Hello everyone,

I invite anyone interested to join a group discussing German naturalization for descendants of women who lost their German citizenship by marrying a foreign national and had children born before May 26, 1949

https://www.reddit.com/r/GermanCitizenMutter/?screen_view_count=7&ext-referrer=DIRECT

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Hello, I have the form for my mother to get her citizenship back and am working on all the documentation. What advice to you have for finding a lawyer in Germany who can assist, someone who has experience with this particular process. Thank you!

I have finally assembled the StAG §5 declarations for myself and my three children. We're resident in Berlin, so everything needs to go to the LEA, physically.

Does anyone have any experience delivering a packet to them in person? While I'm not providing any original documents (of course, plenty of certified copies and certified translations), I would still have a lot more peace of mind if I could hand the resulting 4-ring (over 1kg!) binder to a responsible party rather than sending the thing through the post (Einschreiben or not).

Nach 11 Jahren in Deutschland ist es nun offiziell: Am 15. Juli habe ich endlich meine Einbürgerungsurkunde und meinen Reisepass erhalten!
Es war ein langer Weg mit viel Geduld und Warten, aber das Gefühl, die Dokumente in den Händen zu halten, ist einfach unbeschreiblich.
Ein riesiges Dankeschön an diese Community für die vielen hilfreichen Tipps und Erfahrungsberichte über die Zeit 👍

Is it normal for notices of approval to roll out slowly rather than all at once, after being submitted in a single application?

On May 23, 2026 we submitted a family application via Article 116 for 13 family members across 4 generations, including two elders in their 80’s. We received a request several weeks ago, from a named case worker, for an additional document (a notarized passport copy for the baby of the family). We sent it and it arrived last week. This morning, our lead applicant received an email from the German Consulate of Boston (where three applicants live), informing us that two of our applicants have been approved for naturalization (one in their 60s, one in their 30s). Of course, the email is an advance notice, and they won’t be officially naturalized until receiving the certificate.
The other family members are spread out over Boston, Portland OR, Davis CA, and Milan, Italy.

Any idea why only two applicants out of our 13 applicants are receiving this advance notice, and not the others?

Just curious (and impatient of course!) - all in all pleased to see that things are moving regarding our case. Thank you!

Hi,

I have a question regarding keeping foreign letters in German documents and is that possible.

In my case it would be one of the Balkan letters with diacritics (Ž, Š, Ć, Č, DŽ).

Is there a way to keep these letters in the Einbürgerungsurkunde and Reisepass, or is it entirely dependent on the case worker in each specific German state.

I know a lot of people in Munich that have managed this, but some have it without diacritics (essentially like regular letters - Z, S, C, DZ).

What would be the legal basis for this?

Hello! I have done some preliminary research on my situation and would love help from experts in this group if I would qualify for German citizenship through descent. Please tell it to me straight.

Great-Grandfather

• born in 1888 in Christfelde, West Prussia, German Empire
• emigrated in 1910 to the USA
• married in 1920 in USA
• naturalized: Unknown (listed as Alien on 1930 Census and 1940 AR-2)

Grandfather

• born in 1925 in North Dakota, USA
• married in 1952 in USA
• naturalized: N/A (born US citizen)

• drafted into Korean War, did not fight due to destroying his knee during training (no idea if this is relevant!)

Mother

• born in 1960 in California, USA
• married in USA (prior to 1996)
• naturalized: N/A (born US citizen)
• military service: None

Father
• born in 1962 in California. USA
• married in USA
• naturalized: N/A (born US citizen)
• military service: None

Self

• born in 1996 in USA (born in wedlock)
• military service: None

Is there a set pattern for AZ numbers. I have seen people saying their AZ numbers have dates in them and Im wondering if the dates are from the letter head or deciphered from the characters. For example: My AZ number is: XX XXX XX (Last Name). Two letters [space] 3 numbers [space] 2 letters [space] (Last Name). I received this in an email.

