Beibehaltung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit

§ Section 25 (2) of the Citizenship Act (StAG)

According to Section 25 (1) of the Citizenship Act (StAG), a German citizen automatically loses their German citizenship if they acquire a foreign citizenship on their own initiative. Automatically means that the loss of German citizenship occurs solely and directly through the acceptance of the other citizenship. However, when this is determined by the competent authority and you are notified in writing depends on when the authority learns of this. The written notification does not constitute the loss.

Note:

If you acquire citizenship of a member state of the European Union or Switzerland, you will not lose your German citizenship.

You will not lose your German citizenship if you received a retention permit in accordance with Section 25 (2) of the Citizenship Act before acquiring the other foreign citizenship.

The granting of a retention permit requires a decision in which the public and private interests must be weighed up. This decision is called a discretionary decision.

The retention permit can be granted if public or private interests justify the acquisition of foreign citizenship and the continuation of German citizenship and there are no overriding public interests that conflict with the granting of the permit.

Private interests in the acquisition of foreign citizenship and the retention of German citizenship may include, for example, that the applicant seeks to acquire foreign citizenship in order to avoid significant disadvantages for themselves, for example in the form of economic or property rights, which go beyond the mere loss of citizenship rights. The disadvantages must not merely lie in losing the civic rights associated with German citizenship in the event of naturalization in another country. Mere disadvantages in visa-free international travel due to the loss of the German passport do not generally constitute a particularly difficult situation.

The following applies to minors:

If both parents - in the case of joint parental custody - wish to apply for foreign citizenship for themselves and their child, the child is automatically at risk of losing German citizenship. To avoid this, a retention permit is required before acquiring the other citizenship.

Minors from the age of 16 submit their own application for a retention permit.

• You have submitted an application. In this application, you must provide reasons for acquiring foreign citizenship and reasons for retaining German citizenship.
• You have German citizenship
• You would like to acquire a foreign nationality
• You wish to retain your German citizenship
• For minors under the age of 16, the following must be provided:
  • Proof of power of representation

If you have any questions about your other nationality, please contact the diplomatic mission or consular post responsible for you.

• Authorization to retain German citizenship
• When accepting another nationality (except EU or Switzerland)
• Permission must be obtained in advance
• The granting of a retention permit requires a discretionary decision. This means that, in principle, there is no entitlement to a permit. Rather, each individual case must be justified. The competent authority then decides on a case-by-case basis after weighing up the pros and cons.
• For this purpose, the public and private interests, i.e. the state's interest in clear nationality on the one hand and the individual interest of the applicant in retaining German citizenship on the other, must be weighed up.
• If the retention permit is granted, a certificate will be issued.
• The retention permit is limited to two years. The other nationality must be assumed within this period. If the other nationality is only accepted after the period has expired, the German nationality is lost.
• Special rules deviating from this apply to minors.