Ethnic German resettlement: finding and obtaining documents

For preparation, organise documents into three groups: personal evidence such as passports and civil-status certificates; evidence of German ancestry and family relationships; and, where required in the particular case, records of displacement and persecution. 

Submit the documents with Antrag S to the Federal Office of Administration (BVA), following its current instructions. 

The legal framework includes section 4 BVFG (§4 BVFG) and section 15 of the same act (§15 BVFG) governs certification of ethnic German resettler status. Copies, translations and the spelling of names must follow the BVA’s current requirements; a transliteration standard is not a substitute for a qualified translation.

An avoidable mistake is ordering apostilles and translations before establishing the German ancestry line and the necessary chain of family relationships. Missing certificates and archive evidence can take substantial effort to obtain. Start with an inventory and a research plan; timing depends on the case.

• Three groups of documents for preparing a BVA application
• Identifying and proving the relevant ancestry line
• Ethnicity in Soviet records
• Where to look: civil registries, archives and the German Federal Archives
• Obtaining missing resettlement documents
• Apostilles for resettlement documents: checking the requirements
• Translations for the BVA: names and transliteration
• Antrag S: the admission application
• Family members: distinguishing inclusion from section 8 BVFG
• Language requirements and preparing for the conversation
• Common document problems and how to prepare
• FAQ

Three groups of documents for preparing a BVA application

For preparation, evidence can be grouped into identity, German ancestry, and displacement or persecution history. The required documents depend on the statutory conditions and the individual case; the BVA may request further evidence.

Group	Documents	Note
1. Personal documents	Passport pages, birth, marriage or divorce certificates, and name-change evidence required by the checklist	Copies and qualified German translations meeting BVA requirements; reconcile name spellings
2. Evidence of German ancestry	Birth and marriage certificates for the required links in the ancestry line, plus reliable evidence of ethnicity	Every necessary link in the family chain must be supported by evidence
3. Evidence of displacement and persecution	Rehabilitation certificates, deportation documents, special-settlement files and relevant archive evidence	Required depending on origin, personal history and statutory conditions

Further evidence may include historical ethnicity entries, household-register extracts or documents of relatives already admitted. Existing admission decisions, registration certificates and relatives’ BVA file numbers can help connect records, but do not automatically replace the applicant’s own evidence.

Identifying and proving the relevant ancestry line

Section 6 BVFG requires evidence of descent from a German citizen or a person of German ethnicity. The relevant ancestor depends on the family history and available evidence; the assessment is not automatically limited to parents or grandparents. A German surname or place of origin alone is insufficient.

Key points for ancestry evidence include:

• historical records containing reliable evidence of German ethnicity, such as passport or civil-status records;
• supporting indications such as names, church entries or records from German settlements: these can guide research but do not automatically prove German ethnicity;
• where historical records remain unclear, a targeted enquiry to the Bundesarchiv: for example, historical population lists, deportation records or special-settlement files. The relevance of each record and its connection to the individual must be assessed.

Every necessary link in the family chain must be evidenced, for example from grandparent to parent and from parent to applicant. Name changes, adoptions and inconsistent entries also need clear explanations.

Ethnicity in Soviet records

Knowing which historical documents may record ethnicity helps focus the search. Religion, citizenship and ethnic origin must not be treated as interchangeable.

Document	What information it may contain	Period	Possible source
Soviet internal passports from different periods	Entry for ethnicity, described as ‘nationality’	Soviet period; check the specific record	Family records and relevant passport archives
Soviet-era birth certificate	Parents’ ethnicity entries	Soviet period; check the specific record	Competent civil registry for the birthplace
Historical church register, for example before 1918	Information such as religion, origin and family; not automatically proof of ethnicity	Before 1918	Central or regional historical archives
Household register	Details of household members, sometimes including ethnicity	1930s–1990s	Local administrations and district archives
Special-settlement records	May record ethnicity	1941-1956	GARF and relevant regional archives

A historical passport recording German ethnicity can be important evidence. However, the BVA assesses the evidence as a whole; no single document is decisive in every case. If it is missing, surviving passport records or archive certificates may help. Availability and timing must be checked individually.

Where to look: civil registries, archives and the German Federal Archives

Start with family records already available. Where there are gaps, independent enquiries to several relevant institutions may be useful in parallel; coordinate them using places, dates and name variants.