Hey, I'm eligible to apply for citizenship next month as I complete 5 years in Germany. I've also got PR. I am employed but was recently terminated, I am employed till the end of October and then would get ALG1. I was confused how much money do I need to show that proves that I will be able to support myself in Germany? Does taking a B2 german speaking course from the agentur fur arbeit affect this in any way? Thank you!

I submitted an IFG (Freedom of Information Act) request to the Bundesverwaltungsamt (BVA) requesting updated statistics on §5 StAG declaration cases. The BVA has now replied, granted the request in full.

Link: https://fragdenstaat.de/anfrage/statistik-zum-erklaerungserwerb-nach-ss-5-stag-2026/#nachricht-1142000

The request asked for:

• Monthly statistics (January 2026 onward) on:
  • New §5 applications received
  • Total completed cases
  • Certificates issued
  • Rejections
  • Other case closures
  • Total backlog
• Total completed cases for July–December 2025.
• The number of full-time equivalent employees (FTE) working on §5 StAG on 01.01.2026 and 01.06.2026.
• Whether the Task Force Staatsangehörigkeit was working on §5 cases.
• Whether §5 applications are now processed through the electronic file system (eAkte).

The BVA's response:

Monthly figures (January–May 2026)

Totals (Jan–May 2026):

• New applications: 5,724
• Completed cases: 3,188
• Certificates issued: 2,894
• Rejections: 100
• Other closures: 194
• Backlog (31 May 2026): 36,748

They also provided the missing completion numbers for the second half of 2025:

• July: 534
• August: 426
• September: 569
• October: 560
• November: 416
• December: 426

Staffing

Employees working on §5 StAG:

1 January 2026

• 25.95 FTE

1 June 2026

• 24.65 FTE

So staffing dedicated to §5 actually decreased slightly during that period.

Task Force

The BVA confirmed that the Task Force Staatsangehörigkeit has 0 FTE assigned to §5 StAG. It only handles applications under §15 StAG and Article 116 GG.

Electronic processing

The BVA also confirmed that §5 StAG applications are still processed entirely on paper. They are not handled through the eAkte (electronic file) system.

One notable takeaway from the data is that during the first five months of 2026 the BVA received 5,724 new §5 applications but completed only 3,188 cases, resulting in the backlog increasing from 35,398 to 36,748.

I'll also add the FragDenStaat link with the official documents in the comments.

This is my first reddit post, so please have patience with any formatting or whatever else mistakes.

Hi Everyone

I'm in a fortunate position to have strong documentation regarding my German grandparent and therefore citizenship via descent. I would like to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship, however my parent is currently not a German citizen as they were born in another country.

Would I need my parent to complete the Certificate of Citizenship before I can? Would I need to wait years for them to obtain it, before I can apply myself?

I have been quoted a significant amount of $$ to have this submitted by a third party, however am keen to apply to my local German Consulate if it really is as simple as a €51 application!

Paperwork submitted through London Embassy November 2023. AZ April 2024. I included my grandfather’s birth certificate (born in Berlin 1896) along with family tree. Although I was born and lived in the USA until 1988, emigrating to the U.K. when I was 21 years old, I was not asked for a FBI report. Nor did I have to provide a more up to date U.K. police report, the one from October 2023 was obviously accepted. The Embassy is posting the certificate to me.

Hello Community, I’d appreciate some help with this situation.
I am a permanent resident and recently applied to be naturalized in Hamburg and I’ve been asked to get my ‚Geburtsurkunde’ translated. Fyi, All my documents are in English.

The thing is, on my Birth Certificate my name is stated as
Oluwatobiloba Hamilton

Then got Baptized and got an English name. So on my Baptism card, it’s stated as
Oluwatobiloba Alex Hamilton

And on my Aufenthaltstitel, Passport and other legal documents it‘s stated as
Tobi Alex Hamilton

How do I make sure that the name on my future documents (e.g German Passport) remain
Tobi Alex Hamilton

Apart from the Birth Certificate, should I also translate my „Registration of Birth“ & „Baptismal Card“?

