Germany paves way for more Pinoy dual citizens
Filipinos and other foreigners born in Germany after January 1, 2000 can now retain their parents' citizenship and still opt for a German citizenship following Germany's the abolition of the exclusivity rule in its Nationality Act.
Covered by this are children born in Germany to parents who, upon the child's birth, were either both foreigners or one has stayed in Germany legally for eight years, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement.
Children born after January 1, 2000 who grew up in Germany will also benefit from the amendment, the DFA said.
“This means they have been in Germany for eight years or attended a school in Germany for six years, or graduated from school or occupational training in Germany,” the DFA said.
The DFA said before the abolition of the exclusivity rule, children born to foreign parents in Germany had to choose only one citizenship upon reaching 21.
“For those who were born of Filipino parents, this meant choosing German citizenship over Filipino citizenship,” it said.
Dual citizenships
The DFA said the same exemption from the obligation to choose is applicable to children of foreign parents who were born in Germany between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1999, and were naturalized, becoming German citizens in the year 2000.
“For them, they are likewise no longer obliged to choose one from both citizenships and can therefore retain their dual citizenships provided they grew up in Germany,” it said.
These changes to Germany's citizenship law, however, will not affect the current rule in the Philippines that children born of mixed marriages are entitled to both citizenships.
“Thus, aside from the usual dual Filipino-German citizens, born of mixed Filipino and German parents and who are therefore both Filipinos and German by birth, there is now a newer group of dual Filipino-German citizens. They are those born of Filipino parents, or of a Filipino parent and a non-German parent,” the DFA said.
Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek said the amendment was especially important to “Filipino-German youth, many of whom continue to closely identify themselves with the Philippines, are able to stake their claim to their parent’s homeland.”
On July 4 last year, Germany's lower house of parliament passed new citizenship laws allowing children of immigrants from most non-EU countries to hold two passports.
The move originally benefited the country's Turkish community. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News
Covered by this are children born in Germany to parents who, upon the child's birth, were either both foreigners or one has stayed in Germany legally for eight years, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement.
Children born after January 1, 2000 who grew up in Germany will also benefit from the amendment, the DFA said.
“This means they have been in Germany for eight years or attended a school in Germany for six years, or graduated from school or occupational training in Germany,” the DFA said.
The DFA said before the abolition of the exclusivity rule, children born to foreign parents in Germany had to choose only one citizenship upon reaching 21.
“For those who were born of Filipino parents, this meant choosing German citizenship over Filipino citizenship,” it said.
Dual citizenships
The DFA said the same exemption from the obligation to choose is applicable to children of foreign parents who were born in Germany between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1999, and were naturalized, becoming German citizens in the year 2000.
“For them, they are likewise no longer obliged to choose one from both citizenships and can therefore retain their dual citizenships provided they grew up in Germany,” it said.
These changes to Germany's citizenship law, however, will not affect the current rule in the Philippines that children born of mixed marriages are entitled to both citizenships.
“Thus, aside from the usual dual Filipino-German citizens, born of mixed Filipino and German parents and who are therefore both Filipinos and German by birth, there is now a newer group of dual Filipino-German citizens. They are those born of Filipino parents, or of a Filipino parent and a non-German parent,” the DFA said.
Philippine Ambassador to Germany Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek said the amendment was especially important to “Filipino-German youth, many of whom continue to closely identify themselves with the Philippines, are able to stake their claim to their parent’s homeland.”
On July 4 last year, Germany's lower house of parliament passed new citizenship laws allowing children of immigrants from most non-EU countries to hold two passports.
The move originally benefited the country's Turkish community. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News
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