Dual citizenship in Germany: who qualifies and what changed in 2024

Navigating German citizenship used to come with tough choices, especially when giving up your original passport was on the table. The landmark law change on 27 June 2024 completely transformed that experience. Through these updates to the Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz or StAG), Germany officially opened the door to dual nationality for most applicants.

While the general restriction is gone, the finer details still matter. An applicant’s personal background and home country rules play a vital role in the final outcome. This guide covers who qualifies under the modernised framework and explains how to confirm your specific status.

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that the content here provides general information rather than legal advice.

Key takeaways

Route	Main rule	Key caveat	Where to verify
Naturalisation	Germany now usually lets you keep your original nationality	You still need to meet naturalisation rules	Local naturalisation authority
Child born in Germany to foreign parents	German citizenship may be automatic if one parent meets residence and status rules	The other nationality may have its own limits	Local registry or naturalisation authority
German parent or descent	Many children of German parents can hold both citizenships	Some children born abroad face a generational cut-off	BVA or German mission abroad
German acquiring another nationality	Germans can usually take another nationality without losing German citizenship	The new law is not retroactive	Federal Foreign Office
Overseas cases	Many citizenship matters are handled outside Germany	The right authority is often the BVA, not a local office in Germany	BVA or German mission abroad

What changed in Germany’s dual citizenship law in 2024?

For years, expats in Germany faced a frustrating dilemma when acquiring a German passport meant surrendering their original citizenship. The Act to Modernise Nationality Law, which took effect on 27 June 2024, fundamentally changed that dynamic by lifting the general prohibition on multiple nationalities.

In short, Germany no longer asks you to give up your home passport to become German. However, holding dual citizenship isn’t automatic. Applicants must still meet standard eligibility criteria, such as residency duration, language proficiency, and financial self-sufficiency, and your home country’s specific citizenship laws can still affect whether you can hold both.

What the reform changed

The reform introduced four key changes worth knowing about:

• People who naturalise as German can now usually keep their existing nationality under German law.
• German citizens can usually acquire another nationality without losing German citizenship.
• The standard residence period for naturalisation fell from eight years to five years.
• The old obligation for many children born in Germany to choose one nationality later, often called the Optionspflicht, no longer applies from 27 June 2024.

One thing worth knowing is that the law only changed Germany’s side of the equation. If your country of origin doesn’t accept dual nationality, you may still face renunciation rules, reporting duties, or loss of rights there.

What the reform did not change

The reform did not remove route-specific conditions. You still need to meet the rules for birth, descent, or naturalisation, and local document lists and waiting times can vary by municipality.

It also did not make the law retroactive. If someone lost German citizenship under the old rules before 27 June 2024, the new law does not automatically undo that. For people living abroad, many citizenship questions are still handled by the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt or BVA) or a German mission abroad.

Who can hold dual citizenship in Germany?

If you are unsure which route applies to your situation, it helps to look at how you acquire German citizenship. Applicants generally fall into three main categories: birth in Germany, family descent, or naturalisation after living in the country.

Child born in Germany to foreign parents

A child born in Germany to foreign parents can acquire German citizenship at birth if at least one parent has been legally resident in Germany for five years and has a permanent right of residence. That is one of the clearest post-2024 changes, because the residence threshold used to be longer.

The old rule that forced many of these children to choose one nationality later is no longer applied in the same way, making dual passport searches in Germany much less confusing for families than they were before.

Check these points first:

• How long the parent has lived in Germany legally
• Whether that parent has a permanent right of residence
• Where and how the birth is registered
• Which local office wants the first documents

German parent, descent, and children born abroad

If at least one parent is German, a child can often acquire German citizenship by descent, whether born in Germany or abroad. In many cases, that also means the child can keep another nationality if the other country allows it.

This is different from a full ancestry claim based on distant family history. An important exception applies to some children born abroad to a German parent who was also born abroad after 31 December 1999. In that situation, German citizenship may not pass on automatically unless the birth is registered in time, usually before the child’s first birthday. Unusual cases involving paternity, older discrimination rules, or complex family history should be checked with the BVA or the relevant German mission abroad.

Naturalisation and other resident routes

For most expats, naturalisation offers the clearest path to dual nationality in Germany. Following the June 2024 reform, long-term residents who qualify for a German passport can usually keep their original citizenship without needing a special exemption.

The main eligibility requirements remain essential. You still need a qualifying residence permit, German language skills, financial independence, and a clean criminal record. You must also demonstrate civic knowledge by passing the standard naturalisation test or providing an accepted alternative.

If you have built your life here on a qualifying permit for long enough, you can apply for dual citizenship without letting go of your first passport. Should your path to residency involve marrying a German citizen, check out Expatica’s guide to getting married in Germany to see how that impacts your timeline.

