Help me, Europeans! (country, people, German, work)

[GSX0r]

I have a few questions. Would prefer if a German could answer this.
My mother was born in German in 1956 to a military family in Heidelburgh?. She has a German birth certificate. Does this make her a citizen? Under what circumstances would she be made a citizen? Since I'm not sure how long she lived there afterwards.
If this were the case.. would her direct family be able to become residents of Germany as well?
Thanks for the info

[AnthonyB]

You should check with the German consulate in the country of your residency. Google it. Most consulates and Foreign Offices have information in English.

[Mississippienne]

In general, birth in Germany does NOT automatically confer citizenship upon the child. In addition, people born before January 1, 1975 could only claim citizenship if their FATHER was himself a German citizen.

So unless your mother was born to a German father (which does not sound like the case) she is NOT a German citizen.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by Mississippienne

In general, birth in Germany does NOT automatically confer citizenship upon the child. In addition, people born before January 1, 1975 could only claim citizenship if their FATHER was himself a German citizen.

So unless your mother was born to a German father (which does not sound like the case) she is NOT a German citizen.

???????????????????

[CBB]

I think Mississippienne is right. Everybody who is born in Germany will get a German birth certificate. But if none of the parents is German, the child also isn't German.

[Mississippienne]

Originally Posted by Threestep

???????????????????

What is unclear about my post? I will attempt to clarify.

German citizenship laws do not work like US citizenship laws. The USA, like many "New World" countries, has jus soli, or "right of birth" citizenship. If you are born on American soil, you are an American citizen.

Germany, like many of the European countries, has jus sanguinis, "right of blood" citizenship laws. You are German if you are born to a parent who is a German citizen. You are not neccesarily German just because you are born on German soil. There are second and third-generation Turks in Germany who were born and raised in Germany, but are not German citizens!

Unless GSX0r's mother was herself the daughter of a German man, she is NOT a German citizen and therefore could confer no citizenship rights upon her own child, namely GSX0r.

[Threestep2]

Born to a married couple - father's citizenship
Born to a single mother - mother's citizenship