Lose German Citizenship

[bigdog 376]

Dual citizenship is cool in US/Germany, China no.

[lilly1986 5]

I have no idea what u have to do (because i am not at this point yet) but u def can have both.

[soch 2]

Thanks all. After all our research sometimes seems like its just easier to forget about the USC since getting a BBG seems difficult. . If we decide this then who do we contact? Or just not show up for oath? So stressed.

[lilly1986 5]

" Do I keep my German citizenship when I become an US citizen?

Yes, but only if you successfully apply to have your German citizenship retained BEFORE you become a U.S. citizen. Contact your local German consulate regarding the application process for the permit called Beibehaltungsgenehmigung.

“As of 1 January 2000, a German citizen loses his/her citizenship according to § 25, par. 1 of the Citizenship Act (StAG) whenever he/she voluntarily accepts a foreign citizenship after applying for it. It makes no difference if the person lives in Germany or another country.

When attaining foreign citizenship, German citizenship can be retained only if the German citizenship authorities grant permission to keep German citizenship (citizenship retention permission) before foreign citizenship is attained. Should you consider attaining foreign citizenship you are advised to check with your local citizenship office in advance. In the event that you reside in a foreign country, please contact the appropriate German foreign mission.”

Loss of Citizenship:

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/e…

Information on Beibehaltungsgenehmigung & link to application form:

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/d…

Source(s):

German Missions in the United States"

Now if your home country was Colombia, they will force you to renew your Colombian citizenship, but only if you want to visit your mom. Won't let you in with a US Passport if your place of birth is listed as Colombia. 203 different countries with 203 different laws.

While the application forms were simple enough, can't file those by yourself, have to by there law go through what they call a notary. I looked up the translation for that word, means, "bandit".

But at least so far, she doesn't have to pay taxes to Colombia on her US income. But if we moved to Colombia and she worked, would have to pay income taxes to the USA to maintain her US citizenship.

Antrag auf die Beibehaltungsgenehmigung in English is Application for permit (authorization) of retention of German citizenship. But I feel the correct translation is also paying a bandit.

[Jemmi 3]

go to the yahoo group zweipaesse. tell your husband to start reading all the approved BBG's in the archive. the people there will also help him if he really doesnt know what to do. i got my BBG last year and it took 8 weeks. i dont know what to tell you about the oath. your best bet would be to wait till Brother Hesekiel answers you. he knows about all that stuff and i am sure he will give you the best advice.

good luck

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Soch,

if your husband takes the Oath of Allegiance without the BBG Certificate in his hand, he will lose his German citizenship automatically and his German passport becomes invalid after the fact. He can postpone his Oath, as he would had he been in an accident or recovering from a serious illness.

I am probably the most experienced man on Earth in regard to BBGs. I have personally done more of the applications than I have classic cars, and I have more cars than I have socks and underwear combined. A German attorney and I are the driving force on ZweiPaesse and getting a BBG application approved is easy if the applicant knows the rules of the game. Right now the whole process is going super fast, about 10 to 11 weeks on average.

If your husband loses his German citizenship, he won't be able to get it back unless he applies for "Wiedereinbuergerung" at which time the Krauts will ask him to please formally renounce his U.S. citizenship, despite information suggesting otherwise.

A German passport is more than a passport: it opens the whole European continent up for retirement, whether it's in Italy or the South of France. Waiting another 3 or 4 months for this is IMHO a small price to pay.

[Ruffie 22]

Thanks all. After all our research sometimes seems like its just easier to forget about the USC since getting a BBG seems difficult. . If we decide this then who do we contact? Or just not show up for oath? So stressed.

The BBG is really NOT that big of a deal. A day, maybe two, of sitting down and READING anything he can get his hands on (as mentioned before, zweipaesse...) getting everything written down and sending it off. Once approved, he pays 255 Euros and that's it. It really, really isn't a big deal.

[Jemmi 3]

not probably Brother, you ARE the most experienced man on Earth.

Thanks again

[ingucis78 1]

it is pretty nice when you can keep both.i loose mine as soon as i become US citizen.