Which countries allow dual citizenship with Germany?

Older articles often imply that Germany has a short approved list of countries. That is no longer the right way to think about it. Under German law, multiple nationality is now broadly accepted, so the real question is whether your other country also allows you to keep both.

Example country group	General position in practice	What this means for you	Verify with
UK, US, Canada, Australia	Often allows dual nationality	Keeping both is commonly possible if you also meet German rules	Embassy or consulate of that country
India, China, Japan	Often restricted or not recognised in the same way	You may need to renounce, or the other country may not treat both citizenships equally	Embassy or consulate of that country

One thing worth knowing is that there is no safe permanent global list. Nationality rules can change, and some countries treat adults, children, or foreign naturalisations differently. Germany now allows dual citizenship across the board, but whether you can actually keep both still depends on your home country’s laws.

What are the main nationality requirements and application steps?

Ready to take the next step? Working through the process in sequence keeps your application clear and manageable.

Where to apply

1. Identify your route first, whether that’s through birth, descent, or naturalisation. If you need more background, start with Expatica’s guide to German citizenship.
2. Check the correct authority. Inside Germany, this is usually the local naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde or Staatsangehörigkeitsbehörde). Birth-related questions may involve the registry office. If you live abroad, many citizenship matters go to the BVA or the relevant German mission abroad.
3. Confirm your residence position before applying. Expatica’s guides to permanent residence in Germany, visas in Germany, and family visas in Germany can help you compare the right route.

Documents and common delays

Most applicants need proof of identity, residence records, civil-status documents, and route-specific evidence. Naturalisation cases often also need language proof, evidence of financial self-support, and proof of civic knowledge. Descent cases can require older family records that show how citizenship passed from one generation to the next.

The risk here is using the wrong checklist. A municipality in Germany may ask for slightly different documents from another one, and overseas cases often follow BVA guidance instead of local city rules. Translations, certified copies, and older birth or marriage records can slow things down most.

One thing worth knowing is that not every residence title counts in the same way. For example, official guidance makes clear that a residence permit for study is not enough on its own for standard naturalisation. In larger cities, appointment slots may appear in batches rather than stay open all day, so it helps to have digital copies ready before the booking window opens.

What does dual citizenship mean in practice for expats?

Holding two nationalities can make life easier, but it can also create extra admin. You may have two passports, two sets of authorities to deal with, and different rules about travel, registration, or public obligations.

German law may allow dual citizenship, but that does not settle everything in real life. If you are in the country of your other nationality, German consular help may be limited. You should also check tax, military service, or reporting obligations directly with the relevant authorities before you travel or move money.

Dual citizenship often affects the following areas:

• Which passport you should show when entering or leaving a country
• Whether consular help is limited in your other country of nationality
• Whether you need to report a second nationality to another state
• Whether tax or service obligations still apply elsewhere

If you are managing life between Germany and another country, money can become part of the admin too. You may need to support family abroad, send savings across borders, or hold euros alongside another currency after naturalisation or relocation. A Wise international transfer or multi-currency account can be a practical way to compare fees upfront, hold more than one currency, and manage cross-border spending more transparently than some major local banks such as Deutsche Bank or Commerzbank.

Frequently asked questions about dual citizenship in Germany

Does Germany allow dual citizenship now?

Yes. Under updated German law, dual nationality has been broadly allowed since 27 June 2024. Keep in mind that you still have to meet standard naturalisation requirements, and your origin country’s laws can still limit whether you keep both.

Which countries does Germany allow dual citizenship with?

Germany no longer works from a narrow approved-country idea in the way many older guides suggest. The better question is whether the other country also allows dual nationality, so always verify that with its official authorities.

Can a child born in Germany to foreign parents get dual citizenship?

Yes, that can be possible if at least one parent has lived in Germany legally for the required period and has a permanent right of residence. The child’s ability to keep another citizenship still depends on the rules of the other country as well.

Do I need to give up my old nationality to become German?

Usually not under current German law. Since the 2024 reform, people who naturalise in Germany can generally keep their existing nationality, but they should still check whether their original country allows that.

What are the German nationality requirements for naturalisation?

The main requirements usually include legal residence, a qualifying residence status, German language skills, financial self-support, a clean record, and civic knowledge. Exact document lists and local practice can vary, so confirm the details with your local naturalisation authority.

Useful Resources

• Federal Foreign Office – Law on Nationality: Primary legal source for the German Nationality Act.
• Federal Office of Administration (BVA): Handles citizenship matters and retention for those living abroad.
• BAMF Navi: Interactive tool for finding integration courses and migration support services.
• Federal Foreign Office – Birth Abroad: Specific guidance for acquiring German citizenship by birth outside Germany.