General information

In citizenship matters, the citizenship authority at the domestic place of residence is responsible.

For applicants without a domestic residence in Germany, the Federal Office of Administration in Cologne is responsible for citizenship matters. The Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos are only involved in the application process by forward your application to the competent authority and by advising you beforehand. You are welcome to contact us in advance via our contact form.

Retention of German citizenship

If a German citizen applies for citizenship of a foreign state, this generally results in the loss of German citizenship.

This can be prevented by applying for retention of German citizenship before applying for the foreign citizenship. Approval of the retention is a discretionary decision made by the Federal Office of Administration.

Determination of German nationality

Many events in life can result in the acquisition or loss of citizenship. If you have German ancestors and would like to determine whether you are also a German citizen, you have the option of undergoing a citizenship determination procedure. Once the procedure has been completed, you will be issued with a citizenship certificate or a negative certificate.

Naturalisation in Germany

As a foreign national, you can apply for naturalisation in Germany. However, it should be noted in this context that the requirements for naturalisation from abroad are extremely high and the application is usually only decided positively if there is a public interest.