Germany's Citizenship by Descent

Generally, citizenship is passed down through parents (1st generation) if the parent was a German citizen at the time of the child's birth+However, there are special provisions for descendants of those persecuted by the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945. In these cases there is no generational limit+Also in 2021, Germany introduced new rules that expanded the right to citizenship for descendants of Nazi victims. This includes cases where: Citizenship was lost due to gender discrimination in old German law; The person was born before 1975 to a German mother and non-German father; The person was born before July 1, 1993, to a German father and non-German mother and the parents were not married

General: Applicants must provide comprehensive documentation proving their lineage to a German citizen+This typically involves proving that at least one ancestor was a German citizen or held German nationality+Specific Documents: Birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates (if applicable)+As a general requirement, all the foreign documents shall be sworn translated into German language+Additional Proof of Lineage: In cases where standard records are unavailable, other documentation such as baptismal records, census records, military records, or immigration records may be accepted, but they must be officially substantiated+For all the documents issued outside Germany an apostille is tipically required.

German ancestor must not have lost their German citizenship before the birth of the next generation in lineage

Criminal Record: A clean criminal record is generally required.