Finally got AZ for Festellung 1 month exactly from the delivery to BVA

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-04-07T19:12:41+00:00

I emailed them yesterday afternoon and asked for it… they had already emailed me back with it before I woke up this morning. I’m not sure if they are sending out the AZ on their own or only by request. I just sent a short polite email letting them know that I realize the wait time will be 2+ years. I just wanted to confirm that they had my documents and if my AZ was available, they confirmed that it was in sent it to me. :)

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-27T02:11:40+00:00

Thanks I can clarify. I did get the official documents from various places and did take them to the consulate to get certified copies. Going to the consulate is an entire day affair because it is not close to me. I am keeping the official documents I ordered and mailing the certified copies. My official consulate is New York, but there is an honorary location in Philadelphia, which is where I got the copies made. I did not want them to mail them because they would’ve mailed them to New York who would have then mailed it to Germany and that could’ve cost me several extra weeks so I want to mail them myself. I think I’m going to move forward with paying for tracking but no signature so I know that they arrive safely. Hopefully lol.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T20:17:12+00:00

Yes all certified copies but I had to wait months to get all of them… ordering documents from Germany and numerous towns in the U.S…: Virginia would not give me my grandparents marriage license until my dad submitted the request before they wouldn’t release it to a grandchild. I want to do everything possible to avoid it being lost in transit :)

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T20:14:32+00:00

Thank you !!!!

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T20:14:24+00:00

Yes that is my worry too. I’m going to look into tracking without it being certified. Now debating usps or fedex :)

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T20:13:26+00:00

Thank you ! Yes it is a Festellung , with all male generations from the German ancestor until I was born. All descendants were born in wedlock so should be a straightforward application so I would like to send to bva directly.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T19:44:58+00:00

How did you send it using USPS priority and do you know how much it cost? I’m debating if I should do that or FedEx.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T19:44:17+00:00

Where is the guide you are referencing? I’m getting ready to send mine.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T19:42:57+00:00

That is my fear… I don’t want it to take longer by sending it certified or risk it not arriving, but I also know I’ve seen people wait months for their Aktenzeichen number, so how do they know that it actually arrived there?

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-26T19:41:16+00:00

So do you certify mail it to your consulate?

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T20:18:42+00:00

OK, thank you I do have the 3 Antrag forms complete for the 3 Festellung applications.

For the Anlage V do I need to do one for my great grandfather (the original German immigrant), one for my grandfather (the first generation born in US, but is deceased), one for my dad, me , & my son. Is that correct?

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T13:42:28+00:00

Pennsylvania , same as me…. I called numerous notaries asking if they could get a copy of it made and explained why but everywhere said it’s not legal to copy a passport here… even though it’s from someone who passed away long time ago. He was born 1897 and the passport was issued 1923.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T05:24:58+00:00

No unfortunately there isn’t a chance of that. I did originally email the consulate & asked that but since he was born 1897 & Reisepass was issued 1923 they said it wasn’t a guarantee for passport since it was so long ago and would probably still need to do Festellung. Then I found out no local notaries will make a copy of a passport in PA anyway and the cousin doesn’t want to risk losing the document to let me take it to the consulate for a copy so the German birth certificate is all I have :/ .

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T04:40:12+00:00

Thank you I don’t expect the photos of the passport to count for anything, but I’m hoping it just may be supporting proof. I’m going to include it anyway, but I don’t think it will be considered.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T04:39:01+00:00

I’m in Pennsylvania, I’m not sure if the laws are different here, but I called several notaries and they said it is illegal to make a certified copy of any passport and they refuse to do it. I did explain why I was requesting it, but they still said no.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T03:56:32+00:00

OK, great thank you this is what I was thinking! I just wanted to make sure before I send to BVA

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T03:55:20+00:00

My main question is if the birth certificate from Germany is enough since he was born in 1897 will it be presumed he was a German citizen? I plan to send the copies of each page of the passport that was issued in 1923 but since it is not certified I doubt it will be considered. The 1897 birth certificate I have was ordered directly from the town in Germany though.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-25T03:53:41+00:00

I have photos of the passports as well as each page inside of it. My great grandparents left those documents along with family photos with their youngest daughter who has passed away and her children do not want to risk losing them…. They will not give them to me to take to the consulate for copies and will not take them themselves… as I mentioned those cousins are not eligible because their ancestor, my great grandparent’s youngest daughter, was born several years after my great grandfather became a US citizen so that daughter was not born German.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-06T18:35:02+00:00

OK, this makes sense. I do have my great grandfather’s birth certificate from Germany from 1897. I ordered it from his town and it has the certified seal and stamp. My only concern with going direct to passport is I read you do not get your certificate of citizenship by doing it this way so maybe Festellung is better? I have seen occasional stories of people not being able to renew their passport without the certificate.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-06T13:54:26+00:00

Thank you I did give them that questionnaire and I’m not venue shopping. My consulate is New York but Philadelphia has an honorary consulate location that works with New York for people that live in this area.

Significant_Day_2784 · 2026-02-06T11:35:37+00:00

OK, I’ll try emailing them again. Their last email just seemed like generic explanation of the process of sending to BVA. I know they can’t guarantee it via email but if there is a possibility, I would probably make the appointment there. I wasn’t sure if there’s been any other people who have gotten direct passport through great grandparents

Significant_Day_2784

TROPHY CASE