Will my child born in Germany become a German citizen?

Not automatic: Being born in Germany does not by itself make a child German. If one parent is a German citizen, the child is always German.

If both parents are foreign nationals: The child becomes German at birth if, on the day of birth, one parent (1) has lived legally and habitually in Germany for at least 5 years and (2) has a permanent right of residence, for example a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) or EU long-term residence (Daueraufenthalt-EU). Turkish citizens with certain employment rights under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement (decision 1/80) can also fall into this group.

Who checks: The registry office (Standesamt) checks this automatically when registering the birth and informs you of the result. The check is free. Because it can take a few weeks, it is a good idea to also register your child at your country's consulate.

Dual citizenship: Since the law change in June 2024, the child can keep their parents' citizenship alongside German citizenship. The old obligation to choose one citizenship between the ages of 21 and 23 has been abolished.

If the conditions are not met: The child gets a residence permit as a foreign national. Later they can apply for citizenship together with their parents or on their own.