Bundesportal | Applying for restitution naturalization due to National Socialist persecution for persons with habitual residence abroad

Complete online now

More Information

Publisher

Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI)

Last update or date of publication

April 17, 2026

Contact

The government service telephone number 115 – your point of contact for questions related to the federal, state and local.

Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 18:00 (and beyond these times in some regions).

Call 115 now

Government service telephone number calls are charged at local rates.

If you live abroad and have given up or lost your German citizenship or were unable to acquire it, you can apply for restitution naturalization.

This also applies to descendants of affected persons.

Please contact the relevant authorities in your country of origin well in advance of naturalization to find out whether acquiring German citizenship will affect your current citizenship. This depends solely on the law of the country of which you are currently a citizen.

Copy of your current foreign passport or identity document (pages with passport photo and personal details)
Birth certificate or certificate of parentage
Marriage certificate of your parents
If applicable, your marriage certificate
if available: Birth or descent certificates as well as marriage certificates, family registers for all ancestors of your ascending line, back to the person who was subjected to National Socialist persecution between 1933 and 1945
on request: current document from your country of residence that provides comprehensive information about your criminal record (so-called police clearance certificate, criminal record extract or criminal record)
If applicable, adoption documents such as adoption certificate, court order
if applicable, divorce documents such as divorce decree with final judgment
Civil partnership certificate, if applicable
if applicable, documents on paternity acknowledgement or establishment
if applicable, documents relating to name changes, such as name change certificates, marriage certificates or other official documents relating to the use of the name
the following documents:
- Proof of German citizenship up to the person of your ancestors who was subjected to National Socialist persecution between 1933 and 1945 and therefore had to leave Germany or
- Proof that you had your habitual residence in Germany before 30.01.1933 (as a child also after this date) or
- Proof of exclusion from acquiring German citizenship (e.g. naturalization applied for but not granted between 1933 and 1945) and

Proof of the reasons for and measures of persecution to which you or your ancestors were subjected between 1933 and 1945

If applicable, proof of when the relevant person of your ancestors who was affected by National Socialist persecution took on another nationality
Documents that allow conclusions to be drawn about the German nationality of your ancestors, such as
- naturalization certificates
- Certificates or documents concerning the acquisition of German citizenship by declaration or option
- Appointment certificates for civil servants
- Certificates of citizenship
- certificates of origin
- Passports, identity cards and other identity documents (including old ones)
- Registration confirmations
Documents that allow conclusions to be drawn about the reasons for and measures of persecution, such as
- Proof of occupational bans
- Dismissal from public service
- Withdrawal of license to practice as a doctor or lawyer
- deportation order
- imprisonment documents
- Proof of internment
- Documents on expropriations
- Entries of religious affiliation in birth or marriage certificates
- Membership of a persecuted religious community
- Endorsements in passports or on other official documents
- Compensation documents

Download package Application for restitution naturalization according to § 15 StAG (for persons living abroad)

Label

Preconditions

Due to National Socialist persecution
- you or your ancestors gave up or lost your German citizenship before 26.02.1955, in particular through naturalization in another country or
- you or your ancestors were excluded from legally acquiring German citizenship through marriage, legitimation or collective naturalization of German nationals or
- you or your ancestors are not naturalized or were excluded from naturalization or
- you have given up or lost your habitual residence in Germany if this was established before 30.01.1933. This also applies to children if their habitual residence was only established after this date.
You are a descendant of a person affected.
They are exempt from punishment.
They fulfill further requirements such as being of legal age and being exempt from punishment.
They have not acquired or lost German citizenship in the meantime.

Costs may be incurred for the procurement of documents, translations and notarizations.

Basis for legal action

§ 15 Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG)

§ 5 Gesetz über die Errichtung des Bundesverwaltungsamtes (BVwAG)

Legal Remedies

Objection

Further information on how to lodge an objection can be found in the notification.

Procedure

You or your authorized representative can apply for naturalization as part of the restitution process:

online or by post at the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) or
by post or by appointment in person at your competent German diplomatic mission abroad.

If you wish to submit the application online:

Go to the website of the federal portal. The portal will guide you step by step through the application and the necessary supporting documents.
The BVA will check your application and, if necessary, request certified copies of documents.
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 rejects your application, your diplomatic mission abroad will inform you.

If you wish to submit the application by post or in person:

You can obtain all the necessary information about the application and required documents in advance by e-mail, telephone or in a personal meeting on site at your responsible German diplomatic mission abroad.
Download the application form from the BVA website. If necessary, the diplomatic mission abroad can assist you in completing the application form.
Fill in the application form, sign it and send it together with the documents by post to your responsible German diplomatic mission abroad. You can also hand it in there in person.
Alternatively, you can submit your application with the documents to the BVA.
The BVA will check your application and inform you if further documents and information are required.

The next steps are the same as for the online application.

Deadlines

There is no deadline.

Processing time

1 year until 2 years
Depending on the individual case, processing may take longer.