By comparison, around 230 such cases were registered in 2024. In 2023, there were 174 cases. The background to these cases is usually deliberate misrepresentation in the naturalization process, for example regarding identity, origin or ongoing criminal proceedings.
Can German citizenship be withdrawn retrospectively?
In short: Yes.
The legal basis for the subsequent revocation of a German passport can be found in Section 35 of the German Citizenship Act (StAG). According to this, Naturalization can be revoked if it turns out that it was obtained through deception, threats or bribery - or if someone deliberately made false statements or concealed material facts during the naturalization process.
Typical examples are
- False information about identity or nationality
- Concealed previous convictions or ongoing criminal proceedings
- Fictitious periods of residence or fictitious marital relationships
- Forged language certificates or proof for the naturalization test ("Living in Germany" test)
How long after Naturalization is a passport revocation possible?
Naturalization can be revoked up to ten years after the naturalization certificate has been issued . Within this period, the authorities can subsequently check whether a deception was committed. If this is the case, citizenship may be revoked.
If the deception is only discovered later, citizenship can generally no longer be revoked. The reason: as time passes, legal certainty should develop and confidence in the existence of citizenship should grow.
Can a German passport be revoked if there is a risk of statelessness?
A decisive boundary is drawn in the Basic Law(Art. 16 para. 1 GG): No one in Germany may be rendered stateless by state action.
This means that if someone only has German citizenship and no other nationality(dual citizenship), Naturalization cannot be revoked - even if false information was provided during the procedure.
The situation is different if the person concerned has another nationality. In these cases, it is legally possible to take them back, as there is no statelessness.
When is there also a risk of losing German citizenship?
In addition to the revocation of a fraudulent Naturalization , German law provides for other scenarios in which citizenship can be lost:
- Joining foreign armed forces: Anyone who voluntarily joins the army of another country of which they are also a citizen automatically loses their German citizenship. Exceptions only apply if the Ministry of Defense expressly permits entry into the foreign army.
- Participation in terrorist combat operations: Since a change in the law, citizenship can be revoked if someone actively participates in hostilities of a terrorist organization abroad. However, this only applies if the person still has another nationality, i.e. there is no threat of statelessness.
- Voluntary renunciation of the German passport: Anyone who holds several citizenships can voluntarily renounce their German citizenship.
Dual citizenship: past and present
In the past, anyone who took on another nationality automatically lost their German citizenship. However, this changed with the reform of nationality law in June 2024. Today, dual nationality is possible in principle.
This means that anyone who naturalizes in another country, for example, retains their German citizenship - as long as none of the above-mentioned special reasons for losing it apply.
Revocation of the German passport: What does this mean for those affected?
The rising number of revoked citizenships shows that the authorities are taking a closer look and, in cases of suspicion, subsequently checking whether all the information was correct. Anyone who has deliberately made false statements or submitted falsified documents in their naturalization procedure must expect to lose their German passport again if it becomes known.
For the vast majority of naturalized citizens, however, nothing changes: those who provide honest and complete information are on the safe side legally and cannot lose their German passport again.
