How to Get Dual Citizenship in Germany and the United States

So you're interested in learning how to obtain German/US dual citizenship but want to learn more about the process and rules governing it? Read on for the requested article on "How to Get Dual Citizenship in Germany and the United States".

Things You'll Need

• Proof of parent's nationality
• Any applicable legal forms required by the US/German naturalization agencies

Instructions

1. Jus Sanguinis:
   Jus Sanguinis refers to obtaining citizenship through descent of a child's parents. If you have German parents then, by German law, you are automatically considered a German Citizen. The same holds true for children born of American parents (by law, the child automatically obtains American Citizenship upon birth).

   Children descended from one American parent and a German one obtain dual American/German citizenship upon birth.

2. Jus Soli:
   Jus Soli refers to obtaining citizenship through your place of birth. With a few exceptions, a person who is born in either the US or Germany obtains citizenship in that country. A few of these exceptions are:

   * Children born to foreign government officials on assignment to the U.S.
   * Those born in Germany to non-German parents before February 2, 1990

3. Other than these two methods, there are no other ways to obtain dual German/US citizenship. Germany only recognizes one nationality so to obtain German citizenship through naturalization would require you to renounce US Citizenship. Likewise, you must renounce your German citizenship during the process of obtaining US Citizenship through naturalization.

Tips & Warnings

• All American-German dual nationals must enter the United States with a valid U.S. passport; to enter with only a German passport is a violation of U.S. law.

• Depending on the laws in effect, level of income, source of income, etc., an American-German dual national may owe taxes in both countries.

• An American-German male dual national must register with the U.S. Selective Service System within three months of his eighteenth birthday; that he is also a German citizen does not exempt him from that requirement. Registering with the Selective Service System, however, has no effect on his German citizenship.

• An American-German dual national is not exempt from German military service simply because he is also has U.S. citizenship. However, service in the German military, at least under these limited circumstances, has no effect on his U.S. citizenship.