Can you gain German citizenship easier if you have German family members?

Question

I was brought up in America but I have visited Germany for a period of time and enjoyed it a lot and I am considering living there permanently. Is it possible that I could gain German citizenship easier or in a lesser amount of time since I have German grandparents? Does anyone know how this works? I was born and raised in the U.S. and have U.S. citizenship, and my parents immigrated to the U.S. before I was born, however my grandparents are German citizens.

Answer 1

Yeah, I'd think it be easier to get German citizenship, or any country's citizenship if your parents, grandparents, etc are/were citizens or born in the country then you can get citizenship, or at the least citizenship in some form.

  My parents are from India, but because India does not have "dual-citizenship", I am planning to get OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) instead.

  Similarly those with Jewish parentage are are eligible for Israeli citizenship, and those with Irish roots can apply for Irish citizenship.

  I'd think that the same theory applies for Germany.

Answer 2

It might make it slightly easier. Trust me your not going to get in unless you marry a German... good luck the test is VERY VERY HARD.

I thought about this some more and you could get your grandparents changed to your parent so they are in control of you thats the only way it would help. Germany is not like Israel or India.

Answer 3

How do I obtain German citizenship ?

- by birth to a German parent

Laws regarding citizenship have been changed several times over the last decades. Whether or not a person has acquired German citizenship may therefore depend on the person's date of birth:

If you were born before January 1, 1975:

- If your parents were married at the time of your birth you acquired German citizenship if your father was German; you did not acquire German citizenship if only your mother was German (unless you would otherwise have been stateless).

- If your parents were not married at the time of your birth you acquired German citizenship if your mother was German; you did not acquire German citizenship if only your father was German.If you were born on or after January 1, 1975:

If your parents were married at the time of your birth you acquired German citizenship if at least one parent was German.

If your parents were not married at the time of your birth you acquired German citizenship if your mother was German; you did not acquire German citizenship if only your father was German. However: a person born out of wedlock on or after July 1, 1993 can acquire German citizenship if only the father is German and if the father acknowledges paternity.

so? no, you cannot acces german citizenship, but if you live there long enough? you could? but you would have to give up your citizenship, and? it is rare that Germany does give citizenship in this case,

  by naturalization:

Naturalizations of people with permanent residence outside Germany are rare. Applicants have to meet a host of requirements; you typically have to give up your present citizenship(s) in order to become a German citizen, fluency in the German language is another precondition - for more information, contact the competent German Mission in the US.

http://www.germany.info/relaunch/info/co...