German Citizenship Question

[Gunslinger]

My wife is/was a German citizen, she's been living in the US for the last 22 years.  She does not have a US citizenship and is an aliend resident of the US.  

My question is does a German citizenship "expire" after a certain amount of time?  She tells me that she was supposed to "renew" her citizenship after 10 years but didn't and she is no longer a German "citizen".  I didn't think this sounded right so I figure I'd check with some of the Germans on this board to see a yea or nay.

[Gh0stFT]

No,

imagine you live i germany for 22 years would your US citizenship expire?
maybe some documents/pictures need a up-to-date, but thats all.

[Wolfala]

Would it still be German citizen or an EU citizen? Probally needs a passport update at the very least.

[Gunslinger]

She seems to think her citizenship expired all together because of something her mother told her and now she does not have citizenship to either country.

[Wolfala]

http://www.germany.info/relaunch/info/missions/embassy/embassy.html

[cpxxx]

Some countries make you give up your citizenship when you become a citizen of another country. But I've never heard of anyone's citizenship expiring. All that's expired is her passport.  Anyway maybe it's time to become American.

[BansheCH]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
My wife is/was a German citizen, she's been living in the US for the last 22 years.  She does not have a US citizenship and is an aliend resident of the US.  

My question is does a German citizenship "expire" after a certain amount of time?  She tells me that she was supposed to "renew" her citizenship after 10 years but didn't and she is no longer a German "citizen".  I didn't think this sounded right so I figure I'd check with some of the Germans on this board to see a yea or nay.

Citzenship never expires. What you need to do if you want her to live here is. Fill out a bunch of papers. Give up the old citzenship and become american. You should get new passports and a bunch of other papers allowing you to work here and live here. All of that is done by imagration. I warn you now this is a very stressful thing to do and very aggravating. Once its done everything should work out well for you both.

[Gunslinger]

Thanks for the response bansh but she's allready an alien resident and has been for the last 22 years.  She does not want to get US citizenship as she likes to remain tied to her homland.  I have to say though she is as patriotic about the US as any American I've known.  Her mother has got it in her head that her German citizenship expired after so many years of not living there.

[Nefarious]

My Great Uncle lives in Germany, He returns to the US once a year to do his taxes. He is a citizen of both Germany and the United States.

[BansheCH]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
Thanks for the response bansh but she's allready an alien resident and has been for the last 22 years.  She does not want to get US citizenship as she likes to remain tied to her homland.  I have to say though she is as patriotic about the US as any American I've known.  Her mother has got it in her head that her German citizenship expired after so many years of not living there.

Her citizenship hasnt expired and never will unless she changes it to somthing else. So as I see it now there shouldnt be a problem. Does she have a visa or greencard?

[BansheCH]

Also are you american and did you get married on american soil?