German citizenship reacquisition is a legal process available to former German citizens — and in some cases their descendants — who lost German citizenship and wish to recover it. Whether german citizenship reacquisition is possible depends on how citizenship was lost, when it was lost, and which legal provisions are available in the specific case. This guide explains the main german citizenship reacquisition pathways, the conditions that apply to each, and how the 2024 reform has changed the available options.
German Citizenship Reacquisition — When It Becomes Relevant
German citizenship reacquisition becomes relevant where German citizenship was once held — either by the applicant themselves or by an ancestor — and was subsequently lost through a specific legal event. The most common situations that give rise to german citizenship reacquisition questions are voluntary naturalisation in another country without prior permission, formal release from German citizenship on application, and deprivation of citizenship under National Socialist legislation.
German citizenship reacquisition is legally distinct from citizenship by descent — which applies where citizenship already exists and has never been lost. It is also distinct from naturalisation — which applies where German citizenship has never been held. Understanding which of these three categories applies to a specific situation is the essential first step in any assessment.
For official information on german citizenship reacquisition proceedings, see the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt).
A broader explanation of the German citizenship framework is available in our complete guide on German citizenship by descent.
German Citizenship Reacquisition — The 2024 Reform
The 2024 reform of German nationality law — the Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Staatsangehörigkeitsrechts — significantly changed the german citizenship reacquisition landscape. Most significantly, the reform abolished the general requirement to renounce existing nationality when naturalising as a German citizen. This means that individuals pursuing german citizenship reacquisition through naturalisation can now generally retain their existing nationality simultaneously.
The 2024 reform also extended and clarified the remedial provisions available to descendants of individuals who lost German citizenship through historical discrimination or persecution — expanding the scope of both the Article 116 pathway and the Section 15 StAG pathway introduced by the 2021 reform.
However, the 2024 reform does not automatically restore German citizenship that was previously lost. Former German citizens who lost citizenship before the reform came into force must still actively pursue one of the available german citizenship reacquisition pathways — the reform does not operate retroactively.
German Citizenship Reacquisition — Main Pathways
Reacquisition through naturalisation — Section 13 StAG
The primary german citizenship reacquisition pathway for former German citizens is Section 13 of the German Nationality Act. Under this provision, former German citizens who have been living abroad and wish to recover their German citizenship can apply for naturalisation under simplified conditions — without the standard residence requirement that applies to ordinary naturalisation.
Section 13 StAG german citizenship reacquisition is available to former German citizens who have lost their citizenship and who can demonstrate a sustained connection to Germany — through language skills, cultural ties, family connections, or other factors. The applicant must not have been excluded from German citizenship for specific reasons such as criminal convictions or threats to the public interest.
Following the 2024 reform, Section 13 german citizenship reacquisition generally allows the applicant to retain their existing nationality — removing a significant practical barrier that previously discouraged many eligible former German citizens from pursuing reacquisition.
Reacquisition through Article 116 — restoration for victims of National Socialist persecution
A distinct german citizenship reacquisition pathway exists under Article 116 of the German Basic Law for individuals — and their descendants — who were deprived of German citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds during the National Socialist period between 1933 and 1945. This pathway operates as a right of restoration — not as a discretionary grant — and is available to eligible individuals regardless of where they currently live.
The 2021 and 2024 reforms have substantially expanded the scope of the Article 116 german citizenship reacquisition pathway. A detailed explanation of this pathway is available in our article on Article 116 German Basic Law citizenship.
Reacquisition through Section 15 StAG
Section 15 of the German Nationality Act — introduced by the 2021 reform — provides an additional german citizenship reacquisition pathway for individuals who cannot access Article 116 directly but whose ancestors would have been eligible had the discriminatory rules of the National Socialist period not applied. This pathway is particularly relevant for descendants of individuals who were excluded from citizenship not through direct deprivation but through the application of discriminatory transmission rules in combination with persecution.
Declaration-based reacquisition for specific groups
German citizenship reacquisition through declaration is available to certain specific groups under provisions introduced by the 2021 and 2024 reforms. These declaration-based pathways are available to individuals who were affected by historical discrimination in the transmission rules — including the pre-1975 gender rule and the rules governing illegitimate births — where the affected individual or their ancestor was also connected to National Socialist persecution.
A detailed explanation of declaration-based acquisition is available in our article on German citizenship by declaration.
