German citizenship by descent

By u/staplehill

German citizenship is not based on where you are born. You get German citizenship either through naturalization after living in Germany for a number of years, or you inherit it from a parent. German citizenship can be passed down through multiple generations who live abroad and have no idea that they are actually German citizens. But one can also lose German citizenship just as unknowingly, for example by voluntarily getting the citizenship of another country (1914-today), or due to sex-discriminatory laws that in the past often allowed only the father to pass on German citizenship to a child. If German citizenship got lost due to sex discrimination then there may now be a pathway to restore it - but often not if it was lost for other reasons.

Do you have a German ancestor and want to know if you can get a German passport? In order to find out, we have to go through all ancestors in the line between the original German immigrant and you to determine if German citizenship was passed down. Get ready for a bumpy journey back in time through arcane laws, outrageously outdated gender roles, and literal Nazi methods …

Since the rules are complicated you can also post in r/GermanCitizenship and include this information so that we can tell you if you qualify for German citizenship.

The original German immigrant

The original German immigrant left Germany …

… before 1871: Germany did not yet exist, your ancestor was a citizen of one of the more than 300 princedoms and kingdoms that existed on the territory that would later become Germany. It is nearly impossible that German citizenship was preserved -> outcome 7

… between 1933 and 1945 as a member of a group that was persecuted by the Nazis: -> continue here

… otherwise: Did the original German immigrant live in another country and naturalize to become a citizen of that other country after 1913? No: -> continue here

Yes: What happened first - the birth of your next ancestor or the naturalization of the original German immigrant as a citizen of another country? The next ancestor was born first: -> continue here

If the original German immigrant naturalized first: The original German immigrant was …

… a minor -> take this detour

… a woman: Did she marry a foreigner? Did they marry before 24 May 1949? Did they marry before she naturalized as a citizen of another country? Was the next ancestor in line born after 1913?

If no to any: The original German immigrant lost her German citizenship when she naturalized as a citizen of another country and could not pass it down to their descendants -> outcome 7

If yes to all and the next ancestor was born: between 1914 and 23 May 1949 -> outcome 5. After 23 May 1949 -> outcome 3

… a man: Did he marry a foreign woman before 1 April 1953? Did they marry before he naturalized to get another citizenship? Did they marry before the next person in line was born? Did he naturalize to get another citizenship alone (his wife did not naturalize to get another citizenship)?

If no to any: Your German ancestor lost his German citizenship when he naturalized as a citizen of another country -> outcome 7

If yes to all: Your German ancestor lost his German citizenship when he naturalized as a citizen of another country, but before he did that he passed on his German citizenship automatically to his wife when they married. The next ancestor was therefore born to a German mother. The next ancestor was born: In wedlock before May 24, 1949 -> outcome 5. In wedlock between 24 May 1949 and 31 December 1974 -> outcome 3. In wedlock after 1974 -> German citizenship was passed down, continue with the next ancestor in line. Out of wedlock after the couple divorced or the husband died -> German citizenship was passed down, continue with the next ancestor in line.

Naturalization as a foreign citizen

Did any person in the line between the original German immigrant and you apply for and get a non-German citizenship after 1913 (a citizenship that you get automatically, e.g. at birth, does not count)? If no: The next chapter depends on the year in which the original German immigrant left Germany/married a foreigner/had a child with a foreigner (whichever is earlier): -> 1871-1903, 1904-1949, 1949-1974, 1975-1993, since 1993

If yes and …

… the person was a minor at the time -> take this detour

… this person is you: Continue with the next chapters to see if you get an outcome 2-5 for one of your ancestors. If yes: See that outcome. If no: -> outcome 6

… this person is one of your ancestors: What happened first, the naturalization as the citizen of another country or the birth of the next ancestor?

The next ancestor was born first: German citizenship was passed down. The next chapter depends on the year in which the original German immigrant left Germany/married a foreigner/had a child with a foreigner (whichever is earlier): -> 1871-1903, 1904-1949, 1949-1974, 1975-1993, since 1993

They naturalized as the citizen of another country first: Please make a post over at r/Germancitizenship and include these details.

