Can my child get german citizenship?

Question

I'm an unmarried German mother but my child will use her father's last name. can she acquire German citizenship?

Answer 1

Yes.

According to Section 4  No. 1 of the German Nationality Act "a child shall acquire German citizenship by birth if one parent possesses German citizenship".

However after  the reform of the law on nationality  there is a very important provision for Germans living abroad, that you must take in consideration:

Children form German parents or German mother or father born abroad after 31 December 1999 (entry into force of the reform of the law on nationality), will in principle no longer acquire German nationality. The only exceptions to this rule are if the child would otherwise be stateless or if a notice of the birth is submitted by the German parents or parent to the competent mission of the Federal Republic of Germany within one year (Section 4, paragraph 4 of the Nationality Act - StAG).

So I would say that if your child is younger than a year you should register him ASAP (your nearest German Embassy or German Consulate), otherwise he will lose the right to get the German citizenship.

Answer 2

yes, as long as her mother is a german citizen