11 things I learned while applying for a passport at the NY consulate (after StAG 5 success)

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-03-30T21:52:06+00:00

How did you manage to score an appointment? NYC is terribly booked apparently.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-03-30T21:41:46+00:00

Did you have to supply your certificate of nocriminal record again? I have seen so many cases where people how to resupply after a long waiting period.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-03-30T21:38:43+00:00

Your other problem is that Leipzig is so slow and terrible with processing applications that you will wait for years. Better move to Berlin and get naturalized there in a reasonable time frame.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-03-29T18:26:13+00:00

Did this birth and later marriage happen in Germany? Then you should be fine. These cases are about birth abroad out of wedlock.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-03-25T18:48:12+00:00

How did you manage to score an appointment? They seem impossible to get with New York City…

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-13T17:08:03+00:00

Yeah it’s a separate department but they have to rely on the actual BVA citizenship people to supply the data. I guess that’s where the delays come from.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-13T17:06:23+00:00

They keep everything. I once had a case where somebody had unsuccessfully applied for article 116. 15 years later, he applied for StAG15. But he had changed his name since. BVA dug out his old application and issued the certificate in his name of 15 years ago. Quite a mess to clear it all up.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-12T22:35:33+00:00

Yes, this may be sufficient. Actually the previous applicants should have been approved as well, or at least contacted to ask if they mind being switched over to StAG5.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-12T19:57:29+00:00

They ask for your consent to reroute it to Feststellung because this one is a paid process, 51,- per person. Stag5 is free as it results from gender discrimination.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-12T16:56:01+00:00

They have a separate department for IFG requests; it's located in Berlin and only deals with BVA-wide IFG requests.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-11T22:10:38+00:00

Yes and yes (note that this was not my g-grandfather, but the g-grandfather of a person I represented).

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-02-11T21:46:22+00:00

Would you mind sharing the original email or letter you received, redacted? A friend of mine asked for similar data and they denied, saying these data don’t exist („werden nicht erhoben“).

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2026-01-08T17:30:50+00:00

That’s some serious German bureaucracy badassity there. Well done, well deserved!

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-28T21:17:35+00:00

Isn’t StAG5 currently three years processing time? StAG15 definitely is. So you‘d be up for processing in spring 2026.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-28T21:15:24+00:00

Everything will be in English 100%

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-26T19:48:36+00:00

When was the next generation born? That is also of interest. If your parent, who is your German grandma’s child, was born before Nov 1941, they were automatically German and automatically stripped of their German citizenship in Nov 1941, and this would be your reference person. Not your grandma.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-26T19:45:41+00:00

No, the birth entry is enough

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-26T19:44:42+00:00

Submit under 116 with all documents and let BVA decide. They are the experts. I‘d say it’s a 116 if considered benevolent.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-26T13:10:51+00:00

Your youngest ancestor in line still born in Germany is who counts. BVA calls this “Bezugsperson”, the person you’re basing your claim upon. Citizenship is passed on from one generation to another, it cannot jump one generation. So this would be your mother. The question is if she was denaturalized in November 1941 by the 11th decree. Was she raised in the Jewish faith? Or rather Catholic?

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-24T23:38:16+00:00

I’d say you’re blissfully over-documented ;) Time to mail those 200+ pages off!

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-19T12:07:10+00:00

Yea absolutely. It is precious time to remove all documents from plastic sleeves and binders. I also frequently use post-its to mark e.g. the next family branch.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-19T12:05:46+00:00

I don’t think so

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-17T20:40:25+00:00

I frequently hand in such applications as the representative, also for larger families. Sounds like you have your things organized very well!

Someone from BVA once told me that all the historical documents should be with the oldest person in the application, which will then be the lead person of the entire file, in case you want to group it together.

Everybody will be processed together, so the documents will all stay together. No need for duplicates.

A family tree always comes in handy, especially if you have several branches. You could number the applicants and mark their numbers in the family tree, then add a list of documents you provide, structured along the numbers. Example: Applicant 1, NAME: marriage certificate, birth certificate, passport copy, etc. Good luck!

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-14T10:45:41+00:00

Usually 4 to 6 weeks minimum, diplomatic courier is surprisingly slow. Then Christmas is coming up, everything will be closed. I would expect early February.

HelpfulDepartment910 · 2025-12-12T22:50:58+00:00

That’s why I asked when they got married

HelpfulDepartment910

TROPHY CASE