1871-1903

German women lost their citizenship when they married a foreigner. All Germans lost their citizenship after 10 years outside of the country, or 10 years after their passport expired, or 10 years after they registered with the German embassy (whichever is later) - find records of consular registrations here. The 10-year rule was abolished on January 1, 1914. If a husband lost German citizenship due to the 10-year rule then his wife and minor children also automatically lost it. If your ancestor lost German citizenship due to marrying a foreigner or due to the 10-year rule then German citizenship could no longer be passed down the line -> outcome 7.

Between 1904 and 23 May 1949

A German woman lost her German citizenship by marrying a foreigner during this time. If they married before your next ancestor was born, and that next ancestor was born

… before 1914: -> outcome 7

… between 1914 and 23 May 1949 -> outcome 5

… after 23 May 1949 -> outcome 3

The rules for children who were born before 24 May 1949:

  • both parents were German citizens: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German father and foreign mother in wedlock: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German father and foreign mother out of wedlock: -> outcome 5
  • German mother and foreign father in wedlock: -> outcome 5
  • German mother and foreign father out of wedlock: The child was born as a German citizen. Did the father (or another foreigner) legitimize the child before 24 May 1949? If yes:-> Outcome 5. Otherwise continue with the next person in line

1933-1945

Did your ancestor belong to a group that was persecuted by the Nazis? And did this lead to a loss of German citizenship

  • because your ancestor was categorized by the Nazis as Jewish and lived outside of Germany at any point in time between 27 November 1941, and 8 May 1945? Or because the Nazis deprived your ancestor individually (list of all names here)? If yes: -> outcome 2
  • for any other reason, e.g. because your ancestor fled from Germany, gave up their German citizenship, naturalized as the citizen of another country between 1933 and 25 February 1955, or your ancestor was female and married a foreigner before 24 May 1949? If yes: -> outcome 4

Or was your ancestor a foreigner who lived in Germany before 1933 and emigrated between 1933 and 1945 due to persecution on racial, religious, or political grounds? Or did the Nazis exclude your ancestor from getting German citizenship through marriage, legitimation or the collective naturalization of ethnic Germans during this period, or by not granting your ancestor German citizenship upon application, or by generally excluding a group your ancestor belonged to from naturalization which would otherwise have been possible upon application? -> outcome 4

Children born between 24 May 1949 and 1 January 1975

  • both parents were German citizens: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German mother and foreign father in wedlock: -> outcome 3
  • German mother and foreign father out of wedlock: The child was born as a German citizen. Continue with the next person in line
  • German father and foreign mother in wedlock: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German father and foreign mother out of wedlock: -> outcome 3

Children born between 1 January 1975 and 30 June 1993

  • both parents were German citizens: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German mother: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German father and foreign mother in wedlock: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line
  • German father and foreign mother out of wedlock: -> outcome 3

Children born since 1 July 1993

At least one parent was a German citizen: The child was born as a German citizen, continue with the next person in line. When you have reached yourself: continue with the next chapter.

Military service

Military service is not relevant if it was before the year 2000 (or if your already got an outcome 2-5), see here for more details.

Did you join 1) the military of a country other than Germany after 1999 and 2) you were also a citizen of that country at the time and 3) you served voluntarily (i.e. you were not drafted)?

No to any: -> outcome 1

Yes to all: When did you join?

  • between 2000 and 6 July 2011: -> outcome 6
  • after 6 July 2011: Did you join the military of a country that is in the EU, NATO, or Australia, New Zealand, Israel, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland? Yes: -> outcome 1. No: -> outcome 6

Outcome 1

Congrats on your German citizenship!

You and all ancestors in the line have been German citizens all along. You can apply for your certificate of citizenship now. You do not have to learn German, give up your other citizenship(s), serve in the German military, pay German taxes (unless you move to Germany) or have any other obligations. You can get your certificate of citizenship independent of your ancestors, they do not have to apply for theirs first (or at all). Your certificate of citizenship costs 51 euro ($50) and the German passport is 81 euro ($80). Check first if you have to do a name declaration to determine your name under German law.

Get the required documents and get them certified or apostilled. Then first try to apply directly for a German passport at the German embassy or consulate (here are some people who got a passport directly).

