tht

Looks like I will get hit with the higher fees fro my N400 then.

Been eligible since May based on 5 years and September based on 3 years marriage to USC, but have not applied to the Germans for permission yet.

Has anyone else recently been approved for:

Beibehaltung der deutschen Staatsangehörigkeit?

I got a quote from a lawyer for $1500 just for that part...

hungryhorace

For which? The German retention of nationality part? Why can't you do the forms yourself? Hopefully your German is better than mine

BTW - do you absolutely need to apply to Deutschland first to obtain permission? I'm not familiar on the subject.

BritInParis

Agreed. Just make the application yourself. If you're living in the US then you need to send your application to the German Embassy which forwards it to the relevant office in Cologne.

Bundesverwaltungsamt - Retaining German citizenship (Summary in English)

Bundesverwaltungsamt - Beibehaltung (More information and application forms and guides, auf Deutsch)

Deutsche Vertretungen in den USA - Beibehaltung (Relevant embassy page for US residents, auf Deutsch)

tht

Thanks guys, yes I can do it myself, and I was told that the embassy actually does a review before they submit it to Germany and will advise if it is likely to be approved. I was looking at the lawyer mainly out of laziness (and because I would likely bill to my employer anyway because it may be something we need if I have to move operations if the version of Brexit happens where MIFID passporting goes away), but there are also other peoples templates available online i could start from if i go DIY. Before I file I think I need to register my German Citizen sons birth in Germany so they have him on file as this would go in my favor for ties (did the UK already), but the German one needed both me and my wife to go to the embassy together or get notarized signatures so it went to the back of the pile. I assumed that since the whole application is about ties, adding my German Citizen son could not hurt.

MeMeJD

Hmm my previous post was deleted by an admin for being too spammy apparently. So I'm trying again in the hope this is allowed. I'm not a big poster more of a longtime reader and lurker as I have found a lot of useful information here during my own immigration journey.

I don't think myself as an expert on most questions and leave the the very knowledgeable crew here answer usually, but this one topic I happen to be familiar with as I am currently myself researching on the process of receiving a german "Beibehaltungsgenehmigung". There is a yahoo group, which I am not affiliated with in any way, but I have found during my own research and which has the best information I have found on the topic so far.

So tht I'd love to share the group with you should you be interested but I think I'm not allowed to post a link here. I'm happy to share it via private message though so feel free to reach out.

Admins - I hope this is acceptable? Apologies if I have broken any rules with my previous post.

glowie

Mods: In this case I would let MeMeJd post the info, as it is the one resource for "Beibehaltungsantraege" that shows up everywhere in the web and is very helpful (and is really just German specific for taking on other nationalities but keeping the German one).

@tht Please check out the yahoo group MeMeJd means (I just risk to get this post deleted as well, but search for ZweiPaesse). There are no templates but real life files that have been handed in and got approved, but some also denied. It's really a great start and source for a DIY.

With registering your son: I would do it before, but not necessarily because of the ties, but just so he has it. He wouldn't count as a "tie" though, because he is in the US (I assume?).
Ties are monetary investments, bank accounts, houses, friends and family you have regular contact with, etc. Far more important (because a lot of people have the German side covered), you have to have reasons for taking on the US citizenship, like jobs only open for citizens, etc. pp. "Just because" is not a valid reason for the German government.

I'm researching this myself as well as I have to send it off in the near future, too.

tht

thanks, yes I already joined that group a while ago, have looked at a couple of examples, but not looked at doing the paperwork in detail yet.

tht

Given some recent developments I am going to take some time to get this done and then apply for my USC. Will update here with the process / outcome so others have a resource, since BE does not have a lot on it.

glowie

That would be highly appreciated!