Dual Citizenship

Hi Caroline Rieger,

Welcome to Expat.com!

I hope other members will be able to help you.

The only way (other than by birth) to be allowed double citizenship is if you cannot legally (by the other country's law) give back your other one, or the conditions placed on that are unacceptable (due to German law - e.g. paying back all subsidies for your education there, etc.).
Since this probably does not apply to your Australian citizenship, you can only have one of the two. No need to "deal" with the German authorities about this, as they have no leeway for any other decision.

Thanks.
I've already had german legal advice and know this. There are so many exceptions to the german law but apparently Australians fall through the cracks. Still I'm hoping that someone from Oz has been successful then there would be legal precedence for me!!! The lawyer suggested 'going public' as Australians are clearly disadvantaged as opposed to many another nationalities. I don't want to get involved with the media though...!!!

The general rule is "No double citizenship allowed!"
Exceptions are there to alleviate hardship for people from certain "unreasonable" countries, who are facing many more difficilties in life and are not to be envied.
You are lucky enough to have a "reasonable" nationality, you cannot claim an exception. You are not disadvantaged, you just have to follow the rule like everybody else.
I don't think publicity will change this.
What's wrong with having to choose one nationality?

Yep, German authorities are stiff morons not permitting dual citizenship to even their own people (few exceptions) while most other countries do not have any problem with that.

I am a born German and was stripped citizenship when became Australian citizen. It's truly a disgrace to be a German..

A leopard can't change his spots.
I have been an Aussie for nearly 55 years and cannot change that deep down identification with the country of my birth.
On the other hand I've lived here for over 30 years and would like to vote and I'm the only member of the family who isn't also German.
It feels like being a guest in your own home...!!!

ohh i can not agree on this " The general rule is "No double citizenship allowed!" .... i applied for the German citizenship as well and everything went smooth!!! it is not true that double citizenship is NOT allowed... and my daughter also has 2passports/nationality. maybe u should go to the Rathaus and ask for informations?because i got this piece of information at the Rathaus and then went to Landratsamt to clarify if it is true. so YEAH it works!!!!!! i guess it really depends on your local country,and not Germany. Good Luck

I don't think it is really justified to complain if you can't have two nationalities...Sure, it is convenient in some cases but one can't demand drawing benefits from both. If you really feel that German, take the German citizenship! According to me, you don't really need a passport to feel/be a 'real' citizen - it's just a legal document at the end of the day.

On what grounds are you entitled to German citizenship? It seems you are Australian by birth, so except if one of your parents or your father's father was a German national, I don't think it is really possible to lay claim to both. It also depends on the laws of the other country involved i.e. Australia here.

My advice: just choose and make peace with it.

Hi,

It's actually your home country that is stopping you from getting Dual Citizenship. It has nothing to do with German Authority. The Germans are just following the rule set by your country of Origin. I am facing the same issue myself. My home country does not allow dual citizenship Therefore, I will just have to stick to my origin although my husband is a German.

I have a letter from the German state government (Wiesbaden in Hessen) stating that they do not allow dual citizenship. Someone told me Bavaria is more lenient. Perhaps there are regional differences.
My home country is not stopping me having dual citizenship. It's a new German thing. I think it's got to do with thoughts on terrorism prevention and not nationalism.

My three children already have dual citizenship. It's possible for some.

Interesting.. I was sort of wondering the same thing about having a dual citizenship.  Right now I am just trying to work out a Work Permit, which seems MUCH harder than it was when I lived/worked in Oz for a year....

vickyloo wrote:

Hi,

It's actually your home country that is stopping you from getting Dual Citizenship. It has nothing to do with German Authority. The Germans are just following the rule set by your country of Origin. I am facing the same issue myself. My home country does not allow dual citizenship Therefore, I will just have to stick to my origin although my husband is a German.

This is not true at all: The German authorities do not follow foreign rules, only German ones!
And: Citizenship law is federal and applies everywhere - there is no difference between states!

There are some exceptions to the "no double citizenship" rule, which do not apply to the OP, so I didn't mention them earlier: Children whose parents are of different nationalities and EU citizens (under certain circumstances) can have double citizenship.
But for the OP, the only applicable rule is if the home country does not allow or places unreasonable conditions on giving up its citizenship, then Germany allows keeping it and having German nationality.