Former German citizens who between 30 January 1933 and 8 May 1945 were deprived of their citizenship on political, racial, or religious grounds are entitled to (re-)Naturalisation. This also applies to their descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren) if those would have become German citizens if their ancestor had not been deprived of his or her German citizenship.

The application forms are available on the website of the German Federal Office of Administration.

Please note that the whole application process must be conducted in German language.

On August 30, 2019, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building, and Community issued two comprehensive decrees to create more generous options for acquiring citizenship under Section 14 of the Nationality Act for the benefit of descendants of the victims of National Socialism whose forebears lost their German citizenship amid the National Socialist persecution and were not entitled to have it restored under Art. 116 (2) of the Basic Law (Press Release of the Federal Ministry of the Interior).

Those who stand to benefit from the decrees include:

1. Children born in wedlock before April 1, 1953, to German mothers whose citizenship had been revoked and foreign fathers;
2. Children born out of wedlock before July 1, 1993, to German fathers whose citizenship had been revoked and foreign mothers;
3. Children, irrespective of the date of birth, whose German parent acquired foreign citizenship prior to February 26, 1955, and lost their German citizenship amid the National Socialist persecution occurring between January 30, 1933, and May 8, 1945. This includes:

• A father or mother who had lost German citizenship amid National Socialist persecution by obtaining foreign citizenship (naturalization) before February 26, 1955
• A mother who had lost German citizenship before April 1, 1953 (Section 17, No. 7 of the former Imperial and State Nationality Law) through marriage to a foreign or stateless man

This path to citizenship is also open to descendants of these children up to a generational cut-off date pursuant to Section 4 (4) of the Nationality Act.

Please observe this cut-off date. Accordingly, the first generation born abroad after December 31, 1999, will be the last to be able to acquire citizenship more easily. Their minor children who are born before the transitional deadline on December 31, 2020, can acquire citizenship along with their parents if the application for citizenship is filed before January 1, 2021.

For this group of people, easier requirements for citizenship apply. Only basic German language skills and basic knowledge of the legal and social order and the prevailing living standards in Germany are necessary.

For further information, visit the website of the Central Service Agency of the Federal Government at: Website of the Federal Office of Administration.

If you have any questions, please contact the competent German foreign Mission.

New: The German Bundestag and Bundesrat adopted the Fourth Act Amending the Nationality Act on August 20, 2021 giving victims of the Nazi regime and their descendants the option of acquiring German citizenship under Section 15 of the Nationality Act, subject to the persecution also leading to disadvantages regarding citizenship rights.

For further information, visit the website of the Central Service Agency of the Federal Government at: Website of the Federal Office of Administration.

The Fourth Act Amending the Nationality Act, which entered into force on 20 August 2021, has created a ten-year right of declaration (Section 5 of the Nationality Act), granting children born to a German parent after 23 May 1949 (entry into force of the Basic Law) who, under the version of the Reich and Nationality Act valid at the time of their birth, were excluded in a gender-discriminating manner from acquiring German citizenship by descent at birth have the option of obtaining German citizenship by making a simple declaration to the competent citizenship authority. The option of acquisition by declaration also applies to their descendants.

The group of persons affected includes

1. children born after 23 May 1949 to a German parent who did not acquire German nationality by birth (children born in wedlock prior to 1 January 1975 to a German mother and a foreign father or children born out of wedlock prior to 1 July 1993 to a German father and a foreign mother),
   
2. children born after 23 May 1949 to a mother who lost her German citizenship through marriage to a foreigner pursuant to Section 17 (6) of the Reich and Nationality Act (old version) before the birth of the child prior to 1 April 1953,
3. children born after 23 May 1949 who lost their German nationality acquired by birth through legitimation effected by a foreigner and valid under German law pursuant to Section 17 (5) of the Reich and Nationality Act (old version) prior to 1 April 1953, and
4. descendants of the children in paragraphs 1 to 3.
   

More information on this topic can be found here.

Please bear in mind that this path to citizenship is available only until the generational cut-off date under Section 4 (4) of the Nationality Act. This means that the first generation born abroad after December 31, 1999, will be the last to be able to take advantage of this option to acquire citizenship.

The application is to be handed in with the Federal Office of Administration through the responsible German Mission. Charges apply.

The Fourth Act Amending the Nationality Act, which entered into force on 20 August 2021, has created a ten-year right of declaration (Section 5 of the Nationality Act), granting children born to a German parent after 23 May 1949 (entry into force of the Basic Law) who, under the version of the Reich and Nationality Act valid at the time of their birth, were excluded in a gender-discriminating manner from acquiring German citizenship by descent at birth have the option of obtaining German citizenship by making a simple declaration to the competent citizenship authority. The option of acquisition by declaration also applies to their descendants.

The group of persons affected includes

1. children born after 23 May 1949 to a German parent who did not acquire German nationality by birth (children born in wedlock prior to 1 January 1975 to a German mother and a foreign father or children born out of wedlock prior to 1 July 1993 to a German father and a foreign mother),
   
2. children born after 23 May 1949 to a mother who lost her German citizenship through marriage to a foreigner pursuant to Section 17 (6) of the Reich and Nationality Act (old version) before the birth of the child prior to 1 April 1953,
3. children born after 23 May 1949 who lost their German nationality acquired by birth through legitimation effected by a foreigner and valid under German law pursuant to Section 17 (5) of the Reich and Nationality Act (old version) prior to 1 April 1953, and
4. descendants of the children in paragraphs 1 to 3.
   

More information on this topic can be found here.

Please bear in mind that this path to citizenship is available only until the generational cut-off date under Section 4 (4) of the Nationality Act. This means that the first generation born abroad after December 31, 1999, will be the last to be able to take advantage of this option to acquire citizenship.

The application is to be handed in with the Federal Office for Administration through the responsible German Mission. Charges apply.

Former German citizens who lost their citizenship less then 12 years ago by applying for a non-German citizenship and are not in possession of a special permit to retain their German citizenship (Beibehaltungsgenehmigung) can apply for re-naturalization. Prerequisits are among others very good German language skills as well as continuing close connections to Germany.

The application for naturalization is to be handed in with the Federal Office for Administration through the responsible German Mission. Charges apply.

Persons, who lost their German citizenship by applying for citizenship of another EU Country or Switzerland, and who have their regular residence in the European Union or Switzerland can be re-naturalized. This also applies to minors who can re-naturalized together with a parent.

The application for re-naturalization is to be handed in with the Federal Office for Administration through the responsible German Mission. Charges apply.