If the consulate does not want to give you a passport directly then you have to apply first for a certificate of citizenship. Fill out [this application form](https://www.bva.bund.de/DE/Services/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Staatsangehoerigkeit/Feststellung_Start/Feststellung/02_Vordrucke_F/02_01_F_Vordrucke_Antrag/02_01_F_Vordrucke_Antrag_node.html

) (in German). Here is the English translation: Form for Applicants older than 15 years, up to 15 years, additional information, appendix. Hand in your application at the German embassy/consulate or send it by mail to Bundesverwaltungsamt / Barbarastrasse 1 / 50735 Köln / Germany.

Your children are German citizens if you were born before the year 2000. You can apply for a certificate of citizenship for them as well. If you were born after 1999: Your children are only German citizens if you register them before their first birthday at a German embassy or consulate. Even if your children are not German citizens, you can bring them with you if you move to Germany and they can later naturalize as German citizens.

-> Where to get help with your application

Outcome 2

You can become a German citizen.

The Nazis deprived your ancestor of German citizenship on on racial, religious, or political grounds. You and all other descendants can get German citizenship according to article 116 (2) of the German constitution either

  • by applying for it in your country of residence, here the application form in German or English and an information sheet
  • or by moving to Germany which automatically restores your German citizenship according to the German constitution, you then get a certificate of citizenship from your local town hall, department for citizenship affairs (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde).

You do not have to give up your current citizenship(s), learn German, serve in the German military, pay German taxes (unless you move to Germany) or have any other obligations. You can apply independent of your ancestors, they do not have to apply first (or at all). The certificate of citizenship is free and a German passport is 81 euro ($80).

You need this list of documents and you need to get them certified or apostilled.

-> Where to get help with your application

Outcome 3

You can become a German citizen.

German citizenship was originally lost due to sex-discriminatory laws, e.g. because your ancestor was a German woman who had a child with a foreigner in wedlock between 24 May 1949 and 31 December 1974, or your ancestor was a German man who had a child with a foreigner out of wedlock between 24 May 1949 and 30 June 1993, or your ancestor was a German woman who married a foreigner before 24 May 1949 and had a child with him after that date.

You can naturalize as a German citizen by declaration on grounds of restitution according to Section 5 of the Nationality Act. This applies to you and all your ancestors in the line, including your children. This opportunity to become a German citizen will stay open until 12 August 2031. You do not have to give up your current citizenship(s), learn German, serve in the German military, pay German taxes (unless you move to Germany) or have any other obligations. You can apply independent of your ancestors, they do not have to apply first (or at all). The certificate of citizenship is free and a German passport is 81 euro ($80). Citizenship is not possible if you were convicted of a crime and got 2 years or more.

Here more information. Fill out the application forms in German, attach this list of documents and get the documents certified or apostilled. Hand in your application at the German embassy/consulate or send it by mail to Bundesverwaltungsamt / Barbarastrasse 1 / 50735 Köln / Germany.

-> Where to get help with your application

Outcome 4

You can become a German citizen on grounds of restitution according to Section 15 of the Nationality Act. Here an information sheet and the application form. Naturalization is only possible if you were never sentenced to at least 2 years in prison.

The application is free and a German passport is 81 euro ($80). You do not have to speak German, give up your current citizenship(s), serve in the German military, pay German taxes (unless you move to Germany) or have any other obligations. You can apply independent of your ancestors, they do not have to apply first (or at all). Minor children can become a naturalized German citizen together with you, they do not have to fulfill the requirements. Adult children have to apply on their own. Fill out the application forms in German, attach this list of documents and get the documents certified or apostilled. Hand in your application at the German embassy/consulate or send it by mail to Bundesverwaltungsamt / Barbarastrasse 1 / 50735 Köln / Germany.

-> Where to get help with your application

Outcome 5

German citizenship was originally lost due to sex-discriminatory laws between 1 January 1914 and 24 May 1949, e.g. because your ancestor was a German woman who married a foreigner, or she had a child with a foreigner in wedlock, or she had a child out of wedlock with a foreigner who later married her, or your ancestor was a German man who had a child out of wedlock.

If you live outside of Germany: There is a special path for naturalization for you on grounds of restitution (Section 14 of the Nationality Act) if you have very close ties to Germany. The German government lists these examples of ties to Germany, from strongest indication of close ties to weaker indications: You speak German level B1, you have close family members who are German citizens, you have studied in Germany, you went to a German school (even abroad), you have been to Germany, you have contact with people who live in Germany, you can pass the naturalization test, you are a member of a German cultural society, you have worked for German companies or institutions.

