If your child has dual U.S. and German citizenship, here’s why they must have a German passport when traveling to Germany.

For parents of dual-citizen children, navigating passport rules can be confusing. A recent case involving a U.S. couple traveling to Germany highlighted an essential legal requirement: if your child is a German citizen by birth – through a German parent – they must enter and exit Germany using a German passport, even if they hold another nationality.

This rule stems from Germany’s citizenship laws, which automatically grant citizenship to children born to German parents, regardless of where they are born. If a child has dual nationality, they are required to use their German passport when entering or leaving Germany. Failure to comply could result in hefty fines, potentially up to €10,000.

Many dual-citizen families must know this rule, assuming a non-German passport is sufficient. However, as the case shows, parents must apply for a German passport for their child, even if the child already holds a U.S. passport, to avoid legal issues when traveling.