Special provisions apply to those persecuted by the Nazi regime, from whom German citizenship was withdrawn between 30 January 1933 and 8 May 1945 for political, racial or religious reasons. These people and their descendants may be entitled to naturalization.

Further information on this topic can be found on the website of the Federal Administrative Office (in German).

If you would like to have your case examined, please contact the embassy first. We will then contact you to investigate your case and to inform you about the options for naturalization and how to proceed.

Germans who fled National Socialist persecution and acquired a foreign citizenship before they could be deprived of the German citizenship, do not meet the criteria of Art. 116 II Basic Law. For their descendants, the option to be re-naturalised under the applicable Nationality Laws originally ended on 31.12.1970.

These persons and their descendants can now benefit from new ministerial decrees and be naturalised more easily.

Acquisition of German citizenship by naturalisation

Who can be naturalised under the above decrees?

1. Children whose German parent had acquired foreign citizenship and lost their German citizenship amid National Socialist persecution, including children whose mothers emigrated as a result of persecution and lost their citizenship under Section 17, number 6, of the former German Nationality Law Imperial and State Nationality Law (RuStAG a.F.) prior to 1 April 1953 by marrying a foreign man.
2. Children born in wedlock before 1 April 1953 to foreign fathers and German mothers whose German citizenship had been revoked.
3. Children born out of wedlock before 1 July 1993 to German fathers whose citizenship had been revoked and foreign mothers, provided the paternity of those children was recognized or determined under German law prior to their reaching the age of 23.

1.-3. also applies for their descendants up to the generational cut-off Point of 1 January 2000 in accordance with Section 4 (4) of the Nationality Act. That means minor children whose respective parent was born outside of Germany after 31.12.9999 may only be naturalised if they are born before 01.01.2021 and the application for naturalisation is also filed before 01.01.2021.

For detailed Information in German, please consult the Website of the Federal Office of Administration.