Ancestry / Descent in Germany
One documented route of this kind in Germany, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Ethnic German Repatriate (Spätaussiedler, BVFG §15 → StAG §7)
Admission route for ethnic Germans (Spätaussiedler) from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; the §15 BVFG certificate confers German citizenship automatically.
- Processing time
- Varies; administered by the Federal Office of Administration (BVA).
- Validity
- Permanent (citizenship).
- Language requirement
- Basic German (passing the §15 BVFG language test, generally A1 level).
- Permanent residence
- N/A — admission confers citizenship directly.
- Citizenship
- Automatic German citizenship upon issuance of the §15 BVFG certificate — no separate naturalisation.
Requirements
- Admission application (Aufnahmebescheid) filed with the Federal Office of Administration (BVA)
- Proof of German descent
- Declared adherence to German nationality
- Basic German language proof (§15 BVFG language test)
- Documents for accompanying spouse/descendants
- Generally born up to end of 1992 from the former Soviet Union/Eastern Europe
Required Documents
- Admission application (Aufnahmebescheid) to the BVA required
- Proof of German descent (ancestry documents) required
- Proof of declared adherence to German nationality required
- German language test result required
- Documents for accompanying family members
Process Steps
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1
File admission application
File the Aufnahmebescheid application with the BVA from abroad.
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2
Language test
Pass the §15 BVFG language test.
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3
Receive admission decision
Receive the admission decision.
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4
Enter Germany
Enter Germany under the admission.
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5
Receive certificate
Receive the §15 BVFG certificate, which confers automatic German citizenship.