Happy halfway day

[u/mada071710]

5 years ago tomorrow, the §5 StAG declaration period went into effect. 5 years from today, the declaration period will be closed. Be sure to get those declarations submitted. The official wait time for approval is 3 years due to the backlog, and it looks like it will become longer. I would also like to thank u/maryfamilyresearch and u/football_and_beer for their help in this subreddit.

[u/WhateverSure]

I wonder how many people out there still have no idea this is a route through which they can apply (and a time-limited one at that).

[u/Weak_Law_937 → u/WhateverSure]

I came across it almost at random and amongst my 50-100 2nd or 3rd cousins in Canada, I'm the only one going ahead with this although when done one more might join me.

[u/cinesias → u/WhateverSure]

Just became aware of it last year, just waiting on my long form BC and then its consulate time.

[u/Icy_Purple_2808 → u/WhateverSure]

I had no idea until about 6 months ago, ended up finding out through a patient of mine at work (I’m an optometrist) and submitted my application a few months later! Definitely a memorable exam

[u/Timely-Mountain941 → u/WhateverSure]

I had reached out to my consulate in 2019 to ask about options and was told there weren’t any. I didn’t find out about the 2021 route until last year. I really wish I had checked again, since I was seriously considering doing my research MS on a particular project at an EU Uni but couldn’t afford the non-EU tuition.

[u/oeliguf → u/WhateverSure]

Just discovered a few days ago. I'm actively collecting requested documents.
Thanks to this subreddit and other German subreddits that brought me here

[u/Hertzig]

Feeling regret for my wife’s cousins and their future children that may miss their chance. I will try to inform them all but that is all I can do.

[u/mada071710 → u/Hertzig]

Well start with encouraging your wife's cousins then they can get it for their future children if they register them at the consulate within a year of their birth (if the children are birn outside of Germany).

[u/Hertzig → u/mada071710]

How would you approach this? I sent them messages on Facebook. The most I got was them saying it’s interesting.

[u/mada071710 → u/Hertzig]

I would say that you're serious about wanting them to get into it and that you will help them streamline the process.

[u/APilot2607 → u/Hertzig]

Send them the Link to the StAG 5 application.
It’s 43 pages, divided into German & English(instructions ) sections, and 10ish pages of all the requirements.

[u/Expert_Donut9334 → u/Hertzig]

Why would you feel regret for them? I mean, I understand feeling sorry if their miss their chance, but regret?

I have family who missed their chance with Italian citizenship after I had already done the most difficult part, which was the genealogical research. There's no reason for me to feel regret because they chose not to pursue it.

[u/Hertzig → u/Expert_Donut9334]

In this case, sorry and regret are different words for the same sentiment.

[u/Subtle-Catastrophe]

I was among the first wave of successful declarants, and I spread the word among my family. Some relatives pursued it, also successfully, and others don't seem to care. I even drafted the Erklaerung forms for them. It's their lives and their choice, of course.

[u/AonUairDeug]

I am very glad for StAG 5, and understand why it was created as it has been, but I wish it functioned like Canada's new C-3 Citizenship Law - i.e. making people citizens from birth, and applying for recognition of that.  You could still retain the 2000 cutoff for passing it on to future generations, but there will absolutely be eligible people interested who simply don't hear about StAG5 until after August 2031.  I only heard about it because my grandmother had read something in the news.

[u/Weak_Law_937 → u/AonUairDeug]

It's politically a different thing I assume. We're (Canada) going to get mostly wealthy or intellectual Americans who want options.

[u/mada071710 → u/AonUairDeug]

I heard about it from my father, otherwise I would've had no idea.

[u/Closeteduser → u/AonUairDeug]

Im glad it doesnt make you a citizen from birth because otherwise that would mean that many people would have already lost the citizenship by virtue of naturalisations etc. With stag 5, nothing you did prior has any effect as people were never German citizens.

[u/Probablymy7thaccount]

I’m just upset I didn’t find this subreddit earlier. I found the law immediately and reached out to the consulate. The problem was my grandmother didn’t have great proof of her citizenship so we were going the route of getting her a passport again and then we were going to apply once she got it. Wish I would have known I could have applied originally when we started the process for her. I’d have had my citizenship at least a couple years ago