Institution	Possible records	Processing time	Cost
Civil registry for the birth or marriage	Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates	Ask about processing times	The authority’s current fees
Relevant regional state archive	Historical church and household registers	Ask the archive about timing	According to the applicable fee schedule
State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF)	Deportation records and special-settlement files	Depends on records and research	Check fees and exemptions
German Federal Archives	Historical population-list and resettlement records, where held in the collection	Depends on records and research	Check fees and exemptions
Archives of the relevant security and interior authorities	Rehabilitation records and files on persecution	Depends on the case	Check fees and exemptions

Depending on the collection, the German Federal Archives may hold records concerning ethnic German communities, the Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle and resettlement. Finding aids must be checked to establish whether a particular file is held there or elsewhere. Information and enquiries: bundesarchiv.de.

If a search is unsuccessful, request written confirmation of the collections checked and the negative result. This documents that search; clarify with the BVA which alternative evidence is required or suitable.

Obtaining missing resettlement documents

Obtaining missing evidence often involves several searches. Independent enquiries can run in parallel; steps that require an earlier result or a particular document need to be coordinated.

1. The birth certificate is missing. Start with the competent civil registry. If it no longer holds the register, check whether it was transferred to an archive or whether replacement evidence is available. A court procedure to establish a fact may be possible under local law; both its availability and its evidential value for the BVA need separate assessment.
2. The ancestor’s Soviet passport is missing. Ask the authority responsible for historical passport or registration records whether records survive. Provide all known names, birth details and addresses. Check access rights, fees and processing times with that authority.
3. Church registers. Historical church registers may be held in regional or central historical archives. Records from former German settlement areas may be in different archives depending on the location and period, including regional collections in the Volga area or Ukraine. First identify the place, denomination, dates and current repository.
4. Deportation records. Depending on the holdings: GARF, regional archives or the competent interior authorities. Check the responsible institution, access rules and relevant collection before applying.

A representative may help with requests from abroad. First check whether representation is permitted and what form, certification, apostille or translation of the authorisation is required.

Apostilles for resettlement documents: checking the requirements

An apostille authenticates the signature, the signatory’s capacity and, where applicable, the seal; it does not certify that a document’s contents are true. Whether the BVA requires one depends on the issuing country, document type, issue date and applicable exceptions. A blanket ‘after 1991’ rule is inaccurate.

Document type	Is an apostille required?	Competent authority	Processing time
More recently issued civil-status certificates	Check the applicable BVA requirements	Competent apostille authority in the issuing country	Check timing with the competent authority
Soviet-era civil-status certificates	Check the BVA’s exemptions	Check the authority for the issuing country and document	Check timing with the competent authority
Archive certificates	Check the issuing country, date and document type	Determine by document type and issuing country	Check timing with the competent authority
Rehabilitation certificate	Check the applicable BVA requirements	Authority responsible for the particular document	Check timing with the competent authority
German Federal Archives records	Generally not for German documents submitted to the BVA	–	–

First establish which original document or certified copy must receive an apostille. An apostille authenticating a notary’s signature concerns that certification and is not automatically equivalent to an apostille on the underlying civil-status document. Arrange translation of the complete documents, including the apostille, afterwards.

Translations for the BVA: names and transliteration

ISO 9 is a standard for transliterating Cyrillic script. The spelling needed for a particular application should be checked against BVA requirements with a qualified translator. Passport names and differing historical spellings should be clearly connected and explained; transliteration and translation are different tasks.

Use a qualified translator suitable for the procedure and follow the BVA’s current requirements. The qualifications of translators sworn or authorised in Germany can be checked in the official directory. Translations should cover the complete documents, stamps and any apostilles; explained name variants help connect the records.

Translation costs depend on language, text length, document format, certification and urgency. Request an itemised quote; fixed page or package estimates are unreliable without reviewing the documents.

Antrag S: the admission application

Antrag S is the official application form for admission as an ethnic German resettler. Use the current version and the postal address stated in it; the BVA’s general postal address is Bundesverwaltungsamt, 50728 Köln. The form is available from the bva.bund.de.

Antrag S and its attachments cover, in particular:

• personal details, parents and other ancestors, and residence and family history as requested in the current form;
• details of German language skills, how they were acquired and the available evidence;
• details and any required attachments for a spouse and the requested inclusion;
• details and evidence concerning children, grandchildren and other descendants eligible for inclusion;
• details of other relatives whose immigration status requires separate assessment.

Submit the application with the copies, certifications, translations and any apostilles required by the BVA’s current checklist. Keep a complete copy and proof of delivery. Use the BVA file number in subsequent correspondence.

