Germany citizenship: required documents
The documents you'll gather for Germany citizenship by descent, by route and by ancestor. Your exact list is generated from your lineage in the wizard.
§4 Feststellung (determination)
Prove the unbroken German line and apply to the BVA for a determination of German citizenship (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis).
You
- •Birth certificate
- •Current US Passport Copy
- •BVA Application Form (Antrag auf Feststellung — Form F)
Each ancestor in the chain
- •Birth certificate
- •Marriage certificate — if_married
- •Death certificate (if applicable) — if_deceased
- •Adoption certificate / order (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Amended birth certificate (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Name connection / spelling-variation proof (if applicable) — if_has_name_changes
Your qualifying ancestor
- •Birth certificate
- •Marriage certificate — if_married
- •Death certificate (if applicable) — if_deceased
- •Adoption certificate / order (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Amended birth certificate (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Name connection / spelling-variation proof (if applicable) — if_has_name_changes
- •Full Naturalization Packet — if_immigrated
- •German Identity Document (Pre-Emigration) (if applicable)
- •USCIS Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE)
- •NARA Passenger Arrival Records (if applicable) — if_immigrated
- •NARA Letter of Negative Search
§5 StAG declaration
The §5 declaration route for descendants affected by historical gender/legitimacy discrimination (deadline 19 Aug 2031).
You
- •Birth certificate
- •Current US Passport Copy
- •§5 StAG Declaration Form (EER + Anlage_EER + AV)
- •Criminal Background Check (FBI Identity History Summary)
Each ancestor in the chain
- •Birth certificate
- •Marriage certificate — if_married
- •Death certificate (if applicable) — if_deceased
- •Adoption certificate / order (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Amended birth certificate (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Name connection / spelling-variation proof (if applicable) — if_has_name_changes
Your qualifying ancestor
- •Birth certificate
- •Marriage certificate — if_married
- •Death certificate (if applicable) — if_deceased
- •Adoption certificate / order (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Amended birth certificate (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Name connection / spelling-variation proof (if applicable) — if_has_name_changes
- •Full Naturalization Packet — if_immigrated
- •German Identity Document (Pre-Emigration) (if applicable)
- •USCIS Certificate of Non-Existence (CONE)
- •NARA Passenger Arrival Records (if applicable) — if_immigrated
- •NARA Letter of Negative Search
Art. 116(2) restitution
Restoration of citizenship stripped from Nazi-persecuted ancestors (and their descendants), via the BVA §15 / Art. 116(2) route.
You
- •Birth certificate
- •Current US Passport Copy
- •Article 116(2) / §15 Application Form (E15/A or E15_K/A_K + AV)
- •Criminal Background Check (FBI Identity History Summary)
Each ancestor in the chain
- •Birth certificate
- •Marriage certificate — if_married
- •Death certificate (if applicable) — if_deceased
- •Adoption certificate / order (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Amended birth certificate (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Name connection / spelling-variation proof (if applicable) — if_has_name_changes
Your qualifying ancestor
- •Birth certificate
- •Marriage certificate — if_married
- •Death certificate (if applicable) — if_deceased
- •Adoption certificate / order (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Amended birth certificate (if applicable) — if_adopted
- •Name connection / spelling-variation proof (if applicable) — if_has_name_changes
- •German Identity Document (Pre-Emigration) (if applicable)
- •Nazi Persecution Evidence (if applicable)
- •NARA Passenger Arrival Records (if applicable) — if_immigrated
See if you qualify for Germany citizenship
Check your eligibility — freeNot affiliated with BVA Cologne or any government. A document-organization tool, not legal advice — always verify with the relevant authority.