Procedure of Confirmation and Naturalization

There are two main procedures to obtain a German / EU passport:


I. Confirmation of an existing German citizenship

This is relevant in all cases, in which an existing German citizenship seems possible, but is otherwise unclear or doubtful. The German embassies and consulates will not issue a German passport, as long as the German citizenship is not confirmed by the according German authority. 


II. Naturalization

The procedure of naturalization becomes relevant, if a confirmation of German citizenship is not possible, because the German citizenship was not obtained by birth. 


These two procedures are different and different forms need to be used. In both cases it is not the German embassy or consulate, which decides on your application, but the German Federal Agency in Cologne, where our law office is located. 


III. Our legal services for you:

  • We act as your legal represantative in dealings with the German authorities
  • Before any application we judge the chances of it
  • We help you to prepare the application forms and tell you, which forms and documents you will need for the application
  • As your legal represantative, we submit your application to the German authorities
  • We take care of all further communication with the German authorities, until the final result


The result of a successful application is a document from the German government stating, that you have the German citizenship, by ancestry or by naturalization. 


If you also would like to hold a German / EU passport, you will need to contact the nearby German embassy or consulate and present this document. A German / EU passport will then be issued to you. Please note, that we cannot apply for a passport, as it needs to be done in person.  


What are the Pros and Cons of a German passport?


There are no Cons we know of, as Germany does not tax its citizens, if they are not residents of Germany. Even in case of residency, Germany may tax income, but there is no taxation of assets.  


There are many Pros:

  • it may be a part of your national identity
  • holders of German passports are usually quite welcome in most countries
  • you don`t need a visa for most countries
  • you can stay in Germany and the EU basically as long as you like
  • you may be entitled to the German welfare and medical systems, if you take residency in Germany