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Nationality Act

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Übersetzung durch den Sprachendienst des Bundesministeriums des Innern.

Translation provided by the Language Service of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Stand: Die Übersetzung berücksichtigt die Änderung(en) des Gesetzes durch Artikel 1 des Gesetzes vom 12. August 2021 (BGBl. I S. 3538)
Der Stand der deutschsprachigen Dokumentation kann aktueller sein. Vergleichen Sie dazu bitte http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/BJNR005830913.html.

Version information: The translation includes the amendment(s) to the Act by Article 1 of the Act of 12 August 2021 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 3538)
Translations may not be updated at the same time as the German legal provisions displayed on this website. To compare with the current status of the German version, see http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/BJNR005830913.html.

Zur Nutzung dieser Übersetzung lesen Sie bitte den Hinweis unter "Translations".

For conditions governing use of this translation, please see the information provided under "Translations".

           
Section 1[Definition of a German]
Section 2(repealed)
Section 3[Acquisition of citizenship]
Section 4[Acquisition by birth]
Section 5[Right of declaration for children born after the Basic Law entered into force]
Section 6[Acquisition by adoption as a child]
Section 7[Acquisition by issuance of the certificate in accordance with section 15 (1) or (2) of the Federal Expellees Act]
Section 8[Discretionary naturalisation]
Section 9[Naturalisation of spouses or registered civil partners of Germans]
Section 10[Entitlement to naturalisation; derivative naturalisation of spouses and minor children]
Section 11[Grounds for exclusion]
Section 12[Naturalisation accepting multiple nationality]
Section 12a[Decision in the event of conviction for an offence]
Section 12b[Interruptions of residence]
Section 13[Discretionary naturalisation of former Germans abroad]
Section 14[General discretionary naturalisation abroad]
Section 15[Naturalisation on grounds of restitution of German citizenship]
Section 16[Certificate of naturalisation]
Section 17[Loss of citizenship]
Section 18[Release from citizenship]
Section 19[Release from citizenship of a person in parental custody or the care of a guardian]
Sections 20 and 21(repealed)
Section 22[Refusal of release from citizenship]
Section 23[Certificate of release]
Section 24[Invalidity of release from citizenship]
Section 25[Loss of citizenship when acquiring a foreign citizenship upon application; permission to retain German citizenship]
Section 26[Renunciation]
Section 27[Loss of citizenship on adoption by a foreigner]
Section 28[Loss of citizenship as a result of joining the armed forces or a comparable armed organisation of a foreign state]
Section 29[Declaration]
Section 30[Determining German citizenship]
Section 31[Personal data]
Section 32[Transmitting data to nationality authorities]
Section 32a[Transmitting data for criminal investigations of tax law violations]
Section 33[Register of decisions relating to nationality law]
Section 34[Opting procedure]
Section 35[Withdrawal of unlawful naturalisation or permission to retain German citizenship]
Section 36[Naturalisation statistics]
Section 37[Procedural provisions]
Section 38[Fees]
Section 38a[Ban on issuingdocuments related to nationality status in electronic form}
Section 39[Regulations for certificates]
Section 40(repealed)
Section 40a(repealed)
Section 40b[Transitional provision for children up to the age of 10]
Section 40c[Transitional provision for persons applying for naturalisation]
Section 41[No possibility of deviation on the part of the Länder]
Section 42[Penal provision]