apply for naturalisation under the reparation scheme - for persons expatriated during National Socialism and their descendants - abroad

If you or your ancestors were deprived of German citizenship during the National Socialist era, you can apply for re-naturalisation under certain conditions.

Einbürgerung im Rahmen der Wiedergutmachung online beantragen
The federal portal provides information on administrative services at federal, state and local level. You can use it to deal with the authorities directly online.

Download package: Application forms for the naturalization of persons living abroad pursuant to Article 116 (2) sentence 1 of the Basic Law (naturalization by restitution after deprivation)
Here you can download all forms for naturalization as a package.

Application package for a person aged 16 or under (in German and English):
- Application A
- Application AK
- Attachment Ancestors
- Information sheet on the procedure
- Power of attorney
- Information on data protection
This form can be submitted electronically without signature (e.g. via a secure contact form or by e-mail) or in paper form to the responsible authority.

Street address

Barbarastr. 1
50735 Köln

Postal address

50728 Köln

Mehr zur Behörde

The Federal Office of Administration (BVA) is a German higher federal authority in the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, for Construction and Home Affairs (BMI). Among other things, it is responsible as the citizenship authority for persons abroad for issues relating to citizenship.

You can be re-naturalised if you were deprived of your German citizenship during the National Socialist era. If you are a descendant of such a person, you are also entitled to naturalisation.

If you meet the requirements for (re-)naturalisation, you will be issued with a naturalisation certificate. You will then have German citizenship.

You can also appoint an authorised person, for example a lawyer, to represent you in your application. To do this, you must enclose a power of attorney.

If you live abroad, you can submit your application for (re)naturalisation within the framework of the redress process in writing or in person (appointment) at your locally competent foreign representation or in writing and online at the Federal Office of Administration (BVA).

Notice:

If you already live in Germany, please contact the municipal citizenship authority responsible for your place of residence for a procedure to determine your German citizenship.

Applications for (re-)naturalization can be made by

former Germans who were deprived of their German citizenship between 30.01.1933 and 08.05.1945 due to political, religious or racial persecution or
Descendants of persons who were deprived of their German citizenship between January 30, 1933 and May 8, 1945 due to political, religious or racial persecution

Further requirements:

deprivation was effected by automatic loss in accordance with the 11th Ordinance to the Reich Citizenship Act of 25.11.1941 (applies to all Jewish German citizens who had their habitual residence abroad at the time of entry into force or later) or
through loss in individual cases in accordance with the law on the revocation and withdrawal of German citizenship of 14.7.1933 (published in the Reichsanzeiger) and
Your permanent residence is abroad

Note:
If German citizenship was not revoked by expatriation, but the ancestor lost it in connection with National Socialist persecution, naturalization according to § 15 StAG (Wiedergutmachungseinbürgerung nach Verfolgung) may be possible.

Required Documents
When applying, you must submit:
- as persons of the immediate generation of victims:
  - Birth certificate,
  - current identity document, for example:
    - identity card or passport
  - Proof of previous possession of German citizenship, such as:
    - old German identity documents, including a passport,
    - deregistration certificates from before 1945,
    - old certificate of origin
  - Evidence of the fate of persecution, such as.
    - Entry of religious affiliation in birth or marriage certificates of:
      you or
      your parents or, if applicable
      your grandparents or
      your great-grandparents
  - notations in your passport or on other official documents
  - references to receipt of compensation benefits under the Federal Compensation Act
  - if applicable, proof of name changes
  - if applicable, proof of the acquisition of a foreign nationality
- as descendants of affected persons:
  - Birth certificate,
  - current identity document, for example:
    - identity card or passport,
  - other civil status documents, for example:
    - birth certificates or marriage certificates,
  - Proof of previous possession of German nationality of your ancestors, for example:
    - old German identity papers (up to 1945),
    - deregistration certificates (from before 1945),
    - old certificate of origin,
  - Proof of the persecution fate of your ancestors, for example:
    - entry of religious affiliation in birth or marriage certificates (ancestors up to 1945),
    - notations in old passports or on other official documents (up to 1945),
    - references to receipt of compensation benefits under the Federal Indemnification Law
  - if applicable, proof of name changes,
  - if applicable, proof of the acquisition of a foreign nationality by the ancestors

You or your authorized representative can apply for naturalization as part of the restitution process in writing or in person by appointment at your competent German diplomatic mission abroad or online at the Federal Office of Administration (BVA).

Written or personal application:

You can obtain all the necessary information in advance by e-mail, telephone or in a personal meeting on site (appointment). Among other things, you will receive information on which documents you should enclose with your application.
You can download the application form directly from the website of the Federal Office of Administration.
If necessary, the diplomatic mission abroad can assist you in completing the application form.
Complete the application form in full and sign it.
Submit the signed application by post or in person together with the required supporting documents to your local German diplomatic mission abroad (appointment).
However, contacting the diplomatic mission abroad is not mandatory. You can also send the application directly to the BVA by post.
The BVA will check your application and inform you if further documents and information are required to process the application.

Online application:

Go to the website of the federal portal and fill out the application form for naturalization within the framework of restitution electronically.
Note: You will need an eIDAS-compliant form of authentication for the online function.
Attach the other required documents as a file.
Send your application.
The BVA will check your application and request certified copies of any required documents.

Complete the procedure (in writing and online):

If your application is approved, the BVA will send your naturalization certificate to the relevant diplomatic mission abroad. They will inform you about the further procedure for issuing the naturalization certificate.
If the BVA is unable to approve your application, you will be informed by the diplomatic mission abroad.