German Citizenship Reacquisition — Loss Through Voluntary Naturalisation
The most common situation giving rise to german citizenship reacquisition questions is loss through voluntary naturalisation in another country. As explained above, under German nationality law as it applied for much of the twentieth century, voluntary naturalisation in another country generally caused automatic loss of German citizenship.
For former German citizens who lost citizenship through voluntary naturalisation — and who wish to recover it — the primary available pathway is Section 13 StAG naturalisation. This pathway requires a demonstration of sustained connection to Germany and is subject to the standard naturalisation conditions, including German language skills and the absence of criminal convictions.
It is important to note that german citizenship reacquisition through Section 13 is available to the former German citizen themselves — not automatically to their descendants. Whether descendants of a former German citizen who lost citizenship through naturalisation have any claim to German citizenship depends on when the naturalisation occurred relative to each subsequent birth — a question addressed in our article on whether a family may have lost German citizenship.
German Citizenship Reacquisition — Loss Through Formal Release
Former German citizens who lost citizenship through a formal release — Entlassung — on application can also pursue german citizenship reacquisition through Section 13 StAG naturalisation. The conditions are the same as for loss through voluntary naturalisation — a demonstrated sustained connection to Germany and satisfaction of the standard naturalisation requirements.
German Citizenship Reacquisition — What Cannot Be Recovered
Not all loss situations give rise to german citizenship reacquisition options. Where citizenship was lost through ordinary naturalisation before certain dates, and where the Section 13 StAG conditions are not met, german citizenship reacquisition may not be available through any of the current legal pathways. In these cases, ordinary naturalisation — requiring residence in Germany — may be the only route to acquiring German citizenship.
A legal assessment of the specific loss situation and the available options is the essential first step in any german citizenship reacquisition case. Attempting to pursue the wrong pathway — or assuming that reacquisition is possible where it is not — wastes time and resources that could be invested more productively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reacquire German citizenship if I lost it by naturalising in another country?
Possibly. Former German citizens who lost citizenship through voluntary naturalisation in another country may be eligible for german citizenship reacquisition through Section 13 StAG — provided they can demonstrate a sustained connection to Germany and meet the standard naturalisation conditions. A legal assessment will identify whether the conditions are met in your specific case.
Does the 2024 reform automatically restore German citizenship that was previously lost?
No. The 2024 reform does not automatically restore German citizenship that was lost before it came into force. Former German citizens who wish to recover their citizenship must actively pursue one of the available german citizenship reacquisition pathways — the reform does not operate retroactively. However, the reform has made the reacquisition process more accessible by abolishing the general requirement to renounce existing nationality.
Can I keep my existing citizenship when reacquiring German citizenship?
In most cases, yes — following the 2024 reform. German citizenship reacquisition through Section 13 StAG generally allows the applicant to retain their existing nationality simultaneously. Whether dual citizenship is permitted also depends on the law of your existing country of nationality — specific advice on the dual citizenship position in your country is recommended.
Can my children reacquire German citizenship if I lost it?
This depends on when you lost citizenship relative to your children’s births. If you lost German citizenship before your children were born, they generally did not acquire German citizenship at birth — and german citizenship reacquisition proceedings by you would not automatically restore citizenship to your children. If you lost citizenship after your children were born, they may already hold German citizenship through you. A legal assessment will clarify the position for each family member.
Is german citizenship reacquisition available to descendants of individuals who lost citizenship?
It depends on the circumstances of the loss. Where citizenship was lost through voluntary naturalisation before the birth of the next generation, descendants generally do not have a german citizenship reacquisition claim — because the loss interrupted the citizenship chain before it could be transmitted. Where citizenship was lost through National Socialist persecution, the Article 116 pathway may be available to descendants. A legal assessment will identify which provisions apply.
How long does german citizenship reacquisition take?
Processing times for german citizenship reacquisition vary depending on the pathway and the complexity of the case. Section 13 StAG naturalisation proceedings are handled by the competent German authority and typically take several months to over a year. Article 116 restoration proceedings before the Federal Office of Administration may take longer in complex cases. A detailed overview of processing timelines is available in our article on how long German citizenship by descent takes.
What is the first step?
The first step is a legal assessment of your specific situation — identifying how and when citizenship was lost, which german citizenship reacquisition pathway is available, and what conditions must be met. This assessment provides the clarity needed to decide which route to pursue before any formal proceedings are initiated.
German citizenship reacquisition requires a careful legal assessment of the specific loss situation and the available pathways. I assess your situation and provide a written recommendation — typically within 3–5 working days.
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