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SNP Canada Ltd.

German citizenship

German citizenship law is an ever-evolving legal field with many implications that require careful and detailed assessments and distinct applications. We have specialized in this legal area over the past 20 years and can share our experience and expertise. We are happy to advise you in either German or English.

All questions concerning german citizenship
Re-naturalization to regain lost German citizenship
German citizenship for descendants of German immigrants (in certain circumstances, this is possible for several family members)
We offer special conditions (discounts) for families and extended families. Ask about them during your consultation.
Consultations available in both German and English

Contact us ⬇️

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I have had a very good experience with SNP. The advice, the whole process, the processing and communication during the application processing time was simply very good. Thank you very much and wish you all the best, dear SNP!

(Source: Google)

can i apply for german citizenship

We help people to obtain or prove German Citizenship and get a German Passport
Specialized in clients from the US and Canada
Successful track record of hundreds of cases in German citizenship law
German citizenship for descendants of German immigrants

We help people to obtain or prove German Citizenship and get a German Passport
Specialized in clients from the US and Canada
Successful track record of hundreds of cases in German citizenship law
German lawyers, experts in German citizenship law
Registered office in North America
German citizenship for descendants of German immigrants (in certain circumstances, this is possible for several family members)

Contact: Registered office in North America

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(Source: Google)

I hired SNP to help me with my German BBG (Beibehaltungsgenehmigung) to allow me to keep my German citizenship while obtaining the Canadian one.

The process lasted more than two years and I was very happy to have SNP on my side throughout to help me navigate the process itself as well as the German bureaucracy in general. It wasn't straightforward for me to come up with the proper legal justification for the BBG myself and I'm not sure I would have achieved my goal without having SNP involved as my partner for this project.

Communication with the lawyers was very good. I was consulted frequently in the process. I felt well advised and looked after throughout the entire process. In the end, my request was also successfully enforced.

I hired SNP Canada for my Beibehaltungsgenehmigung in Germany. They made the whole process super fast and easy. I already recommended them to all my friends waiting for their time to start the process. Thank you again!

Outstanding and highly recommended! SNP Canada helped me with my retention permit.

Super knowledgable, responsive and friendly team!

Thanks a lot for all the help!

I had an amazing experience with SNP Canada. My goal was to be issued a German exemption permit to attain dual citizenship as a German national.

My case was not at all straight forward and SNP delivered. The team was a delight to work with, polite, and professional. Guiding me through the entire process and of course taking care of the challenging parts, the costs were certainly justified. SNP Canada was referred to me by a friend and previous happy client. And as a happy client, I can only do the same for anyone reading this.

Describe your concern to us here without obligation:

We support our clients in all matters related to German citizenship, especially regarding the legal proceedings and documentation required to secure citizenship status.

Benefits of German Citizenship in European Context

Freedom of Movement in the EU and EEA

As a German citizen, you automatically become a citizen of the European Union. This grants you the right to live, work, study, and retire in all 27 EU countries, as well as in countries like Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechten- stein (EEA/EFTA).

Access to World-Class Education

German and EU universities offer high-quality, low-cost or even tuition-free education, often available in English. As an EU citizen, you are treated equally to nationals in terms of admissions and tuition fees.

Employment Opportunities Without Bureaucratic Barriers

EU citizens can work in any member state without the need for work permits or visas. Whether you’re building a career in Berlin, Barcelona, or Brussels, your German passport opens professional doors across Europe.

Business and Investment Freedom

German citizens can establish companies or invest in real estate anywhere in the EU without local restrictions. This legal equality removes many of the hurdles non-EU citizens face when doing business in Europe.

Healthcare and Social Security Access

Living in the EU as a German citizen also means access to public healthcare systems, pension schemes, and social services — with reciprocal arrangements across most member states.

Visa-Free Travel

With a German passport, you gain visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 190 countries, making it one of the strongest travel documents in the world. Travel across Europe and beyond becomes significantly easier.

Cultural and Personal Belonging

For many, reclaiming German citizenship is a meaningful return to family heritage, language, and culture — a bridge between generations and continents.

Reconnect with your European roots

German citizenship doesn’t just reconnect you with your European roots — it equips you and your family with a future of freedom, opportunity, and security in one of the world’s most stable and prosperous regions.

Re-naturalization (Wiedereinbürgerung)

German citizens can lose their citizenship in various ways. The most common way of loss was to apply for and accept another non-EU citizenship. Until a recent change to the German Citizenship Act, effective June 27, 2024, German citizens would lose their German citizenship when being naturalized in a foreign country. This could only be avoided by applying for a retention permit (Beibehaltungsgenehmigung) before accepting the other citizenship. If you did not hold this permit on the day of your oath, you likely lost your German citizenship.

In these cases, the former German citizen may be entitled to re-naturalization and may regain their German citizenship. The successful applicant will not lose their current foreign citizenship, but instead become a dual citizen.

The application is complex and requires a clear and convincing argument to be successful. It is crucial to provide detailed information about your personal and family history as well as the legal situation at the time of the loss of your German citizenship. We at SNP Canada Ltd. have filed many successful re-naturalization applications and will be happy to support you in this endeavor.

Confirmation of citizenship (Feststellung der deutschen Staatsbürgerschaft)

Many North Americans have relatives or ancestors who immigrated from Germany. They often feel a connection to their German heritage and wonder what they can do to become German citizens themselves and eventually apply for a German passport.

German citizenship is derived through one’s lineage and does not require a person to be born in Germany to become a German citizen. If you have German ancestors or relatives, you may already legally be a German citizen. However, proving this within a passport or other application can be complicated and cause trouble. Generally, you must provide your German parent’s German passport before and after your birth. These passports cannot be older than 30 years. Without these and other documents of proof, the passport application will not be successful.

There is still a way to obtain proof of your German citizenship for your passport application. You can have your citizenship confirmed and be awarded a certificate of citizenship. This is necessary in any case of uncertainty regarding the validity of German citizenship. These applications are extensive and always requires an explanation of the applicant’s individual situation as well as a strong legal argument regarding the law that is applicable to your case. Our legal expertise in this area has made many applications successful and helped clients in the past.

Acquisition by declaration (Erklärungserwerb)

German citizenship law has seen many changes over the last 150 years. For many years, people would not obtain German citizenship through their parents depending on the gender and marital status of the parents. One prominent example is that a married German woman could not pass her German citizenship to her child until 1975. Even before then, a German woman lost her German citizenship when marrying a foreigner.

Today, the legal and political consensus understands that many people have been affected by this gender-based discrimination. To make up for the lost citizenship people could have had, the German Bundestag introduced a new privileged application for everyone directly or distantly affected by past citizenship law. The applicant provides a formal declaration in writing within the application process. This application can be filed until 2031.

The application requires detailed information about the family history of each applicant as well as the explanation why German citizenship was not acquired by birth. Because of the changing nature of the German Citizenship Act, a successful application strongly benefits from legal understanding and expertise on the respective citizenship law that was in effect at any point in time that may be important.

We at SNP Canada Ltd. have familiarised ourselves with past and current citizenship law and have the expertise to assess whether someone qualifies for this procedure. As these applications are dependent on one’s individual situation, we recommend booking an initial consultation to gather a better understanding.