Can Someone Please Help? Can i obtain German citizenship?

[sandrine]

I am wondering if I fall under the law where I can obtain German citizenship through my mother who was born a German citizen to a German mother and an American father in Germany.

I was born in 1983
my mother in 1956

i was born in the US.

My mom says she came to the US around 5-6yrs old (don't know if thats when she obtained citizenship). I think she was naturalized to be a us citizen some time in her teens.(before she had me)
I was born to her and my dad who is American.
I have been living in the EU and think I will probably stay here forever and will probably move to Germany in a few more years.

I am wondering if I can obtain German citizenship through jus soli (think thats what its called)
I have been doing a lot of research but I have not found anything relating particularly to me (maybe I missed it)

I guess I would be willing to denounce my US citizenship if I HAD to.
I wish i could be a dual citizen, but don't see that as possible from what I have been reading.(maybe i'm wrong?!)

Can all of you very knowledgeable people please help me sort this out!?

I have been all over the German consulate page but am just not finding what I want and am a little confused about some parts that discuss obtaining citizenship as there are no specific details.
I really don't want to contact the embassy yet, until I am sure what I will need to ask IF i need to contact them at all at this point.

THANKS!!

[Wanderer]

Descent from a German parent

People born to a parent who was a German citizen at the time of birth are usually German citizens on that basis. It does not matter whether they were born in Germany or not. Nor does it matter if the parent is a naturalised German.
Those born after January 1, 1975 are Germans if the mother or father is a German citizen.
Those born before January 1, 1975 could normally only claim German citizenship from the father and not the mother. Exceptions included cases where the parents were unmarried (in which case German mothers could pass on citizenship) or where the German mother applied for the child to be registered as German on or before 31 December 1977.
Special rules exist for those born before 1 July 1993 if only the father is German and is not married to the mother. The father must acknowledge paternity before the child is 23, or acknowledge paternity and marry the mother and the child must declare himself or herself to be a German citizen.
In the future, those born outside Germany to a German parent who was also born outside Germany after 1999 will need to be registered as German citizens within 12 months of birth. An exception applies if the child is stateless.
Those born in Germany and adopted to a foreign country should contact their local German Consulate for clarification of German citizenship.
Persons who are Germans on the basis of descent from a German parent do not have to apply to retain German citizenship by age 23. If they acquire another citizenship at birth, they can usually continue to hold this.

[sandrine]

so, that is a yes? Even though my mother was naturalized german citizen when she had me then?

because i read this:

German nationality is acquired by descent from a parent who was a German national at the time of the child's birth. A person may be a German national even though he or she has never held a German passport if one of his or her parents were German at the time of his or her birth. Therefore, in order to find out whether a person whose ancestors were German has acquired German nationality by birth, it is necessary to establish whether German nationality has been "passed down" to that person through the family members linking him or her to the German ancestor. For this purpose, it must be shown that each "link in the chain" was German at the time of birth of the next family member.

and i am not sure if that contradicts the other sentence or if it is something entirely different???

thanks!

[JAJ]

It really boils down to when your mother became a U.S. citizen.

That determines whether or not she lost German citizenship, and in turn, whether you are a German citizen.

I suggest you find out the date and let the forum know.

[sandrine]

Ok I will find out! thank you!!!! So...it is determined upon which date she was naturalized? before what and what date? or after what date am i looking for if you dont mind ?

thanks!

[JAJ]

Ok I will find out! thank you!!!! So...it is determined upon which date she was naturalized? before what and what date? or after what date am i looking for if you dont mind ?

thanks!

Why not just find out the date?

But to begin with, it may make a difference if she was under 18 at the time.

[sandrine]

okay, sorry that took forever!

so heres what i have

she became a citizen on 11th september 1961...my mom like about 12.

can i ask, does it matter that the rest of my family are still in germany and are citizens?? cousins, uncles, great grandparents...etc? does germany trace through bloodlines?