Dual Indian and German citizenship for a baby

Dear All,

I am a Indian passport holder and my wife is German passport holder, We got a baby few months back and he got a German passport. But my quesiton is, it is possible to obain a Indian passport for him without losing German passport.

Thanks in advance

TOM

CITIZENSHIP: Citizenship is based upon the Citizenship Act of 1955. Despite the variety of
states, peoples, and languages in India, the law recognizes only Indian citizenship. (UKCCommonwealth
Nation)

BY BIRTH: Child born within the territory of India, regardless of the nationality of the parents.
Though the law of India does recognize citizenship through birth in the country, unless the
citizenship is actively applied for, the Indian government does not consider the child a citizen of
India. The person has the right to return to India upon reaching the age of 18 and applying for
Indian citizenship.

BY DESCENT:

Child born of an Indian father, regardless of the child’s country of birth.

Child of an Indian mother and a foreign father is considered an Indian citizen if the mother
and child continue to live in India and the father does not give the child his country's
citizenship.

Child born out of wedlock to an Indian mother, regardless of the child’s country of birth.

Children born abroad must be registered at an Indian Consulate.

BY NATURALIZATION: Indian citizenship may be acquired upon fulfillment of the following
conditions: Person has resided in the country for the last five years and has renounced
previous citizenship.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP: NOT RECOGNIZED.

ANY QUESTIONS concerning citizenship, or requests for renunciation of citizenship, should be
directed to the address below:

Embassy of India
Consular Section
2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
Embassy Telephone: 202-939-7000
Consular Telephone: 202-939-9839/9845
Fax: 202-797-4693
www.nic.in
www.indianembassy.org
www.tourindia.com/

German law allows a child to hold dual citizenship until the age of 23, when he must decide. India may allow the child to be a dual passport holder until the age of 18 - I was a dual German/Indian passport holder until I was 18 and then had to choose between the 2. But that was many years ago, so laws and policy may have changed since then.

Check with the Indian embassy. The Germans (for once) are not the ones who will prevent it.

Since there is no dual passport agreement between India and Germany, the child may not be able to obtain a Indian passport. He is however eligible for the Overseas Citizen of India status. While applying for Indian passport, the parents have to sign a affidavit that they have not applied for any other nationality for the child. More information from the Frankfurt Indian Consulate website.

@Hazza
I'm not aware that they have to choose at age 23. Have any documentation? I've never been told that my kids would have to give one up.

Dan, if they have US and German citizenship from birth because one parent is a US citizen and the other a German citizen they do not have to choose.

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