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Article 116 and Section 15 StAG: Do You Have to Give Up Your Current Citizenship?

One of the most common questions applicants ask is whether they must give up their current citizenship in order to become German.

In most cases involving Nazi-era persecution, the answer is no. Applicants can usually acquire German citizenship while keeping the citizenship they already hold.

Why Dual Citizenship Is Usually Possible

Both Article 116(2) of the Basic Law and Section 15 of the German Nationality Act are intended to restore citizenship that was taken away or denied as a result of persecution.

Because these routes are a form of restitution, applicants are generally not required to renounce another nationality.

In practice, this means German citizenship is usually added to an existing citizenship rather than replacing it.

Does This Apply to Both Article 116 and Section 15?

Dual citizenship is generally available under both routes.

• Article 116(2) allows former German citizens and their descendants to reclaim citizenship that was lost due to persecution
• Section 15 StAG covers related cases where persecution affected citizenship, even where it was never formally revoked

In both situations, applicants are typically not required to give up their current nationality.

How German Law Treats Dual Citizenship

For many years, German law restricted dual citizenship in ordinary naturalization cases.

That position has changed, and German law now permits multiple citizenship far more broadly than before. For descendants applying under Article 116 or Section 15, the acceptance of dual citizenship has long been part of how these routes operate.

The Rules of Your Current Country Also Apply

Whether a person can hold two citizenships depends not only on German law, but also on the law of the country they already belong to.

• Some countries permit dual citizenship without restriction
• Some allow it under certain conditions
• Some do not permit it

The United States, for example, permits dual citizenship, so U.S. applicants generally do not have to choose. Applicants from other countries should confirm the rules that apply to them before proceeding.

Conclusion

In most cases, applying under Article 116(2) or Section 15 StAG does not require giving up an existing citizenship.

What matters is confirming how both German law and the law of the applicant’s current country apply to the individual situation before an application is filed.