Miami, FL Law Blog for Entertainment Law, Business Law, and Public Interest

Section 5 StAG: What Documents Do You Need?

One of the most common questions applicants ask is which Section 5 StAG documents are needed for a declaration.

In most cases, the goal is to show that an ancestor was German and that each generation is connected to the next.

What Needs to Be Shown?

A declaration generally needs to establish:

• The identity of the person making the declaration
• Descent from the German parent or ancestor
• That this ancestor held German citizenship
• The facts that prevented citizenship from passing on, such as a parents’ marriage date or a birth out of wedlock

Typical Civil Records

The BVA usually expects:

• A copy of the current passport or ID card
• The applicant’s birth certificate
• The applicant’s marriage certificate, if married
• Birth certificates of the parent or grandparent the claim is based on
• Marriage certificates of the parents and, where needed, the grandparents
• Where relevant, adoption, divorce, paternity, or name change records

Records showing the recognition of paternity are often important in cases involving a German father and a child born out of wedlock.

Proof of German Citizenship

The ancestor’s German citizenship can be shown with documents such as:

• A German passport or ID card, including expired ones
• A naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship
• German registration records

Police Clearance Certificate

A current, original criminal record certificate from the country of residence is generally required.

It should not be older than six months and must cover the entire country. For applicants living in the United States, this is usually an FBI background check.

Certification, Apostille, and Translation

Copies must generally be complete and certified, for example by a notary, the issuing registry office, or a German authority. Plain photocopies are usually not accepted.

Foreign public documents often need an apostille or another form of legalization. Civil status documents from EU member states and Switzerland are generally exempt.

Foreign-language documents usually need a translation by a sworn translator. The German missions in the United States indicate that English-language documents generally do not need to be translated, so current requirements should be confirmed with the responsible mission.

Originals and Copies

Original documents are generally returned only on request after the procedure has ended. For this reason, certified copies are usually the better choice.

Conclusion

A Section 5 declaration depends on a clear paper trail from the German ancestor to the applicant. Collecting, certifying, and organizing these records correctly from the start helps avoid follow-up requests and delays.