If you live abroad and want to apply for German citizenship through ancestry, then you’ll need to contact the competent authorities based on your region. Residents of Germany will deal directly with local citizenship offices for matters related to citizenship applications. In the United States, though, there are nine diplomatic missions applicants deal with – located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Keep reading to find out which German consulate or embassy you will work through, based on your location, when applying for German citizenship abroad. These missions will be your go-to for questions regarding applications, document notarization, passports, and more.
German Consulate General Boston
If you live in Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, or Connecticut (excluding Fairfield County), you will deal with the Consulate General of Germany in Boston, MA.
This office operates on weekdays, with limited Friday hours, and it’s only open to the public via appointment.
German Embassy in Washington, D.C.
The D.C. German Embassy is specific to residents of Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
German Consulate General Atlanta
The Consulate General of Germany in Atlanta, GA, has a jurisdiction including Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Note that the consulate in Atlanta operates on weekdays and is open to the public by appointment only.
Consulate General of Germany in Chicago
The German Consulate in Chicago is open weekdays with limited hours. Its jurisdiction includes residents of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Consulate General of Germany in Houston
Residents of Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico will handle German citizenship applications through the Consulate General of Germany in Houston, TX.
You must make an appointment to be seen in the Houston office.
German Consulate General in Los Angeles
The German Consulate General in Los Angeles has a jurisdiction including Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and the following California counties:
- Los Angeles
- Imperial
- Kern
- Orange
- Riverside
- Santa Barbara
- San Diego
- San Bernardino
- San Luis Obispo
- Ventura
The office operates on weekdays with limited Friday hours and limited phone consultation hours Tuesday-Thursday.
German Consulate General in Miami
The Miami consulate has a jurisdiction including Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Miami office is open to the public by appointment only, and it operates on weekdays with limited phone hours Monday-Thursday.
German Consulate General in New York
The New York consulate has a jurisdiction including Connecticut (Fairfield County only), Bermuda, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The New York City office has limited weekday telephone hours.
German Consulate General in San Francisco
The San Francisco consulate’s jurisdiction includes Northern California, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and the following overseas American territories:
- American Samoa
- Baker Island
- Howland Island
- Jarvis Island
- Johnston Island
- Midway Island
- Palmyra Island
The office has limited phone hours on weekdays.
Stay tuned for our next blog post about German citizenship through ancestry, along with news updates on European citizenship.