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German citizenship
Regaining citizenship
Please note: I recommend first reading my Blog regarding the recent legislative developments in Germany to Reform the citizenship Law (www.doppeltestaatsbuergerschaft.com.au/blog).
Naturalisation of former Germans from abroad
Some Germans who have applied for and already accepted the Australian Citizenship without observing the procedure to retain the German citizenship may have made the experience that they have lost German citizenship. According to the German Citizenship Act (StAG) as it is still currently in force (current as of 13 Feb 2024, please see my Blog regarding the Reform of the Act, www.doppeltestaatsbuergerschaft.com.au/blog), the following applies: Anyone who applies for a foreign nationality and has acquired it before receiving a retention permit from the Federal Administrative Office, generally loses German nationality (§ 25 StAG).
If you want to receive your german citizenship again after you have lost it, you must now submit an application for naturalisation or re-naturalization. Germans who live in Australia or abroad come across the problem that naturalisation normally requires permanent residence in Germany. In the case of naturalisation from abroad, the Federal Administration Office (Bundesverwaltungsamt) therefore checks in principle whether there is a public interest in naturalising the applicant again. In principle, this only applies in special cases. In addition, the principle of avoiding multiple citizenship applies, which means that the Australian or foreign citizenship must be surrendered in principle, unless the exceptions of § 25 StAG apply or the applicant can justify why he cannot waive foreign citizenship.
Facilitated re-naturalization since 01.01.2000
However, in practice, the restrictive application of this procedure for naturalising former Germans from abroad has changed in favour of the applicant, provided that German citizenship has been lost since 01.01.2000. After that, former Germans can also be naturalised again from abroad under eased conditions. In this case, they must justify that they would have been granted authorisation to retain German citizenship if they had applied in time and that they still have the ties to Germany necessary for granting a retention permit.
The application must be submitted - as in the retention procedure - via the responsible diplomatic mission. If necessary, you should inquire with the competent authority about further requirements of the procedure.
Naturalisation of former Germans from abroad
Some Germans who have applied for and already accepted the Australian Citizenship without observing the procedure to retain the German citizenship may have made the experience that they have lost German citizenship. According to the German Citizenship Act (StAG) as it is still currently in force (current as of 13 Feb 2024, please see my Blog regarding the Reform of the Act, www.doppeltestaatsbuergerschaft.com.au/blog), the following applies: Anyone who applies for a foreign nationality and has acquired it before receiving a retention permit from the Federal Administrative Office, generally loses German nationality (§ 25 StAG).
If you want to receive your german citizenship again after you have lost it, you must now submit an application for naturalisation or re-naturalization. Germans who live in Australia or abroad come across the problem that naturalisation normally requires permanent residence in Germany. In the case of naturalisation from abroad, the Federal Administration Office (Bundesverwaltungsamt) therefore checks in principle whether there is a public interest in naturalising the applicant again. In principle, this only applies in special cases. In addition, the principle of avoiding multiple citizenship applies, which means that the Australian or foreign citizenship must be surrendered in principle, unless the exceptions of § 25 StAG apply or the applicant can justify why he cannot waive foreign citizenship.
Facilitated re-naturalization since 01.01.2000
However, in practice, the restrictive application of this procedure for naturalising former Germans from abroad has changed in favour of the applicant, provided that German citizenship has been lost since 01.01.2000. After that, former Germans can also be naturalised again from abroad under eased conditions. In this case, they must justify that they would have been granted authorisation to retain German citizenship if they had applied in time and that they still have the ties to Germany necessary for granting a retention permit.
The application must be submitted - as in the retention procedure - via the responsible diplomatic mission. If necessary, you should inquire with the competent authority about further requirements of the procedure.