Family members: distinguishing inclusion from section 8 BVFG

For family members with status under section 7 BVFG (section 27 BVFG). Inclusion of spouses and descendants, such as children and grandchildren, is governed in particular by section 27 BVFG. They do not need their own German ancestry, but must meet the other requirements. German citizenship is acquired when the relevant certificate under section 15 BVFG is issued, not simply on entering Germany.

Section 8 BVFG is often cited for other family members (§8 BVFG). This provision concerns the allocation of other accompanying family members and does not itself give parents or siblings a right to enter or reside in Germany. Travelling together requires an applicable immigration-law basis and does not confer automatic citizenship.

Category	Legal basis	Acquisition of citizenship	Requirements
Spouse	section 27 BVFG	With the relevant section 15 BVFG certificate, not simply on entry	Generally married for at least three years; check the other inclusion conditions, including basic German or an applicable exemption
Children and grandchildren	section 27 BVFG	With the relevant section 15 BVFG certificate, not simply on entry	Check the ancestry chain and the other section 27 BVFG conditions, including language requirements or exemptions
Parents and siblings: separate assessment	§8 BVFG	No automatic citizenship; residence eligibility must be assessed separately	A separate basis under the Residence Act is required; dependency alone does not create a right of entry

Language requirements and preparing for the conversation

The language requirements are set out in particular in section 6 BVFG (§6 BVFG). The law generally requires the ability to hold a simple conversation in German to confirm a declaration of German ethnicity; statutory exceptions must be considered. B1 can have a separate role in proving such a declaration by other means and should not be equated with every language-test requirement. Conversations typically cover everyday life, family and work. We discuss possible exemptions here.

The conversation concerns understanding simple questions and giving understandable answers in German. The statutory conversational ability is what matters; dialect and personal circumstances must be considered in the actual procedure. Following an unsuccessful assessment, ask the BVA what further evidence or procedural steps are available rather than assuming unlimited retest appointments.

After an admission or inclusion decision, people who require a visa must apply for the appropriate national visa at the competent German mission. Before departure, the decision, family inclusion and entry conditions must all be in order. 

Visa fees and evidence depend on the particular category; ethnic German resettlers and included relatives may be exempt from fees. Check the competent German mission’s checklist rather than assuming a EUR 75 fee. Processing times are not guaranteed. Admission and registration follow entry; the section 15 BVFG certificate is issued in a separate procedural step, not necessarily on the day of arrival in Friedland.

Common document problems and how to prepare

Incomplete or inconsistent documents can lead to further enquiries and delays. Careful preparation helps reduce avoidable problems but does not replace the substantive admission requirements or guarantee approval.

• A gap in the chain of family relationships. A necessary link is missing, such as the parent’s birth certificate connecting the applicant to a German grandparent.
• Unexplained differences in names. Different spellings can make it harder to identify the same person. Explain variants using civil-status records, name-change documents and consistent translations.
• Incomplete translations or translations that do not meet the requirements. Notarisation of a signature alone does not automatically establish that a translation is accurate or complete. Check the required qualification, form of certification and consistent name details before submission.
• Missing authentication where it is required for the specific document.
• Changing residence during the procedure. Notify the BVA of address changes. Moving within a country does not automatically cause refusal, but leaving the resettlement area can have serious consequences for eligibility. Obtain case-specific advice before moving to another country.

If an application has been refused, promptly check the reasons and the notice of available remedies. Simply submitting another document does not automatically cancel the refusal or preserve an appeal deadline. A qualified lawyer should assess whether an administrative objection, court proceedings or reopening is appropriate.

RelocationDE: how we help with the documents

Preparing of resettlement documents can be a time-consuming part of the procedure. Archive access, missing registers and unexplained names affect the work involved. There is no single processing time that applies to every case. 

RelocationDE supports the organisational preparation, from an initial document inventory to an organised application file. More information is available on our page about ethnic German resettlement in Germany.

• Document review: trace the ancestry line and identify gaps in the evidence.
• Archive requests: coordinate enquiries with competent civil registries and archives in the countries of origin and with the German Federal Archives, subject to access and representation rules.
• Qualified translations and consistent transliteration that meet the procedural requirements.
• Apostilles: check the rules for the issuing country and document type before ordering them.
• Antrag S: help organising the information and distinguishing relatives eligible for inclusion from those whose residence route needs separate assessment.

Send us an enquiry and we will discuss the next steps.