If I was born in Germany am I German?

Show all answers

Cheshire Cat

no you are not

"German citizenship is based primarily on the principle of Jus sanguinis. In other words one usually acquires German citizenship if a parent is a German citizen, irrespective of place of birth."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nationality_law

Alwin E

Germany has the "right of blood", or ius sanguinis, as it's technically called. So if one of your ancestors was born German, or one of your ancestors has obtained German citizenship, say, by marriage or such, you have the RIGHT to apply for German citizenship, but it will not be automatically granted. Becomimng a German citizen requires a few steps to be fulfilled, one of them being that you give up all other citzenships except for citizenship of the US of A, who have a different right of birth, the "ius solis"). As Germany does no longer exist in these troubled times, becoming a citizen of Germany will require you to become a citizen of the European Union, thus giving up your national identity.

Meghan W

i don't think so. just bcuz u r born in germany doesn't mean u r

EXPECTING

You are either Swiss or American, depending on where your parents registered you for citizenship. You'd have to ask your parents.
If you live in America with both your parents, I'd assume they registered you as am American, but I might be wrong.

Dreamin

No your not german, if you were you would be called up for national service! My boyfriend was born in germany but hes british, and his parents are both british.

NERDGASM

You are American and You are Swiss.

Mel-Belle

sorry, but i dont think u are. to be German, i think ur parents have to have been born there. or ur ansestors. and u have to have it in ur blood. i hope u win ur argument tho

AlchikZ

Most likely not. You'd most likely need one German parent as well...

glosoliii

an american born in kenya doesn't make him african

Strictly speaking, no your not german. It all comes down to where your parents are from at the end of the day. But if you want to tell people your part german, I guess there is an element of truth to that, since you spent the most important years there (0-6)

celebrate_me_home_2000

You probably will not be given the right to take the german citizenship. You can apply, but the odds are against you getting it.

1st Lady09

No you are swissamerican

told_wife_checking_mail

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Infoservice/FAQ/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Uebersicht.html

Rick K

My sister was born in Rhode Island and we live in New York. Does that make her a Rhode Islander?

GPapenburg

The German Immigration Law and Law on Nationality has changed several times. At the time or your birth it was that German citizenship is only obtained by birth to a German parent, which means you are not a German since you were born to a Swiss and an American parent.
After 1 January 2000 it was added that German citizenship can be obtained by birth in Germany if one of the parents was a legal resident for eight years in Germany at the time of the birth. SInce you were born before that date this does not apply either.
So either I'm sorry or congratulations, you are not a German.

Source:
http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/04__Legal/03__FAQ/Citizenship/__FAQ__Citizenship.html

finestrat1

Unlike th US Germany sticks to the nationality of the parents. You are definitely German. US law does not apply in Germany. Your friend is as wrong as she can be.
>Or am I American, because I was born in the US zone of Germany after the war? Ask her that.

Lawlz

Your ethnicity is Swiss.

If someone from france gets born in africa, does that make them african?

t_maia2000

No, you are not German. You would have been if you had been born later and one of your parents had been living in Germany for at least 8 years, but I guess you already figured that.

If you want to win the argument fare and square, have your parents apply for a German passport for you - the German embassy will deny it and send you a letter. That letter you can then show your friend to teach her. :-)

One more thing: You are Swiss, that with all the laws regarding EU and EFTA states is just as good (or even better) than being German. You can live in Germany with a Swiss passport just as well as with a German passport, only thing is that you cannot get German social welfare benefits.

Practise your German, will you? Many people would kill to have an EFTA (or EU) passport and be allowed to work legally in Europe!

If one of your parents was living in Germany for at least 8 years, you are German. If this applies to you, you can get German citizenship. You must apply for it between the ages of 18 - 23.

pdzeller

that's tough. I had a friend in high school that was born in South Africa and is white. She put on her college applications that she was African-American, as after all, it was true and advantageous in this country.

As for your nationality--it seems as though you are a German born Swiss American of varied descents.

Zoe Dot

The Germans have an odd sort of law where even if you never visited Germany in your life and your parents never went to Germany and even your grandparents hadn't been there you could still qualify if you are an ethnic German. Strange?!

Of course, what happens when you are someone who is born in Germany and lives their whole life their and still isn't a citizen? It is unfair obviously. You may know no other country. This has been the case with a lot of German-born people of Turkish origins.

I've heard the law has been amended, but I don't think this means you can now claim citizenship.

peace, please â˜®

your technically a german citizen but i wouldn't say your ethnicity is german [unless you actually are lol]

soccer dude

yeah

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: