If you have received a letter of admission as a late repatriate and are registered in Germany at your new place of residence, you will receive the certificate as a late repatriate and thus German citizenship.

You are considered a late repatriate if you are of German descent and live in a state of the former Eastern Bloc or the successor states of the former Soviet Union. Your stay in Germany must be justified and approved through a special admission procedure.

After entering the Federal Republic of Germany, you will first be taken to the Friedland reception centre of the Federal Office of Administration. There, you and your family members will go through a registration and distribution process. You will receive a registration certificate confirming your participation in the procedure.

You will then be assigned to a state where you and your family will relocate. You will then receive a certificate from the Federal Office of Administration stating that you are a late repatriate or relative.

At the same time, you receive German citizenship with this certificate and are thus entitled to benefits, for example, from pension and statutory accident insurance, the Federal Employment Agency or the social welfare offices.

If you have received a notice of admission as a late repatriate and are registered in Germany at your new place of residence, you will receive the certificate as a late repatriate and thus German citizenship.

If you have received a residence permit as a late emigrant and are registered in Germany at your new place of residence, you will receive the certificate as a late emigrant and thus German citizenship.

If you live abroad, were once German and would like to become so again, you can apply for re-naturalisation under certain conditions.

EU and EEA citizens who have acquired a right of permanent residence can apply to the Foreigners' Registration Office for a certificate of the existence of this right.

Third-country nationals Family members of an EU or EEA national may apply for a permanent residence card if they have legally resided legally in Germany with the reference person for a period of five years

You were born in Germany as a child of stateless parents? Then you are entitled to naturalization under certain conditions.