Jerseygirl

Excellent. I wouldn't give up my UK citizenship for anything.

Sue

Well I am glad that you are enjoying it so far. If you are missing some good old British banter and off-topic chat check out our Lounge. Honestly I get lost in those threads for hours

scrubbedexpat0105

I don't know what the precise requirements are at present, but when I acquired German citizenship in 2002, the main requirements were:

- 8 years' residence
- Proof of income
- Proof of ability to speak German
- No criminal convictions

I applied when the SPD-Green coalition introduced sweeping changes around 2001. At that time, some of the new requirements were very vague and consequently very much at the discretion of the civil servant responsible; they seem to have been formalized since.

It's true that by default, Germany doesn't allow dual citizenship, but there are numerous exceptions and one of those is (was) that if you're a national of another EU member state and that state grants citizenship to German citizens without requiring them to renounce German citizenship, Germany reciprocates. From what I remember, in 2001, this was the case for citizens of the UK, Ireland, Greece and Portugal. I have read that this was extended unofficially to all EU citizens, and what Sue has posted suggests that it's since become official, EU-wide (plus Switzerland).

The Wikipedia page at
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Staatsangehörigkeit bears this out. Look in particular at Einbürgerung (Naturalisation) – Erwerb durch Verwaltungsakt (Wikipedia isn't gospel but this is consistent with my understanding/experience of the situation).

EditDoc

Nice Info , gets more interesting as we go..
The requirements have changed considerably since then, I have everything all ready to go - but cant seem to make the jump! I cant find any good argument to keep my British citizenship - if I do get a dual, then I will have more work and less money renewing them both in the recurring future. I just see it as a piece of paper really. If I were to be a German and decide in the years to come that I want to return to my roots, then I will - if I want my British citizenship back, then sure I will have to fill some requirements, but I will get it back! On the flip side - I can see the advantages of my wife leaving her Philipino citizenship behind her -crystal clear. Ach, vieleicht bin ich so lang hier das ich nicht mehr klar denken kann!

rachiea2610

I may be completely wrong, but I thought that if you became a citizen of another country you have to verbally renounce your citizenship to any other country. But England doesn't recognize that. You actually have to renounce your citizenship to British officials. So, Surely you could still be a Brit Citizen? Just like how Dual citizenship works in the States...at their oath ceremony you renounce your other citizenship. But it's not recognized so therefore your are technically a dual citizen. Make any sense?

Jerseygirl

What makes you think you have to keep renewing citizenship? If you retain your British citizenship...it costs you nothing.

scrubbedexpat0105

He means the passport, not the citizenship as such. According to ukingermany.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/how-to-apply/germany#much, that's currently €172 per adult, €109 per child, plus a €27 courier fee (I'm not sure whether that would be once or times four), plus passport photos... every ten years.

Conversely, the fees for the German ID card and passport, also renewable every ten years, are €28.80 and €59 respectively.

You could retain British citizenship without renewing your British passport, provided you didn't wish to enter the UK; if you did, then technically you should do so on a British passport, not a German one (though I suspect many dual nationals don't observe this).

If you never travelled to a country requiring a passport (or the UK), you wouldn't require a passport at all. By my reckoning I've lived in or visited 20 countries, mainly European, none of which now require a passport: German ID card suffices. If you did need a passport (I imagine you do for the Philippines), the German one is obviously substantially cheaper, but – as I say – technically you are not supposed to enter the UK on that if you are still a British citizen (as I've been formally informed by the German authorities).

So, paradoxically, if you plan to visit the UK at some point, you could save €14 a year (per adult) by not being British, although I think that's a somewhat perverse way of looking at it.

Bob

You don't need to renew your UK passport.

Unlike some countries, you don't need to enter/exit the UK with a UK passport, just one valid for purpose, so you'd be all set with a German one.

If you formally renounce your UK citizenship, you can get it back, currently, certainly if you did it for security clearance reasons as a one time thing, but there's no guarantee that you will be able to in the future.

Things to possibly consider would include pension benefits especially death benefits, pensions and which countries you can travel to without needing a visa if you were to give up your UK citizenship.

Bob

They would be wrong. The UK does not have that requirement.

You could still visit without any passport, just proof of UK citizenship such as a birth cert will be fine, but it will delay things on entry, and having a passport means it'll be much more simpler getting on a plane.

Either way, a foreign passport will still get the job done as long as it is valid for the purpose of the trip.

Jerseygirl

If you are a dual citizen you can enter the UK using the other country's passport. The UK does not require UK citizens to use their UK PP when entering and leaving the country...unlike the US.

EditDoc

Thanks for the detailed info, all my questions answered. I now have enough info to make a solid decision. Again a big heartfelt thanks for your time in answering and wish you a wonderful day! What part of Germany are you from anyway?

EditDoc

I think I will go for the dual and see what happens! I will travel to the UK with my German ID and again, see what happens much appreciate your time in answering - wish you a wonderful sunny day!

EditDoc

Yep a few good points there Bob, much appreciated. Yes, I will be traveling a lot in the future, to those country's I´m going to makes no difference what nationality you are, there are no advantages or disadvantages being German or British. The only point which could make a difference, would be the pension - this I have not considered! I don't think that I would get anything anyway - only worked for 3 years in England, after that 3 years Armed Forces here in Germany - or am I thinking wrong? I really have no idea!

scrubbedexpat0105

Bob,

Here's the official information from the German foreign office:

www.konsularinfo.diplo.de/Vertretung/konsularinfo/de/02/Paesse/Passpflicht.html

Specifically the last part:

Wichtiger Hinweis für Doppelstaater

Bei Doppelstaatern (Erwachsene und Kinder) ist zu beachten, dass nach internationaler Übung

* die Einreise nach und die Ausreise aus Deutschland nur mit deutschem Reisepass,
* die Einreise in und die Ausreise aus dem anderen Staat (dessen Staatsangehörigkeit die Betreffenden ebenfalls besitzen) nur mit den nationalen Dokumenten des anderen Staates

erfolgen kann.

That's just for information – take it or leave it. I confess to having a German mindest on this.

The birth certificate idea is interesting. I was closely interrogated in 2009 (ironically exactly at the time of Cameron's "Vere are your papers" quip) by the UK border authorities about my reasons for visiting Britain even after presenting a valid British passport. But maybe I just look like a terrorist.

Bob

You'll be entitled to a basic UK state pension, it'll be shit, but you can make voluntary contributions, class 2 I believe, if you're working which is only a couple pounds a week.