Germany is one of the luckiest countries you can live in without losing citizenship to your homeland country. The German government recognizes the concept of multiple nationality, and if your home countries allow dual citizenship then the better. Some of the countries that allow dual citizenship include the USA, Australia, Canada, Serbia, Jamaica, South Africa, and Kenya. (The list is not limited to this as there are other countries in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Africa that allows it too).
So, how does the concept of multiple nationalities really apply in Germany? How does it come about? Well, here are some instances that dual citizenship can be enforced while in Germany:
- For children
Children that are born to families that have one parent as German national and the other one as a foreigner may retain the citizenship of both parents until their 18th birthday. In other words, these children will enjoy dual citizenship privileges until they are of legal age. In a condition that is natively referred to as Optionszwanggesetz, these children have up to five years after their 18th birthday to decide on which citizenship condition to keep.
The same conditions will apply to a child who is born of parents that became citizens of Germany by naturalization. For instance, if a child is born of parents who were originally Canadians, that child will retain both Canadian and German citizenship until their 23rd birthday to choose on where they want to belong.
- For adults
For children it is easier because their dual citizenship status is circumstantial. As for adults, it may not be so because they are expected to apply through a process known as Beibehaltunggesetz. It actually involves the process of taking another citizenship in addition to the German, and you want to retain the latter in the process. Another instance for adults may be a person of legal age with foreign citizenship applying for German citizenship. Well, the requirements include as follows:
If you want to take up on another foreign citizenship while still retaining your German citizenship you must show the following criteria:
- Having tight cordial ties with German which can be proven through furnishing the relevant authorities on information that can prove about your level of German knowledge, businesses and properties owned in Germany (original documentation to support), and a list of all your immediate relatives living in Germany, with their home addresses.
- Having evidence to show that the new citizenship status will act to your advantage and wellbeing in terms of studying, scholarship, or job. You must also prove that being a German citizen limits you considerably to achieve that.
- With foreign Citizenship applying for German
On this category, you may be allowed to retain the citizenship of your native country upon taking up on German citizenship. The topmost priority for people in this group is given to EU member state citizens and anyone who is 66 years of age or older and has meet all the criteria of obtaining German citizenship.
Some other instances that may put you into this category include but aren’t limited, to the following:
- When you come from a country that has no legally recognized process of renouncing citizenship or it blatantly refuses to renounce your citizenship.
- When losing your current citizenship can impact a loss of more than € 10.225,84.
- When you are on a political exile and your citizenship was acquired through Asylum.
- If you were born and grew up in Germany and your country wants you to undertake a mandatory civil service before renouncing the citizenship.
