in this ancestry group. The German language was actually freely spoken in this country at one time, although the consideration of German as the official language of the United States is really just a myth.
How do you become a German citizen by descent?
Obtaining German Citizenship. In general, German citizenship is not established through birth on German territory but by descent from a German legal mother and/or a German legal father.
Is it possible to trace your German ancestry?
Tracing your German ancestry can be an interesting and even exciting journey into German history. This prominent ethnic group has made a place for itself in the United States, bringing many traditions and cultural influences to this country as well.