[soch 2]

Thanks brother and all! Husband is working on his bbg now. As for oath postponement... We were/are gonna call uscis and inquire. However, after research and thus stated in the appt letter (N 445) we need to send them back the letter with a written excuse as to why he can not attend the oath. Our worry is that his oath is THIS thursday so we hope we r not TOO late to post postpone... you think? Also, will a letter asking for postponement of about 3 or 4 months due to family illness be a good enough excuse or will they need details? Just wondering how long they can postpone for and are they so willing to comply.

it is pretty nice when you can keep both.i loose mine as soon as i become US citizen.

Sorry to hear that. That is our stress

[Anna C. 4]

The Yahoo group Zweipaesse and the Consulate's website will help. You have to apply and get the BBG before you can apply for any other citizenship. You have to have good reasons to get the BBG, not everybody just gets it. The process takes 2-12 months, and if approved it costs 255 Euros plus Fedex fees. You have to prove to the German government that you need both citizenships in order to get a BBG. Good luck with everything - I applied in June and got it in August and applied in October for N-400 and will have my citizenship interview later this month.

[nwctzn 55]

Thanks brother and all! Husband is working on his bbg now. As for oath postponement... We were/are gonna call uscis and inquire. However, after research and thus stated in the appt letter (N 445) we need to send them back the letter with a written excuse as to why he can not attend the oath. Our worry is that his oath is THIS thursday so we hope we r not TOO late to post postpone... you think? Also, will a letter asking for postponement of about 3 or 4 months due to family illness be a good enough excuse or will they need details? Just wondering how long they can postpone for and are they so willing to comply.

Well, I thought the rule emphasized on this forum over and over is "Never lie, especially, never lie to USCIS"

I totally understand the coolness of keeping the German passport and being able to live, work, and retire anywhere in the EU, but on the other hand, I would never misrepresent any information to USCIS. So either tell the USCIS the truth or take the oath on your scheduled date.

Edited January 9, 2012 by nwctzn

[Ruffie 22]

Thanks brother and all! Husband is working on his bbg now. As for oath postponement... We were/are gonna call uscis and inquire. However, after research and thus stated in the appt letter (N 445) we need to send them back the letter with a written excuse as to why he can not attend the oath. Our worry is that his oath is THIS thursday so we hope we r not TOO late to post postpone... you think? Also, will a letter asking for postponement of about 3 or 4 months due to family illness be a good enough excuse or will they need details? Just wondering how long they can postpone for and are they so willing to comply.

Sorry to hear that. That is our stress

Why on Earth would you LIE?! Tell them the truth... your husband didn't bother to do enough research BEFORE he applied for the naturalization and hnow he needs to apply for another document in order to be able to retain his German citizenship.

[NickD 202]

Have to admit my wife didn't know she had to maintain her Colombian passport to visit her mom, I sure didn't know that. Found out the hard way going down there when they wouldn't admit her. But we spent an hour with their POE, she convinced them the only way she could get it was to enter her country to get it done. They did admit her, but flagged her, when we left, they wanted to see all of her application papers, she had that.

Ironically, when she was here, they gave her a hard time at their consulate in Chicago, in renewing her passport, why do you want a passport for your home country when you are living here? But that passport was expired last time we went down, and since she now has a US passport and didn't need that old passport for any kind of travel, they were nice and insisted she have it. But sure charged enough.

Point is knowing the laws of your home country before hand what you have to do. In getting involved with immigration myself, have yet to meet a natural born US citizen that has even heard of the USCIS.

In our case, took that USCIS oath very seriously, but then shifted to the DOS and got an entirely different story. Can see where dealing with the USCIS can at least be a very awkward situation, assume maintaining your German citizenship is done very quietly. In our case, tried to raise all holy hell with our DOS, but got nowhere, she has to maintain her Colombian citizenship, even though she didn't want to, just wanted to visit her mom. But try to explain that to the USCIS, that we didn't have to do, was done with them.

Maybe Bob has some suggestions. Weird, you don't want to maintain citizenship in your home country and the USA forces you to do so, then you want to maintain citizenship in your home country and they go against you.

[soch 2]

Thanks all for your help!