Moving from America to become a German citizen

I am an American who is moving to Germany with a friend who was born in Munich. I was wondering how hard is it normally for an American to become a German citizen? And how is the relationship between American immagrants and German natives?

Is this like the ending to 2001? You know, where the guy sees himself as a fetus?

You seem to have already lost your grips on English, so go ahead and give your passport up...

Well sorry, I am at work and wrote it quickly. What I was trying to say is that I would be going to munich with her. It just so happens to be not too long from now.

Getting German citizenship doesn't make life here easier for an American. Takes at least five years, the same amount of time it takes to get permanent residency. Why would you want it anyhow? You know they have compulsory military service / civil service here for young men?

Id like to be part of something other than America.

Traitor!

Sometimes you see a message and you just have to laugh. Then you want to berate the poster for being a cheeky bugger. Then you think again because you know that the TT clean-up squad will be around with their mops and, either their "off-topic" cleaning solution or "personal attack" wash-your-mouth-out-with(our) soap removers.

So I won't post and tell anyone that I chuckled

Welcome to TT

You know there is an election going on, right? You don't happen to be from a swing state?

And you'd not get dual citizenship either you know. You'd have to give up the US Citizenship. (Technically anyway, practice is sometimes screwy.)

lol And that makes me a traitor how? I'm sure i didn't chose to be born here. Also Germany is where my ancestors are from.

Nothing good ever came out of Karlsruhe...

Shit, I would have guessed Japan.

Yes I understand. I guess you could say I am trying to get back to my roots.

takusakura, just that you know, I was only taking the mickey...

From your sparse message I get the feeling that you have not lived in Germany. If I were you, I would just come for a while and then decide. You do not want to leave the frying pan for the fire, do you?

I could imagine that it would not be difficult to get a permit if you can show German ancestry. So just give it a try first.

Well I was only curious. lol

depends how recent in your ancestry the Germanness is, I know one American with a German mother who got her German passport straight after getting here.

That sounds like a dual citizenship situation which goes lots quicker.

yes, that's right

seems to be easier for Americans right off the plane but have German mom to get dual nationality than Brits who have live here 10+ years though

So what if you were to marry a natural born /german, do you still recieve dual nationality?

That has nothing to do with it. Dual citizenship requires a parent / grandparent who was / is of German citizenship. Do you have that? The term "ancestor" to me implies a bit further back in the family history.

As was what that implied. lol. I don't have that. But I think I'm starting to trail off. The citizen question is a lost cause. I guess what I would like to know now is: Haow is the relationship between Americans and Germans in Munich?

That is such a sweeping question. You are asking that 3 hours after saying that you want to become a German citizen. Now it sounds as if you are afraid you could be lynched if you put an American foot into Munich? Maybe work out what it is you really want (to know) and then ask ..

Sorry if I sound rude, but I am having problems knowing what it is you are looking for.

Well that was one of the questions in my original post. What i wanted to know was: 1. The difficulties of becoming A German citizen, And 2. The relationship between Germans and Americans in Munich. I live in America, and as most people know most Americans (generalization) tend to not like "outsiders". So I was wondering if Germans tended to come off the same way. Just a question of curiosity.

Nobody can answer that with any kind of accuracy, of course. "American" is too general a term. If you want to get along with Germans in their country, the onus is on you, exactly the same as if you were a foreigner in America.

Its not really like that in america. Alot of americans dont even give people a chance.

I speak from experience when I say, if you don't mind speaking about American politics and the past wars everyday, welcome aboard! I moved to Munich from The States and was born in a cosmopolitan city, so it wasn't an issue of environment. I encountered a lot of people that upfront wanted to know where your from so they can find the right box to place you in.

I am a female and I'd have to think they went easier on me because of it. Also being what their idea of "exotic" is for those that found me somewhat attractive. It seemed that mostly men wanted to get on their soapboxes. If you are a white American male, I think they will quickly take the piss right out of you, blame you for George W. Bush's destruction of the U.S. economy (and its' spillage on the world), tell you whom to vote for, and talk about your American mannerisms (loudness, flashy, superficialness,etc.)

That's just to name a few... The bright side is that you have pig parts prepared in so many ways to dine on. Also, American shows dubbed in German all by the same female and male voice over. Oh yes! being called an "auslander" at every turn. Hope you speak German...

Well, I think that is bull, but you haven't stated where in America you live. It's a BIG place.

I think it's much like America here in that if you live in a big city, being a foreigner is more tolerated than if you live in a small town.

Sorry buddy, but hate is international, and your life is not necessarily going to improve because you change your citizenship. I suggest you live in Germany for a while (get a job!), and THEN think about giving up your U.S. citizenship.