For the overall assessment of very close ties to Germany, individual non-existent or only weakly developed connecting factors can be compensated for by other, particularly strongly developed factors. Other requirements: You have committed no serious crimes, are able to pay for the cost of living for you and your immediate family without recourse to welfare, and declare your commitment to the basic democratic order. You do not have to give up your current citizenship(s), serve in the German military, pay German taxes (unless you move to Germany) or have any other obligations. You can apply independent of your ancestors, they do not have to apply first (or at all). Your minor children can become German citizens together with you, they do not have to fulfill the requirements. Adult children have to apply on their own. The application is free and in case of success you can get a German passport for 81 euro ($80). Naturalization is not possible if you were convicted of a crime and got at least 2 years in prison.

Here is a leaflet in German and autotranslated to English, the application form, the relevant administrative regulation and a Facebook group of people who have applied under this regulation. Fill out the application form in German, attach this list of documents, get the documents certified or apostilled, and apply at the nearest German embassy or consulate.

-> Where to get help with your application

If you live in Germany: You can apply under Section 8 of the Nationality Act if you either have a resident permit or are an EU citizen, did not get convicted to 2 years or more in prison, are not homeless, are able to pay for the cost of living for you and your family, speak B1 German, and pass the naturalization test (all questions and answers). Here is the relevant administrative regulation (page 3, number 2, in German). You do not have to give up your current citizenship(s), serve in the German military, or have any other obligations. You can apply independent of your ancestors, they do not have to apply first (or at all). The application is free and a German passport for 81 euro. Apply at the local town hall, department of citizenship affairs (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde).

-> Where to get help with your application

Outcome 6

You can move to Germany.

You were born as a German citizen but lost that citizenship when you served in a foreign military or got the citizenship of another country. You have the right to get a resident permit as a former German citizen according to Section 38 (2) of the Residence Act if you speak German level B1 and are able to pay for your cost of living without recourse to public funds. You are allowed to work or study in Germany. You can bring your spouse with you if they speak German level A1 (not required if you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United States of America or the United Kingdom or if one of these other exceptions apply). You can also bring your minor children.

Bring this list of documents and get them certified or apostilled. If you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United States of America or the United Kingdom: You can fly to Germany without a visa and apply for the resident permit at the local town hall, immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde). Otherwise you have to apply for a visa at a German embassy or consulate first.

You will get permanent residency after usually 4-5 years and can naturalize to get your German citizenship back after 6-8 years in Germany.

Benefits of German citizenship

German = EU citizenship allows you to live, study, work, open a business and/or buy a house in all 27 EU countries + Switzerland, Norway, Iceland without the need for a visa. Any company in these countries can just hire you easily without the need to go through a sponsorship process.

A German passport allows you to travel visa-free to more countries than nearly any other passport.

You can study in Germany tuition-free (for everybody) and receive additional financial aid of up to 934 euro per month (means-tested). More than 1,800 degree programs are fully taught in English.

If you are unemployed and at the end of your savings you can move to Germany and get social welfare. The government pays for an apartment, for heating costs, you get into the public health care system and you get 449 euro for your other expenses (808 euro if you are married plus 285-376 euro per child depending on their age).

Here is an example story: How a child in East Africa benefitted from German citizenship by descent

Wikipedia: Citizenship of the European Union

Downsides of German citizenship

If you are a German citizen then you have to show a German ID document at the immigration control at a German airport. It is a civil infraction if you try to enter Germany with the passport of your home country, you may have to pay a fee of up to 5,000 euro, although we did not have any reports where someone actually had to pay a fee, only reports from people who had no problem entering on their foreign passport even after they got official confirmation of their German citizenship.

Having dual citizenship may raise additional questions when you try to get a security clearance in your home country, especially if your home government is geopolitially not on friendly terms with Germany and may suspect that you are a secret spy for the German government. The US guidelines on giving security clearances to dual citizens say: “The Department has not implemented, and does not intend to implement, any blanket rule regarding dual citizenship. In making security clearance determinations, DS will continue to evaluate dual citizenship issues on a case-by-case basis. (…) Example A: A subject derived foreign citizenship from his or her parents. In this case, DS would examine whether or not the subject has exercised the foreign citizenship: by accepting educational, medical or social welfare benefits for himself/herself or family; possessing and using the foreign passport; serving in the foreign military; working for the foreign government; etc. In the absence of the subject’s exercising foreign citizenship, and if subject’s current and past actions consistently demonstrated preference for and allegiance to the United States, then dual citizenship would not preclude a security clearance.”

