Proof of German Citizenship Regarding Grandparent, Great-grandparent or Ancestor
The mere fact that the ancestor was born in Germany does not mean that the ancestor was a German citizen. It is necessary to check whether your ancestor was a German citizen, e.g. passport of the ancestor, certificate of German citizenship of the ancestor, certificate of residence if the certificate mentions German citizenship.
German ancestors who emigrated before 1914 were required to register consularly at the embassy or consulate nearest to their place of residence in order to maintain their right to German citizenship. If they have not made such registration, they automatically lose their German citizenship. If they do not have such registrations, our office can check with the relevant archives to see if such registrations exist.
In certain cases, due to the non-existence of said registrations (consular registrations), these registrations can be replaced with other documents.
Birth Certificates of Grandparents, Great-grandparents or German Ancestors
Since in many cases it is very difficult to obtain this document, our office has trained personnel to process all types of German documents throughout Germany, including Germans born in areas that do not belong to today’s German borders.
Marriage Certificates of Grandparents, Great-grandparents or German Ancestors
In order to prove the legitimacy of the marital lineage, it is essential to provide the marriage certificates of the German ancestors. In many cases it is very difficult to obtain these, but our office has trained personnel to process all types of German certificates throughout Germany, and also for Germans who married in areas that do not belong to today’s German borders.
Applicants must provide marriage certificates of their German ancestors I.e. parents, grandparents, great-grandparents etc., and in the case of a divorced marriage, a court divorce decree is also required.
Applicants who are married or divorced must present their own marriage certificate and, if applicable, a marginal divorce decree.
German law applies to the assessment of the validity of the marriage. This may be relevant if the marriage in question was not contracted in Germany and/or if one or both of the parties involved had a previous marriage.
Marriages of German Ancestors and Family Members in Direct Line
If your German ancestor/family member lived in different civil partnerships, all documents of the different civil partnerships as well as the divorce decrees must be submitted.
Death Certificates of Grandparents, Great-grandparents or German Ancestors
Death certificates must be provided for deceased ancestors and for the entire direct line of descent.
Certificate of Residence of the German Grandparent, Great-grandparent or Ancestor
In some cases where the German citizenship of the ancestors cannot be proven, this document is requested because the German citizenship of the ancestors is often indicated in said certificate.
Certificate Stating the Grandparent, Great-grandparent or German Ancestor Did Not Acquire Foreign Citizenship
In general, the voluntary acquisition of a foreign nationality, in most cases the acquisition of a foreign nationality by a German ancestor, results in the complete loss of German nationality. If the German ancestor opted for a foreign nationality before the birth of the first descendant, the line of German descent is broken. It is extremely important to prove the date of acquisition of foreign citizenship of the German ancestor or a negative certificate of acquisition of foreign citizenship of the German ancestor on the basis of such certificates.
Dates of Arrival and Departure of Grandparents, Great-grandparents or German Ancestors
It is necessary to provide proof of the arrival and departure dates of the German ancestor. If you do not have it at hand, our office has trained staff to manage all types of German documents.
