Germany: Information on whether a Cuban man married to a German woman has an automatic right of citizenship or permanent residency in Germany; formalities involved in acquiring permanent residency status
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1991 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | DEU8106 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Germany: Information on whether a Cuban man married to a German woman has an automatic right of citizenship or permanent residency in Germany; formalities involved in acquiring permanent residency status, 1 March 1991, DEU8106, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac0f88.html [accessed 28 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The following information was provided by an official at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ottawa in a telephone interview on 11 March 1991.
A Cuban man married to a German woman is not automatically granted citizenship. The conditions for granting citizenship to a non-German married to a German are the same as for any individual who wants to naturalize: the individual must be a resident in Germany for five years, speak the German language and have some knowledge of Germany's history and culture. It is possible that the local immigration office may reduce the residency requirement to three or four years for someone who is married to a German, however, this is not automatic. The individual must also renounce his/her other citizenship. In some cases, this may be difficult as some countries do not allow an individual to renounce citizenship or have no procedures for renunciation. The decision to grant German citizenship in these cases depends on the particular circumstances. There is no guarantee of being granted citizenship.
The question of the right to residency status in Germany for a non-German married to a German is answered in Information Request #8042. The formalities for attaining an "open-ended" residency permit begin with the individual applying for a residence permit to a German Consulate or Embassy abroad. If the application is accepted by the Consulate, it is forwarded to the local immigration office. After receiving the authorization of this office, the individual is issued a residency permit for three months. During this period, he/she must register with the immigration office in Germany, which will issue a one year permit. After one year and contingent upon proper behaviour, the permit may be extended for five years. Following this period, the individual may be issued an open-ended residency permit. A non-German does not require the permission of the country of origin before permanent residency status is granted.
No further information is currently available to the IRB Documentation Centre.
Bibliography
Official at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
11 March 1991. Telephone interview, Ottawa.