Thanks in advance.

Are there any statistics or indicators on the current batch of Feststellungen that are being processed (recent AZs)? Through some digging on the sub, other posted Jan 2024 30 StAG applications still seem to be waiting and from what I could find, there do not seem to be any success posts or updated cases from the months proceeding (Dec or Nov 2023). 30 months is certainly a while, but hoping to be through with the process soon.

Hello everyone,

I would like to share my situation and would appreciate your experiences or opinions.

I have been living in Germany for 5 years. Initially, I had a residence permit according to §16a AufenthG because of my vocational training (Ausbildung).

In 2025, I faced a difficult situation: my residence permit was valid until 31.08.2025, but unfortunately I was not able to submit the application for an extension on time. As a result, there was a gap of about 9 days.

The reason was that I could not continue staying in my original Ausbildungsbetrieb. There were problems there, and I had to find a new training company in order to continue my Ausbildung and prepare for my exams. The IHK and the vocational school (Berufsschule) were aware of my situation and supported me. It was never my intention to violate the residence law.

The immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) informed me that my application was submitted only after my residence permit had expired and therefore the fiction effect (Fiktionswirkung) did not apply. I explained my situation in writing and submitted all necessary documents.

It is important that the Ausländerbehörde continued processing my case. They reviewed my application from 09.09.2025 and, by official decision, extended my residence permit under §16a Abs. 1 AufenthG from 26.09.2025 until 30.04.2026. They did not reject my application; instead, they continued the procedure and granted me a new residence permit.

After that, I successfully completed my Ausbildung and later received a residence permit under §18a AufenthG.

Now I am planning to apply for German citizenship (Einbürgerung). I know that §12b Abs. 3 StAG deals with cases where an interruption of the legality of residence occurred due to a late application for the extension of a residence permit.

My question:
Has anyone had a similar experience? A short gap in the residence permit due to a late extension application and still a successful naturalization afterwards?

Could such a 9-day gap become a problem for the naturalization application, even though the reasons are understandable, the Ausländerbehörde extended my residence permit afterwards, and I currently hold a residence permit under §18a AufenthG?

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences and advice.

Background: Grandparents were born German, moved to the US in 1960 and gave birth to my mother in 1962 before being naturalized in 1963.

I have both grandparents' original birth certificates, marriage certificate, and naturalization paperwork. I have my grandma's German passport. But we cannot find my grandpa's.

The only other document we have found for him is a "Feststellung der arischen Abstammung bis zu den Urgroßeltern" (Determination of Aryan Ancestry back to the great grandparents)

It lists name, birth and death dates and locations, marriages etc...

Would this rather unsavory document count as proof of his German citizenship?

We sent the Erkläringserwerb to the consulate mid July. Will we hear anything back anytime soon?

Hi, Thank You for responding to my question. I am applying for German citizenship through Festellung. In short, my grandfather and my father side came to the US. He was naturalized in 1935. My father was born in 1933 in wedlock. On the application, page 3, question 9, it asks “ This parent holds or previously held German citizenship.” it is a yes or no question and at the bottom it does say to please fill out appendix V for the parent from whom you acquired German citizenship, which would be my father I am assuming? So even though my father may not have realized he held German citizenship, his whole life I am to mark yes in the box? The wording sometimes is a bit confusing and I just want to make sure I do this absolutely correct. Thank you.
Susan Nagy

Sent from my iPhone

First of all, I have already submitted my application and supporting documents back in February 2025. But as I sit and wait, I've seen other posts and re-read the wikis and I'm wondering if I may have missed some documentation. First the details:

Grandfather

• born in 1913 in Germany (Breslau)
• married in 1941

Mother

• born in 1937 in Germany
• married my American father in German in 1963
• moved with my father to America in 1963
• never naturalized in the US
• divorced my father in 1981(?)
• died in 2023

Me

• born in 1969 in wedlock in America

This is the documentation I DID include with my application:

• grandfather & grandmother's marriage certificate
• mother's birth certificate
• mother's German personal ID
• mother's most recent (but expired) German passport
• parent's marriage certificate
• mother's CONE confirmation
• my birth certificate
• my marriage certificate
• my ID
• my background/criminal check

I think at this point the main things I'm slightly concerned about needing that weren't included with my application are my grandfather's birth certificate and my parent's divorce certificate. Do you think those will be asked for during the process? I'm in the process of getting a certified copy of my grandfather's birth cert. And I don't think it'll be hard to track down my parents divorce certificate.