Your home country might have a law which precludes dual citizens from serving in the parliament, notably in Australia

Your home country might have a law that leads to the automatic loss of their citizenship if you become a citizen of another country, [notably in Japan] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_nationality_law#Acquisition_and_loss_of_nationality) or India

How long will it take?

Please have a look here.

What about your spouse?

Being married to a German citizen does not make your spouse a German citizen.

If you move to Germany: You can bring your spouse with you if your spouse speaks German level A1 (exceptions here). Your spouse can naturalize to become a German citizen after living in Germany with you for 3 years. Your spouse has the right to work whatever they want.

If you move to another EU country or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland: You can bring your spouse with you if you are not a burden on the social welfare system and have health insurance. Your spouse does not have to speak the local language. Your spouse will get a residence card. Your spouse has the right to work whatever they want. Your spouse can later become a citizen of the country after 5-10 years depending on the naturalizion laws of the country.

Your last name under German law

If you got outcome 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 in this guide = you were not born as a German citizen: Your current name will also be your name under German law.

If you got outcome 1 = you were born with German citizenship and …

… your parents had the same last name when you were born: The last name of your parents became your last name under German law when you were born

… only one parent got custody over you when you were born: The last name of that parent became your last name under German law when you were born

… your parents had different last names and shared custody when you were born: A name declaration is necessary to determine which last name you got under German law when you were born

… you married and changed your last name: You have to do a name declaration for spouses

What to do if my last name under German law is not the same as my last name in my home country?

Having passports, driving licenses, bank accounts and other documents with different names in different countries can lead to countless problems. You should aim to align your names, either by changing the name in your home country to your name under German law or the other way around. You can change your last name under German law according to Section 3 of the Law on the Changing of Names (Namensänderungsgesetz) if there is an “important reason”. The corresponding administrative regulation (Namensänderungsverwaltungsvorschrift) says under number 49 that having different names in different countries is an important reason that allows you to change your last name under German law and bring it into alignment with your last name in your home country. You have to request the name change at a family court in Germany (Familiengericht). You can align your German name only after your German citizenship was recognized and a German passport or certificate of citizenship under the “wrong” name was issued to you.

Military service

Military service for other countries (including those who fought against Germany in one or the other World War) did historically never lead to an automatic loss of German citizenship - until 1999. That is when Germany changed the Nationality Act and added “joining the military of another country voluntarily” to the list of things that make you lose German citizenship. The law took effect on 1 January 2000. The law only applies to you if you were 1) born as a German citizen and 2) joined the military of another country voluntarily after that date. The law does not take citizenship away retroactively from your ancestor who served before the year 2000. The law does not apply to you if you not born as a German citizen but qualify for naturalization due to sex discrimination or Nazi persecution (= outcome 2, 3, 4 or 5 in this guide).

An exemption was added on 6 July 2011 for the militaries of the following countries: All EU and NATO countries, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland. Joining the military of these countries after that date no longer leads to a loss of German citizenship. But those who already had lost German citizenship due to joining the military of these countries between 1 January 2000 and 6 July 2011 do not get their German citizenship back.

-> Go back to where you left in the main guide

The year 2000 rule

The year 2000 rule means that a newborn child does not get German citizenship at birth if

  • the child was born in the year 2000 or later outside of Germany
  • and the German parent of the child was also born in the year 2000 or later outside of Germany
  • and the parent was a German citizen when the child was born (outcome 1 in this guide)
  • and the birth of the child is not registered with the German embassy before the 1st birthday

If German citizenship was lost due to sex discrimination after 1949 or Nazi persecution (outcomes 2, 3 or 4): The year 2000 rule does not apply to your children who were born before you get German citizenship. This means that these children can get German citizenship together with you if you fill out a separate application form for them. If you were born after 1999 outside of Germany and have children after you get German citizenship: If your children are born abroad then they will get only get citizenship if you register their birth with a German embassy before the first birthday.

