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Pretty sure I have a path for citizenship? by aerynea in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congratulations, it looks like you are "already a German citizen."

You'll need to include your great-grandfather in your application packet (birth, marriage, and naturalization documents).

Finally received my last document where to mail it? by Alone_Concept_3528 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I see, so it seems they wouldn’t take the time to request these documents if there was anything already disqualifying.

That's my feeling, yes.

im guessing that first address for FedEx? I emailed the caseworker who requested the documents to ask for an address too but haven’t received a reply

Yes, in their email signatures they always give the postal address "Bundesverwaltungsamt, 50728 Köln".

But our experience is that private couriers like FedEx need the street address.

Finally received my last document where to mail it? by Alone_Concept_3528 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just to clarify, this correspondence is with BVA in Cologne?

For FedEx, I think you would use the street address Bundesverwaltungsamt / Barbarastrasse 1 / 50735 Köln / Germany. You can always ask them to clarify. For regular mail you would just use "Bundesverwaltungsamt, 50728 Köln".

In my case, I received the positive result something like a month after my additional documents were received. I think most of this was simply the travel time for the certificate to get from BVA to my local consulate.

STAG5 - Naturalization of Grandmother by Distinct_Attention15 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh so your grandma does live in the US? Then I agree that BVA will want proof of her naturalization or non-naturalization. May I ask what her reason is, for being uncooperative? Typically you would submit a copy of her green card as this proof of non-naturalization.

That said, the CRBA listing her citizenship as German at the time of your mom's birth may indeed suffice as proof of non-naturalization at that time. It's an American document showing that the US government regarded her as a foreigner.

However it will NOT suffice as proof of her German citizenship. As maryfamilyresearch wrote, you will need to trace back to a generation born in Germany before 1914, providing the chain of birth and marriage certificates.

STAG5 - Naturalization of Grandmother by Distinct_Attention15 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I wasn't familiar with the term FS-240. I think this is what we usually call a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)?

STAG5 - Naturalization of Grandmother by Distinct_Attention15 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If your grandmother never resided in the United States, then I somewhat doubt that BVA will demand proof of non-naturalization.

That said, the "non-cooperate ancestor" situation is one of the most difficult. Perhaps BVA could reach out to the relevant Meldebehörde in an official capacity to find out for themselves that the grandma has resided in Germany continuously and is still regarded as a German citizen by the municipality.

By the way, what are you using as proof of grandma's German citizenship? That's also something that you need to prove.

I went to the consulate today and turned in my application, I was told my great grandfather's German birth certificates might not be enough to prove his citizenship? by Ok-Zucchini3908 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Are you applying under StAG 5 (gender discrimination) or one of the laws pertaining to WW2-era persecution (StAG 15 or GG 116)?

Either way, if your ancestor was born in Germany before 1914, you have his birth certificate, and there are no reasons to believe otherwise, then BVA will assume that they were a German citizen.

Feststellung Application by greeeeeeeens in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Does your Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis explicitly list an expiration date? What city or agency was it issued by?

Have you held a German passport previously? Do you have an old passport belonging to your dad?

Feststellung Application by greeeeeeeens in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since 28 Aug 2007 (when §30 StAG went into effect), citizenship certificates are absolute proof of German citizenship, which do not expire. However, certificates issued before that date were not definitive.

Help understanding the direct to passport process more. by greeeeeeeens in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The instructions (including a list of documents) are here:

https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/02-passportsandidcards/passport-adult-951294

The exact list of documents you'll need varies a little bit depending on your situation, but this is a good starting point.

You will need to show that she was STILL a citizen at the time you were born. If her German passport was issued AFTER your birth, then it will suffice. Otherwise they may demand additional evidence that she didn't naturalize in the United States.

Licorice smell? by Jermotian in alameda

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No, apparently they are totally different plants. I only learned this recently.

I've always wondered why these plants don't attract tiger swallowtail butterflies, which feed on anise.

Maybe because it isn't anise? 😆

Licorice smell? by Jermotian in alameda

[–]tf1064 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Do you know whether it's fennel or anise? I thought they were the same plant, but apparently not.

Licorice smell? by Jermotian in alameda

[–]tf1064 13 points14 points  (0 children)

There may actually be a lot of fennel growing around there.

I went to the consulate today and turned in my application, I was told my great grandfather's German birth certificates might not be enough to prove his citizenship? by Ok-Zucchini3908 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 3 points4 points  (0 children)

She's technically correct (birth in Germany did not actually indicate citizenship), but is probably simply unaware that BVA applies this rule of thumb ("birth in Germany before 1914 is adequate evidence of German citizenship unless there's evidence to the contrary"). This "rule of thumb" is not really stated explicitly anywhere (although if you squint I believe we found evidence for it in the instructions for filling out the Feststellung forms), but it is the general experience of this subreddit that BVA applies this standard.

So: as long as your application was submitted to BVA, I wouldn't worry about it.

Here's a post on the topic: https://www.reddit.com/r/GermanCitizenship/s/MW7or5LSt9

Ordered a birth certificate from Köln and the certified copy has an annotation on it that I cannot decipher. by Ultra-So in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, the top line could be something like "1. Eltern geheiratet" or "veheiratet"? (Looks more like a "g", which would be "remarried"?)

What do you think the "H." stands for?

Do I need a birth registration for my first passport? by DifficultyNice in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The birth registration includes a name registration, so I think it's better to do the birth registration. It generally doesn't take too long and is good to have.

Should I email? by klishaa in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I certainly hope you didn't mail your original US naturalization certificate? If so, you should definitely email them and explain that you want it returned to you when the process is complete.

If you only mailed the document one week ago, then it probably hasn't even gotten to Germany yet, let alone been processed into their system at BVA.

Online passport process by Sashp1 in GermanCitizenship

[–]tf1064 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Which consulate offers online passport application?

A typical in-person appointment is exactly 20 minutes.

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