For most foreigners including US citizens, yes, but EU and Swiss citizens are allowed dual citizenship (although in practice it is nigh on impossible to get it in Bavaria as a Brit)

You my dear OG are überkorrekt.

Every situation is different. Depends on who you meet and how you act. For instance my experiences have been the opposite of mlovett. Much more tolerance in the smaller towns than in the City for being an American. So it will really depend on the attitude you project.

Plus I haven't really had many problems either way with the Germans for being American, mostly positive. Mine have come from other Nationalities (But you can quote Europa, they blame you for.....) Hope you enjoy it here.

Make a list why you'd like to give up US citizenship and tuck it away. Just for fun take it out in a year or two and reread...

Much as it was easier for you to get UK citizenship at birth than it was for immigrants to the UK. Of course I have yet to see you complain that the vast majority of US citizens who are naturalized as Germans must give up their US citizenship, whereas UK citizens do not have to when they are naturalized.

Of course UK citizens who apply for German citizenship and are eligible should be approved for it.

I agree with mlovett. Don't make rash decisions. Thoroughly examine both the pros and cons. After thorough analysis, speak with your friends and family about your thoughts.

We, all, experience some type of pain or suffering in life. Some more than others. I don't know what might have happened to you to make you want to change your citizenship. Suggest you try dealing with that issue, and use some of the advice given to you by mlovett and other people on TT who have lived here for many years. Good Luck

America - love it or leave it. You can choose to leave as many of us have. Doesn't mean you have to give up your passport. Come on over. Get back to us in 5 yrs. What's the rush?

On some days, the only reason I maintain my citizenship is so I don't have to stand in long immigration lines and get fingerprinted when entering my own country. I mostly like to be able to vote for change over there. One day...

ff

anyway citizenship is nothing but a piece of paper. it's got nothing to do with who you really are or how you'll be treated over here. we get all worked up and kill each other over little pieces of paper and pieces of cloth that flap around in the wind. i wouldn't worry about the citizenship thing. just come here if that's what you want to do. you might end up hating it and anyway decide to stay, it's not unheard of.

She's totally right on this point: America has become a country divided in two: coastal or not, cities and small towns, liberals and "not." I lived in NYC as a foreigner from the age of 18 and NEVER encountered anything but perfect tolerance--more, even, they seemed to like my exotic background. I then lived in San Francisco for 3 years, in Los Angeles for 5 and lastly in Houston for 4 and EVEN in Houston, home to darling ole GWB, I never encountered intolerance or small-mindedness (not personally) because of where I lived, in a sort of international, cosmopolitan, sophisticated cocoon. Nearly everyone I met was from someplace else in the US or from someplace else in the world and pretty much all day every day we complained about living in Houston, in TX, and in the US... A lot like all the expats complain here at TT. My husband is German, with a US passport, and very German indeed--however, he was immensely popular in the US. And yet, when we decided to move over here a few months ago, pretty much everyone, Americans and not, envied us to death. Truth is, the US sucks right now. But that doesn't mean it'll always suck and it's still your home. You'll be surprised how much you'll miss it once you're here and how American you'll feel when you're over here--anywhere in Europe. Don't give up your citizenship, don't try not to be who you are, it's perfectly legitimate to try another place to live without giving up something so essential.

Second point: if you're in a city like Frankfurt, for example, I doubt you'll have any problems as an outsider or an American. Go into a small village somewhere and you might--probably not any more pleasant than being an outsider in say, some small nothing town in Ohio.

The first thing you need to figure out is a way to (legally) stay in Germany.

Nope, you will be allowed to choose after 5 years if you want to give up our US citizenship and become a "Deutsche Staatsbürger".

However I am not sure how exactly that works. I mean - even if you renounce your US citizenship surely all you have to do once you have become a german citizen is re-apply for a US passport - as long as you were born on american soil you should have a life-long birth right, no?

I think the main problem is that every constellation has its differences/quirks - personally I have dual nationality because I have a british mother and a german father, was born in the uk and my parents had birth certificates issued in both countries. A friend of mind has the same thing but the other way round (has never actually lived in the uk but still could always apply for and receive a british passport). Yet another friend has totally german parents but has a german and an american passport as they were living in the states at the time he was born. Am not sure if that is strictly allowed, though (to retain a US passport while also having another nationality)...

The US de facto permits dual citizenship, and de jure when someone is born with dual.

I would think that the German authorities would want proof the US citizenship had been formally renounced in the case of someone having to do so as a condition of naturalization as a German. AFAIK, once you formally renounce US citizenship, it is gone.