In collaboration with Zapp Legal
A German passport is one of the most sought-after passports in the world and is considered one of the most difficult to obtain.
The requirements of the German government on the subject are uncompromising, and whoever does not meet them and does not back up his request with all the precise documents necessary for the process - is refused.
But in August 2021, a new section of the law brought about a dramatic change that affected thousands of Israelis in a way they could only dream of: they entered the list of those eligible to receive a German passport.
These are Israelis who did not think they would be entitled to a passport, since they could not prove family ties to German citizens in the past, a key criterion for Germany when it comes to approving citizenship applications.
The new section changed the picture.
"The new section of the German law states that not only descendants of former German citizens are entitled to a German passport, as has been customary until today, but also descendants of permanent residents in Germany who fled the Nazis may be entitled to a passport," says attorney Nir Lanker, an expert in accompanying Israelis in the process of issuing a German passport , from his office in the Electra City Tower in Tel Aviv. "This is nothing less than a revolution: a gate to German citizenship will be opened here for Israelis who never dreamed in the past that they would be able to receive such citizenship."
The new amendment also helps those who could be considered eligible for a German passport according to German laws, but had difficulty proving it due to a lack of documents.
Even for direct descendants of former German citizens it is not always easy to prove their right to a passport.
World War II ended with the unprecedented destruction of whole parts of Germany, and especially of the city of Berlin, and along with it, entire archives were lost that contained boxes upon boxes of citizenship documents of Jews who escaped without them.
Now the requirement to present documents proving German citizenship has been removed and it is sufficient to prove that the applicants are descendants of former permanent residents who left Germany when they fled the Nazis, and there were quite a few of them - "about 100 thousand Jews", notes Attorney Lanker.
The new beneficiaries of a German passport
The new section of the law added several tens of thousands of Jews, most of them Israelis, to the list of those entitled to a German passport, and this is also possible for those who were previously rejected in their application for a German passport, as long as they meet the new conditions.
"It is important that even those who submitted an application and were rejected know that this is not necessarily the end of the story," emphasizes Attorney Lanker.
"Now, all the applicants are required to do is prove that they are descendants of a former permanent resident in Germany who fled from the terror of the Nazis, and present a certificate of integrity. In addition, it is worth knowing that this section is added to several previous amendments from 2020 that include in the list of eligible people: children of German citizens born before 1953 and children born out of wedlock. Until the amendments to the law, they were not given the opportunity to receive a German passport, but this discrimination has been corrected so that they can submit a new application with a high chance of it being approved."
Adv. Nir Lanker // Photo: Nimrod Cohen,
Thousands of new citizens
The changes in the law opened the doors for many people, but proving eligibility, and especially permanent residency, is a matter that is not always simple, when collecting the right documents requires experience, precision and deep understanding.
"We don't know if this section will remain permanently in the law, so we are trying to take advantage of the new window of opportunity that will open as soon as possible," says Attorney Lanker. Stapled pedigree, backed up by all relevant documents.
We have submitted many applications, some of which have already been approved, and the flow of applications continues.
I encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible for a German passport to check it out as soon as possible.
it's time".
Lanker-Yordani attorney and notary office
Address: 58 Harevat St. (Electra City Tower) Tel Aviv
Phone - 03-5052141
To the official website of advocate Nir Lanker
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to the office page on the legal website
In collaboration with Zapp Legal
