Automatic at birth if one parent is German, or if one parent has lived legally in Germany for 5+ years with a permanent right of residence (rules since June 2024).
A child born in Germany can become German at birth in two ways: through a German parent, or through a foreign parent’s long legal residence.
If the mother or the father is German at the time of birth, the child is German automatically (§ 4 Abs. 1 StAG). For unmarried parents where only the father is German, the paternity must be legally established.
The child becomes German at birth if at least one parent has lived lawfully in Germany for 5 years and holds a permanent right of residence, such as a settlement permit or EU free movement (§ 4 Abs. 3 StAG). The Standesamt checks this when you register the birth.
Since June 2024, Germany allows multiple citizenship. Children who are German by birth in Germany can keep their parents’ nationality too, as long as that country allows it.
If the German parent was themselves born abroad after 1999, the child only becomes German if the birth is registered with the German registry within one year (§ 4 Abs. 4 StAG). Ask the German embassy.
If your child is German, they need their own document to travel. Children can no longer be entered in a parent’s passport, and the children’s passport (Kinderreisepass) has not been issued since 1 January 2024 (BayernPortal).
If your child is not German, apply for a passport at your country’s embassy.
Your child then needs a residence permit. Later naturalisation is possible, usually together with the parents.