# Does having a (dead) german grandmother do an american any good?



## shayinuk (Oct 9, 2012)

Hi, I'm an american who is temporarily living in the uk (as a student). All my yankee friends are getting heritage visas, and it seems like germany is one of the only countries without something along these lines? My grandmother left because of the cold war, I think, not nazi persecution. Apparently my dad used to spend every summer and even a school year or two there, unfortunately I can't ask him as he is also sadly passed away. Are there really just no options for people of german heritage?


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## AnneChristina (Sep 11, 2012)

shayinuk said:


> Hi, I'm an american who is temporarily living in the uk (as a student). All my yankee friends are getting heritage visas, and it seems like germany is one of the only countries without something along these lines? My grandmother left because of the cold war, I think, not nazi persecution. Apparently my dad used to spend every summer and even a school year or two there, unfortunately I can't ask him as he is also sadly passed away. Are there really just no options for people of german heritage?


Unfortunately the heritage of your Grandmother doesn't quite matter. If one of your parents were German there would be an option to apply for "Einbuergerung" - naturalization, but this doesn't work with German grandparents.

I am not familiar of any other visa option that would consider the heritage of your ancestors.


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