Automatic right of West German citizenship for all persons born in the Federal Republic of Germany
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 November 1989 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | DEU2460 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Automatic right of West German citizenship for all persons born in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1 November 1989, DEU2460, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3814.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, a law of 1 January 1975 stipulates that citizenship is strictly based on bloodlines. If the father or mother is a German (as defined in the Basic Law), then the child is also entitled to West German citizenship. Please refer to the attached copy of the relevant section of the Basic Law. In addition, note that the attached article from the 2 April 1989 edition of The Sunday Star mentions that there is almost no way for non-Germans, regardless of how long they lived in Germany, to become West German citizens and that the children born in Germany of immigrant parents must go through an "arduous naturalization process".
No further corroborating information is currently available to the IRBDC on this topic.