Job Discussion Forums

chica · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 4 Location: Vancouver, BC

(Jetgirly, some of your story is eerily similar to mine!!)

My grandpa was in the German navy in WW2. He was also caught (I don't recall where) and was a POW for many years in Canada. When the war ended, my grandmother also moved to Canada to join him. !

My mother was born 3 years after this. Since she was born in Canada, I assumed my whole life that I was not eligible for German citizenship (my dad's side is longtime Canadian). I started researching this year and discovered that since my grandparents didn't get their Cdn citizenship for 5 years after arriving, my mother was technically born to German parents. Since her parents were German at the time of her birth, and since I was born after 1975 (before this, it must be your father who was born German), I apparently qualify for citizenship! I'm ecstatic.

I am unclear though, after reading through various posts on various sites, if I will have full dual German/Cdn citizenship. Some people seem to think it is impossible, while others who have similar sounding situations to mine have said they have both. Anyone out there know for sure?

I noticed that nelly06 said that her son has both, because "if you're born to a German parent in Canada you are entitled to both. In these cases Germany does regognize dual (or even triple) citizenship." Is this true? My mother was German when _she_ was born, but not when I was born. It appears I do qualify for citizenship, but I just don't know about the 'dual' part.

Any help is very appreciated, cheers Smile

chica · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 4 Location: Vancouver, BC

by the way...

not sure if it's relevant, but my mother is presently only Canadian, and was at the time I was born.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I was told by the German Consulate that German citizenship can only be passed from father to child, not from mother to child. You'll want to find out about that. They very clearly told me that were I to have children with a non-German, my kids would not be eligible for German citizenship.

The way for you to get your citizenship (assuming it can be matrilineal)would be for your mother to obtain her citizenship first, then for you to obtain it afterwards on the basis of having a German parent. This is how I obtained mine. You or your mom will have to invest a lot of time in obtaining birth and marriage certificates from Germany.

nelly06 · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 22 Location: Japan

nelly06 · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 22 Location: Japan

Gerhard E. Jene · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 43 Location: London

Hi

Check with H. Liebrecht & Associates. He has an office in Toronto and Vancouver.As for me I have both German and Canadian citizenship. He had told me that because my father was still a German citizen at the time I was born while my mother had Canadian. Because of that, I am entitled to hold both.
Even Mr. M. R. Weinhardt, who has an office in Salt Lake City, Utah says the same thing. Both of these gentlemen practice know about German law. So, please check with the 1st one and with Canadian Immigration. A cousin of mine was born in Germany, but when he and his parents came here to Canada, I was told he for some reason had lost his German citizenship. As for me the German Consulate gave me a list of documents that I would need for when I apply for a German passport.
One was a marriage certificate, original (or certified copy) of a when the one parent obtained the citizenship of the country in question. I can tell more if you want either here or in private.

Gerhard