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German Citizenship for the second Generation born abroad after 2000
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Children born to parents, who themselves were born abroad after 31.12.1999, do not automatically hold German citizenship. Their birth must be registered within one year from the date of birth for them to become German.
Who is affected?
Your child does not become a German citizen automatically if
- You (the German parent or parents) were born outside of Germany after 31.12.1999, and
- Your child was born outside of Germany, and
- You (the German parent or parents) were residing abroad at the time of your birth (simply being registered in Germany while in fact living abroad does not suffice), and
- Your child does not become stateless
How does my child become German?
Parents must apply for registration of birth either at the competent registrar's office in Germany or at a German Mission abroad within one year of the date of birth. The child then acquires German citizenship retrospectively from birth.
Example
The married couple A. are German citizens and live in Malaysia. On 01.02.2000 their daughter Klara is born in Kuala Lumpur. Klara is a German citizen by birth automatically and continues to reside in Malaysia. On 01.01.2025 Klara's son Max is born in Penang, the father of whom is Malaysian. Despite the fact that his mother is a German citizen, Max does not become German automatically by birth.
Klara or Max's father must apply for registration of birth at the competent registrar's office in Germany or at the Embassy within one year of Max' birth.
Who is not affected?
- children whose parents were born in Germany, and
- children whose parents were born before 01.01.2000
will continue to be German citizens by birth.