How to keep German and US citizenship ?

Question

I am a German citizen and want to apply for US Citizenship.
Therefore, Germany would require to give up German citizenship.

If I can prove Germany that I have strong reasons why I want to become a US Citizen for example: a Career in Goverment.

Does someone know what the success rate is or any personal experience in general to not loose German citizenship ?

Answer 1

I am a German citizen and am currently in the process of getting the US citizenship. I will also keep my German citizenship at that time. This is possible because I ahave applied for a Beibehaltungsgenehmigung (BBG) from the BVA (Bundesverwaltungsamt). To get the BBG approved you have to show 1. that you have continuing ties to Germany, e.g. speak the language, travel to Germany, have relatives in Germany, have accounts or claims for social security or pensions in Germany etc. and 2. that you will experience a hardship by not getting the US citizenship, e.g. Jobs in your field that are restricted to US citizens, jobs that require you to travel a lot out of the US and which may cause you to loose your Greencard if you stay aout of the country to long etc. My major reason that I listed on the application was that in my field (biochemistry and Molecular Biology) there are a lot of jobs or grants that are for US citizens only and, thus, I could prove a 'hardship' that coould be removed by becoming a US citizen.
The application is sent to the US consulate responsible for your state and they will check the application for completeness and if they think it has a chance of being accepted. Then they will forward the application to the BVA in Koeln and they will make the final desicion. The process takes about 3 months depending on how many applications they process and assuming your application is complete and they do not have to contact you for more documentation. It costs 255 Euro and if approved you have to pick up the BBG in person at a consulate or an Honorary Consul.
The BBG is not valid until you have picked it up to you have to have it in hand before you have your US citizenship oath ceremony!
Don't try to get the US citizenship without getting a BBG and think you can keep your German citizenship just by not telling the Germans. To renew your German passpport from the US you have to show (or send in a notarized copy of) your Greencard or other residency permit for the US. This is your prove that although you are living outside Germany you have not naturalized in the US. Once you are a US citizen you will no longer have your greencard and your passport application will be denied.

There is a very helpful Yahoo-group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zweipaesse/ that was formed specifically for Germans that want to naturalize in nother country and want to keep their German ctizenship. Check it out it was very helpful to me while I prepared my paperwork.

Also: info about the BBG from the germany embassy in the US: http://www.germany.info/relaunch/info/consular_services/citizenship/einbuergerung.html

Answer 2

I am no lawyer, "success unlikely", unless your family is worth > 4 Mio USD. There seems to be confusion in some answers on this page: As a rule, the GERMANS do not allow you to have dual citizenship. (Grund: Gleichheit vor dem Gesetz, da koennten ja 1 Mio deutsche Tuerken kommen und das auch haben wollen.) Anyway, that's why it's called "Beibehaltungsgenehmigung". Without that, the moment you become a US citizen, you have forfeited your German passport. (The US does not care. And been like that for at least 15 years.) When last I visited the German Consultate on the subject of "Beibehaltungsgenehmigung" they showed me a stack of applications (80 or so). I was told 70 + of those would be turned down. The US estate tax had provisions which made the foreign "Ehepartner" a US estate 'tax evasion' suspect. Not much of a tax in Germany, but > 30% in the US. So, why not flee to Germany with your money, since no extradition for death tax from there. IRS decided, the surving GERMAN Ehepartner must pay the tax on the FULL estate (i.e. for BOTH spouses), and due immediately when spouse passes away. That WAS why in the last few years Germany decided to allow dual citizenship, so that you would not fall in that estate tax trap. Recently though the IRS exemption was raised to 2Mio$ per spouse (and will increase further every new year). With that a majority of applicants for dual citizenship can no longer claim undue hardship. That's why the above 70+ applications for Beibehaltung will fall by the way-side. Real issue for all, in 2011 (or so) the estate tax exemption as such will be reviewed. Nobody knows what happens at such time. I.e. who will control the IRS, Republicans or Democrats? Summary, go and see a German consulate! They are very knowledgeable, and by no means the above "Sessel-Furtzer". -- PS. You will NOT loose your German Social Security benefits, when you convert (vom rechten Glauben) and become a US citizen. Another treaty "auf Gegenseitigkeit" prevents that.

Answer 3

This is what I could find on this.

Although dual citizenship is restricted under German law, it can be held in limited circumstances:

-where a child born to German parents acquires another citizenship at birth (e.g based on place of birth, or descent from one parent)

-where a German citizen acquires a foreign nationality with the permission of the German government

-where a naturalized German citizen, or a child born to non-German parents in Germany, obtains permission to keep their foreign nationality

I hope this helps! but if not, you might want to take a look at this page:
http://germany.usembassy.gov/germany/services/dual_nationality.html

Answer 4

Here are the rules from the USA perspective.
http://germany.usembassy.gov/germany/services/dual_nationality.html

You might ask on the German forum for the Germany perspective.

Answer 5

You need to check with german government and make absolute sure that they do REQUIRE you to give up that citizenship if you take out another. For the EU, I would think its not likely.

Answer 6

I have a friend who is german and he is going for his us citizenship in less then two more years and he said you can keep both with no problem,

Answer 7

As of now, Germany does not allow dual citizenship, with the exception of those who were forced to leave because of the Holocaust. But I do hear they will be changing the law in the future, just don't know when.

Answer 8

you need to ask persmissen from the german embassy I was told by the consulate in Cincinnati recently. make sure you ask as it is harder and harder to regain your german citizenship.