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German Citizenship for the Second Generation Born Abroad after 2000
The second generation born abroad after 2000 is not a German citizen automatically. Children born abroad to German parents who themselves were born abroad after 31.12.1999 will only become German if their birth was registered within one year from date of birth.
Important information
Who is Affected?
- You (the German parent or parents) were born outside of Germany after 31.12.1999 and
- your child was born outside of Germany and
- you (the German parent or parents) were residing abroad at the time of birth (simply being registered in Germany while in fact living abroad does not suffice) and
- your child does not become stateless.
How Does my Child Become German?
Parents must apply for registration of birth either at the competent registrar's office in Germany or at a German Mission abroad within one year of the date of birth. The child will then obtain German citizenship.
Example
The married couple A. are German citizens and live in South Africa. On 01.02.2000 their daughter Klara is born in Johannesburg. Klara is a German citizen by birth automatically and continues to reside in South Africa. On 01.01.2025 Klara's son Max is born in Cape Town, the father of whom is South African. Despite the fact that his mother is a German citizen, Max does not become German automatically by birth.
Klara or Max' father must apply for registration of birth at the competent registrar's office in Germany or at their local German Mission within one year of Max' birth.
Who is not Affected?
- Children whose parents were born in Germany, and
- children whose parents were born before 01.01.2000
will continue to become German citizens by birth.
