Job Discussion Forums

[dudette]

I've read as many posts as time allows, trying to find some info. Maybe there's somebody out there who has actually managed to get a dual German/Canadian passport? I understand that it's possible, and I do have relatives in Germany working on it, and I have spoken with the consulate. Basically, I've been advised by the consulate that I would have to renounce my Canadian citizenship, but I KNOW there are Canadians out there with both.

The facts are: I was born in Germany, as was my father, and we emigrated to Canada when I was 1 year old. I had a German passport. When I attended teacher's college in Canada, I became a Canadian citizen (I was over 19, which, apparently is the "magic age" as far as the consulate is concerned. They say that if one renounces their German citizenship after turning 19, then it can't be gotten back.)

As I mentioned, I have a sister still living in Germany, whom I've asked to look into this. I'm getting the impression that the German consulate is trying very hard not to help anybody use what they think of as a loophole. Is there anybody out there who knows about the loophole? What could be a stronger case for citizenship than being born there?

Many thanks in advance,

[naturegirl321]

I know of a girl I used to work with who had Canadian and Germany citizenship. Her mother was German. I don't konw how she did it.
I think that maybe as far as Germany concerns you would only have their citizenship. Howeve, in Canada, as they recognise both, you would have both. Does that make sense? In Germany's eyes you'd only be German.

Just make sure that you don't go to the Canadian Consulate and renounce your citizenship. At least I think that's how it works.

AS for loopholes, good luck. Germany's an old EU member, so it's probably even harder. I've been looking for Romanian loopholes for eight years. My mother and grandfather were born there. My grandmother got her USA citizenship taken away by the Romanians. They won't admit thta my mother's Romanian, on the basis that she doesn't speak Romanian and left when she was one. More likely than not, they just don't want people using the RO passport to work in the EU:

[dudette]

Thanks naturegirl. Your post seems to go along with what I'm finding: that those people who do have dual citizenship are keeping their Canadian citizenship, and also applying for German citizenship while "omitting" to tell the German authorities that they are keeping their Canadian citizenship. It seems to be such a sneaky, if not downright illegal, way to go about it. I would definitely not renounce my Canadian citizenship, because I became a Canadian citizen in order to get my degrees and teach in Canada. And, hey, I grew up here and consider this my country, but I'm also German by birth.

About the Romanian citizenship, I can sympathize with you. My mother was also born there, and I've looked into that too. Unfortunately, I won't be able to demonstrate that I can speak, read and write the language because we spoke only German at home while I was growing up. So I don't have a prayer there.

Thanks again for your info, and good luck with YOUR efforts. You'd think that these things would be easier as the workplace expands around the world

[naturegirl321]

[nelly06]

[nelly06]

[dudette]

[nelly06]

The problem is that you officially (even without knowing) renounced your German citizenship when you were an adult. To go back now and say that you and your father were born there is irrelevant to them.
Does your father still has his German citizenship?
In any case I would talk to a German Immigration Laywer to get his opinion. You are by far not the only one with this problem!

Good luck!

[dudette]

Thanks, nelly06. I am, in fact, expecting a reply from a German Citizenship lawyer that I contacted while also trying to get information from any Forum members who might be in the same situation. If anybody reading this finds themselves in this same situation, I'm sure that within a couple of days I can pass along what I have learned. Thanks to all.

Cheers!

[naturegirl321]

dudette, how's the citizenship quest going for you?

[Jetgirly]

I have dual German-Canadian citizenship and at the time I was born, my parents were both only Canadian citizens. My grandfather fought for Germany in WW2 and was captured as a POW in a sub off the coast of Canada. When the war ended, my grandmother joined him in Canada.

Fifty years later, my dad decided he wanted German citizenship. He contacted the consulate and they said that they would need copies of all my grandparents' important documents. It took about a year to get everything collected from the German side, but the documents showed that my grandparents had not yet received Canadian citizenship at the time my dad was born; thus he was eligible for German citizenship. Once he obtained his, I became the child of a German citizen and was able to apply for my own.

I don't understand at what point in the story you renounced your citizenship? Did you just not renew your passport?

[naturegirl321]

[Jetgirly]

Well I guess Ireland has a different system in place than Germany. As for the "making a choice" thing, I don't imagine Germany and Canada getting together and looking over all their files to see which people have passports from both countries. However, I don't even think that's an issue. I got my German passport about three months before my twenty-first birthday, and it's good for five years. You'd think the Consulate would have mentioned something about having to make some big citizenship decision in the near future at that time.

[dagi]

"I'm getting the impression that the German consulate is trying very hard not to help anybody use what they think of as a loophole. "
Indeed, that is what most German consulates do. The policy is not to encourage dual-citizenship, although it is possible. Germany has legal agreements with a few countries about dual-citizenships and it is also possible when a German gets married to a foreigner. You can take up the nationality of your spouse and keep your German one.

What someone else already said, when you got your Canadian passport you should have obtained a "Beibehaltungsgenehmigung". To get this document you must prove that you have strong bonds with Germany that will continue in the future.
That your dad and you were born in Germany totally doesn't matter.


Btw, the case of jetgirly is completely different because her grandfather came to Canada as a POW. My grandmother's German citizenship was taken away by the Dutch and she was stateless (citizenshipless??) for 5 years after which she took up Dutch citizenship. When the grandparents moved back to Germany some 30 years later my grandmother was told she could have her citizenship back instantly. She didn't want it but was given a resident permit that is valid for the rest of her life. My grandfather got one, too cause he is married to her.

[canucktechie]