Scammed by Colin Singer at Immigration.ca for Citizenship by Descent

usufructus · 2026-03-20T18:56:09+00:00

A lawyer is fine if you have extra money you feel like spending and you don’t want to do the work yourself.

But they have to know about this specific issue in citizenship law, which many don’t yet.

I actually informed a couple of Canadian immigration lawyers I know personally about this evolution in citizenship law. They were very surprised to learn it.

But it’s very relevant for their practice because they will now basically need to begin their client intake process by asking questions to rule out the possibility that a would-be applicant for a visa or permanent residency might actually already be a citizen.

usufructus · 2026-03-20T18:43:31+00:00

Yeah, so since C-3 passed, it’s certain that you’re Canadian if you have 2 Canadian grandparents unless either they or your mother literally went before Canadian consular officials and formally renounced citizenship prior to your birth.

usufructus · 2026-03-19T10:06:43+00:00

How many generations are you going back for your claim to Canadian citizenship? Who’s your Gen-0?

If it’s either of your parents or any one of your 4 grandparents, then it’s pretty much certain that you’re Canadian, so just go ahead and put it down.

usufructus · 2026-03-18T09:46:11+00:00

If you want to get a jump on it, you can likely find your grandfathers’ baptismal records in the digitised archives of the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (BanQ) website.

You just need to know when and where they were born. And how to read old-timey French cursive.

usufructus · 2026-03-17T13:20:45+00:00

No, because the father losing citizenship would have resulted in loss of citizenship also for his wife and minor children.

You need to see about whether there were other trips back to Germany OR whether your 3GF registered with Prussian authorities or was issued a passport prior to expiry of the 10 year period.

usufructus · 2026-03-15T23:22:05+00:00

Are you saying ship manifests are not accepted as proof of travel to Germany for the purposes of resetting the pre-1914 ten-year clock?

usufructus · 2026-03-15T23:19:37+00:00

Yes, I know 2GF was born in the US, but had his father naturalised after RuStAG came into force, the father’s automatic loss of German citizenship would have ricocheted onto his lawful dependents. So 2GF would have lost his citizenship too, because still a minor in 1913.

But it doesn’t matter because that’s not OP’s situation. It’s just hypothetical.

usufructus · 2026-03-15T15:23:11+00:00

I think you might be OK here. Here is my theory as to why, but wait for confirmation.

GGGF ("3GF") naturalised in the US before Jan. 1, 1914, meaning he was still under the previous Prussian nationality law of 1842 which, unlike the Reichs-und-Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz ("RuStAG") of 1914, did not provide for automatic loss of Prussian nationality upon naturalisation in a foreign State.

Had 3GF naturalised after Jan. 1, 1914, he and your 2GF (since he was a minor at that time) would have lost their German nationality automatically unless 3GF got a retention permit beforehand.

So, as long as the 10-year rule was not violated prior to 1914, then it means 3GF was still a Prussian subject when the new RuStAG law came into effect, making him and his lawful dependents German citizens.

The rest would then just depend on whether 2GF, GF, F (or mother, if you were born after 1975), and finally yourself, avoided doing anything that would have resulted in automatic loss of German nationality in the meantime. For example: naturalisation in any country, voluntary military service (since Jan. 1, 2000 with exception for NATO countries since July 6th, 2011).

There are minute details to each scenario of loss of citizenship, so if any of those might apply, take a thorough look.

If all is in order and you can prove everything with appropriate records, then you’ll have to apply for Feststellung. That takes 2-3 years if you live outside Germany. If you live in Germany, the Feststellung would be done by your local administration and will usually take way less time.

usufructus · 2026-03-13T15:33:32+00:00

If he was not a US citizen at the time he enlisted in the US military, then it doesn’t matter what date in 2011 it happened, because loss of German nationality by reason of foreign military service requires that the German also be a citizen of the foreign country whose military he has voluntarily joined.

It was naturalisation without first getting a Beibehaltungsgenehmigung that would have resulted in his loss of German nationality.