If German citizenship was lost due to sex discrimination between 1914 and 1945 (outcome 5): If you were born after 1999 outside of Germany then your children who were already born can not naturalize together with you. Your children who are born abroad after you get German citizenship will get citizenship if you register their birth with a German embassy before the first birthday.

How to apply in Germany

Step 1: Come to Germany

Do you have the citizenship of a country that is green on this map?

Yes: You can enter Germany as a tourist for 90 days without a visa.

No: You have to get a visa at your local German embassy/consulate. This can be any type of visa, including a tourist visa.

Step 2: Choose a city with short processing times

The local municipality will process your application. Processing times vary a lot between municipalities. There is no list where one could look up current processing times in different municipalities, which makes it hard to find one with short processing times. We had a report from someone who got their certificate in less than 90 days after applying in Kaiserslautern. We also had a community member who called 50 cities in May 2023 to find one with processing times below 6 months but could not find any.

How to find a place to live: https://www.reddit.com/r/germany/wiki/living/

Step 3: Apply for citizenship

You first register as a resident and then you apply for your German citizenship certificate at the local town hall, office for citizenship affairs (Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde).

What if it takes longer?

If processing your application takes longer than you are allowed to stay in Germany then you can apply for a visa at the local town hall, foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde). The application itself already extends your stay, see Section 81 of the Residence Act: “If a foreigner who is legally resident in the federal territory and does not possess a residence title applies for a residence title, his or her residence is deemed to be permitted up to the time of the decision by the foreigners’ authority.” https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_aufenthg/englisch_aufenthg.html#p1732

Here is a report from someone who got a temporary extension of their stay to wait for the processing of the citizenship application: “I stayed in Germany while waiting for my Feststellung to be approved. I had 90 days visa-free and I got a extension (Fiktionsbescheinigung) for 6 months. The Ausländerbehörde told me I could get another 6 months if needed. I didn’t need it. I submitted my Feststellung application from inside Germany and it was approved just over four months later.”

Application statistics

Statistics from the Federal Office of Administration that is responsible for applications of applicants who live abroad:

Outcome 1 (already born as a German citizen, Feststellung): The Federal Office of Administration received 7,827 applications from January 1st, 2022 to September 30th, 2022. That is 29 applications submitted per day on average. 6,645 citizenship certificates were issued in the same time period, that is about 24 per day on averge. About 19,544 applications are currently pending (as of November 2022) - source.

Outcome 2 (Nazis stripped citizenship from ancestor, Article 116): The Federal Office of Administration received 10,514 applications between 1 January 2021 and 21 August 2022, that is about 30 per day. 13,032 naturalization certificates were issued during the same time, that is more than 40 per day. 12 applications were denied.

Outcome 3 (gender discrimination after 1949, StAG 5): The Federal Office of Administration received 6,815 applications were since the law came into force in August 2021 until September 2022, that is about 20 applications per day. 1,535 were granted.

Outcome 4 (Nazi persecution of ancestor, StAG 15): The Federal Office of Administration received 3,620 applications since the law came into force in August 2021 until September 2022, that is about 10 applications per day. 856 applications were granted and one application denied. 285 of the granted applications were based on an ancestor who never had German citizenship (4th alternative in Section 15). - source

Outcome 7

You have no claim to German citizenship, unfortunately.

You can still move to Germany on one of these visas that lead to permanent residence and then to citizenship after 6-8 years:

The following visas do not lead to permanent residence and citizenship on their own but you can switch to one of the above-mentioned visas later:

  • German language course visa: https://www.germany.info/blob/928304/bcd27a89dd74de3efca3c53664546ec5/german-language-course-data.pdf
  • 6-months jobseeker visa if you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/jobseekers
  • Working Holiday Visa for 1 year if you are a citizen of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong or Taiwan and not older than 30 or 35 (Canada) years
  • you can become a nanny/au pair like Emma from the US or Rose from Kenya - see the requirements
  • you can get the internship visa if you graduated in the last 2 years with a bachelor’s or master’s degree and the internship is related to that degree: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305303/en/

The official website for immigration to Germany: www.make-it-in-germany.com/en

For more details about the various paths for moving to Germany, see our wiki guide.

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