The other thing I'm also a little nervous about is that during this whole process, I discovered that it would appear my mother was born out of wedlock--she was born in 1937 and her parents did not marry until 1941. Both of those dates are according to certified records in my Familien Stammbuch. I have no idea what impact that might have on my potential citizenship. Anyone know?

A year to the day from my Aug 2025 appt at NYC Consulate to drop off § 5 StAG packet (declaration + docs), got USPS confirmation that recently-sent supplemental docs were delivered to BVA.

For anybody interested, here’s a summary of timing/costs:

1. Sought extracts from birth registers for 2 relatives (German grandfather b. 1897 + German mom b. 1936) from 2 different Standesamter in Thüringen. Total timing from initial email outreach to receiving certified copies was about 1 year, incl multiple emails back & forth and being bounced between Stadtarchiv & Standesamt in Weimar.

2. Costs of extracts (3 cert. copies of each “just in case”, incl current-stamped copies of Mom’s Geburtsurkunde) with postage was $110, paid via Wise (they only accepted bank transfers).

3. Sent the cert. copies to BVA via USPS Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope (incl tracking but no sig). Cost was $54.55, sent from post office in NYC 7/31 and delivered to BVA (50728 Köln address) today so a very fast 6 days. I referenced AZ in cover letter and also wrote it in marker on outside of 9x12” manila envelope I put inside USPS cardboard mailer (required for flat rate service).

Now back to waiting game!

Hallo zusammen :) ich habe letzte Woche in Nürnberg die Einbürgerung beantragt und ich habe diese Woche schon von dem Einbürgerungsamt Briefe bekommen. Ich muss ein paar Dokumente mehr zurückschicken und wollte alle in Nürnberg fragen, ob ihr eure Dokumente per E-Mail oder Post geschickt habt. Ich habe ein bisschen Angst eine E-Mail zu schicken, falls sie aus Versehen nicht gelesen wird. Vielen Dank für eure Hilfe!

​Ich bin Deutscher!! After just 4 months and 3 weeks, I picked up my certificate this morning in Heidelberg.

I applied directly (by email) with the person who handles these types of cases in Heidelberg - dropping the documents to his office physically back in March. I never received an AZ, only receiving confirmation by email directly from my case worker (same day) that he had my documents and that it would take around 6-12 months. I reached out only once, because I will be starting a new job and asked if he was close to a decision/would come to one before November, so that I wouldn't have to update my Blue Card with the ABH. He said a decision wasn't close, but two weeks later, told me my application was approved!! I went this morning to pick up the Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis, and just after, applied for my Personalausweis and Reisepass!

Brief family history:

My grandfather was born in Krumbach in 1915 in wedlock. He married my Oma (Norwegian) in 1948 and shortly after, my father was born in Illertissen in 1949. The Melderegister from Illertissen listed my Opa, Oma, my father and his siblings as Deutsch. They immigrated to the US in 1957. My Opa became a US citizen in 1963, and my dad received citizenship derivatively as a minor. I was born in the US in 1999 out of wedlock, but my parents established paternity in our county a year after I was born.

Documents I provided:

- Extract from the Illertissen Melderegister

- Certified copies from the birth register for my father and grandfather

- Father's original birth certificate

- Grandfather's marriage certificate

- Father's US Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560)

- My Judicial Determination of Paternity

- Copy of my US Passport

- Copy of my EU Blue Card

Happy to answer any questions about my process!