German nationality Determination of existence upon application

You can apply for a binding determination of your German citizenship if you have a legitimate interest in doing so.

You can apply for a declaration of the existence of your German nationality if there is a justified interest in doing so.

A declaratory interest exists, for example, if

• German authorities or courts, after their own examination of existing evidence (e.g. German identity papers or birth certificates), require you to have any remaining doubts about your German citizenship clarified by the citizenship authority, or
• In exceptional cases, you must provide proof of your German citizenship with a special document despite presenting a valid German proof of identity (e.g. passport or identity card) to German or foreign authorities or courts.

If, at your request, the citizenship authority determines that you have German citizenship, you will receive a special certificate (citizenship card).

Please contact the citizenship authority at the place of your habitual residence (centre of residence).

• Proof of identity (foreign passport, recognised foreign passport replacement document or other official foreign identity document with photo, such as an identity card or identity card)
• Proof that German citizenship was in any case once possessed and, if necessary, is still possessed today:
  • German identity documents (e.g. passport, children's identity card, identity card),
  • naturalisation certificates,
  • certificates or documents attesting to the acquisition of German citizenship by declaration or option,
  • Certificates of ethnic German repatriation,
  • displaced persons' identity cards,
  • registration forms,
  • refugee identity cards,
  • instruments of appointment (in the case of officials),
  • citizenship certificates,
  • certificates of origin,
  • documents or identity cards concerning legal status as Germans or Germans or
  • documents relating to membership of the group of persons covered by collective naturalisation (e.g. proof of - former - national law, citizenship or residence in the territories concerned, certificates of renunciation of the right of renunciation).

Personal appearance required: Yes

• You have German citizenship or at least suspect this (for example, because you have German ancestors).
• You must demonstrate a legitimate interest in the finding. Such an interest is credible if you state certain facts which make it predominantly probable to the nationality authority that the determination of the existence of German citizenship is useful for a purpose worthy of protection (for example, because a German public body has doubts about your German nationality and expressly requires the presentation of a citizenship certificate).

• You must apply to the competent citizenship authority for the determination of the existence of German citizenship and the issuance of a citizenship certificate.
• If necessary, personal advice from the citizenship authority may be required.
• Upon receipt of the application documents, the citizenship authority will contact you. Before that, you don't need to do anything else.

The nationality card is issued for an indefinite period.

The duration of the application processing depends, among other things, on the factual accuracy of your information and the completeness of your application documents. Moreover, it depends on what possibly difficult facts must be identified in order to be able to make the requested finding.

The fee for the declaratory decision is EUR 51.

• Citizenship certificates are only issued if this is necessary to prove German citizenship with German or foreign public authorities or is at least specifically useful in individual cases (for example, for a civil servant or adoption). If the existence of German citizenship is not doubtful, applications for a declaration will in principle not be granted.
• The nationality card is not proof of identity. It cannot be used for travel or as a substitute for identity cards.
• As a rule, you do not need a citizenship certificate to prove that you have German citizenship. In principle, it is sufficient that they present a valid German passport or a valid German identity card. You should therefore only apply for a citizenship card if you have been requested to do so by an official body.
• The nationality card is issued for an indefinite period.