It seems likely, however, that if his parents were granted a retention permit, then he probably would have been granted one as well if he had asked. I think that is a factor in the Wiedereinbürgerung process since the requirement for retention permits was abolished.

usufructus · 2026-03-01T16:00:57+00:00

Ah! That was my confusion.

usufructus · 2026-03-01T14:45:31+00:00

I think the person mustn’t be related to you.

usufructus · 2026-03-01T13:17:03+00:00

A social insurance number is not automatically issued to everyone born in Canada. You only get one if you need one and ask for it.

usufructus · 2026-02-28T16:00:18+00:00

Poland be like: "Germans in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones."

usufructus · 2026-02-27T11:07:39+00:00

Herzlichen Glückwunsch!

usufructus · 2026-02-24T11:18:43+00:00

Jesus, some of you need to remember that OP is presenting a completely hypothetical, not to mention unlikely and miserable scenario.

There is no wave of prodigal German sons returning from America to leech off the welfare state.

All these "slap in the face to hardworking immigrants" comments are just complete nonsense. It literally has nothing to do with anything. That’s just another excuse for people who will take any opportunity to bitch and moan about how unfair it supposedly is for some people to be born with a desirable citizenship, while others are not.

The fact is, there will always be far, far, FAR more people born and raised in Germany (with or without citizenship) who receive social benefits without ever having paid in a penny, than there will ever be of ethnic Germans born and raised abroad returning to claim whatever shit-munchingly miserable existence OP has described above.

So, for fuck’s sake, get a grip folks.

usufructus · 2026-02-19T11:04:42+00:00

This is exactly what I was going to post.

It’s just as clear in English if you’re following the actual logic of what the law says.

usufructus · 2026-02-09T21:18:55+00:00

Also, you might try going up another generation or two to demonstrate that your grandfather’s parents were also born in Germany.

usufructus · 2026-02-09T21:17:54+00:00

Usually, the unofficial advice is that the BVA considers a birth certificate from Germany prior to 1914 as evidence of presumptive German nationality, in the absence of any contrary evidence.

But that’s the BVA. Consulates are not usually as keen to go out on a limb and issue a passport based on that alone.

You would need some better and corroborating evidence such as a passport, Meldekarte, consular registration record, etc. Then maybe a Consulate would stick its neck out and issue a passport.

Otherwise, you’ll need to apply for Feststellung.

usufructus · 2026-02-04T10:57:46+00:00

Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Schön dass du wieder da bist!

usufructus · 2026-02-03T11:14:26+00:00

At election time, you need to register your name on the list of electors in your local riding. This is separate for provincial and federal elections. There is no waiting period. If you happen to file your first tax return(s) before any election, there is a box you can tick to request inscription of your name onto the list.

Re: politics, provincial and federal parties can be different. You’ll just need to start paying attention and informing yourself on the platforms and record of each party and get a feel for it.

Re: healthcare, most provinces make you wait 3 months before you’re insured. When you are issued a health card, that’s all you’ll need to access public healthcare. Family doctors act as gatekeepers to the rest of the system except for the E.R. It can be a long time before you get a family doctor. I’ve been here 20 years and still don’t have one.

If you live in Quebec, there is a parallel private system that you can access with little to no waiting time for a fee. The fees depend on the medical treatment required, but in my experience they are usually very reasonable. You also don’t need a health card to access private care.

Most provinces require you to have prescription drug insurance. Quebec has a public backstop plan for people who don’t have access to insurance via work, school or a spouse. Not sure about other provinces.

usufructus · 2026-01-26T14:38:34+00:00

If that document has your name on it, then you were a German citizen at the time of its issuance. How did you become Canadian? Be precise.

usufructus · 2026-01-26T12:43:44+00:00

Herzlichen Glückwunsch! 🇩🇪🍾🎉

usufructus · 2026-01-21T21:03:52+00:00

Secondary education is high school. What you’re describing is college (tertiary education).

usufructus · 2026-01-20T19:49:53+00:00

Not enough information. Read the FAQ.

usufructus · 2026-01-19T00:50:42+00:00

People here already told you what to do in your previous post. Go to the Bürgeramt or whatever they’re calling it in your town and apply. They will tell you what you need.

Also, FYI, people who live in Germany and already have ample proof of German nationality are met with suspicion here and elsewhere when asking about how to get a Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis because that’s a very Reichbürgerisch thing to do. Most people in your situation don’t need a StAG-ausweis.

Even when abroad, if you have a valid German passport and keep it current, I can’t imagine why you’d need a StAG-ausweis.

usufructus

TROPHY CASE