Geburt im Ausland Beurkundung von Deutschen ohne Inlandswohnsitz

If you or your child were born abroad, it may make sense to have your birth registered in the German birth register.

If you or your child were born abroad, you can apply for the birth to be certified retrospectively. There is no legal obligation for subsequent certification. A proper foreign birth certificate (with translation, legalization or apostille if necessary) also proves the fact of the birth. Subsequent certification can be useful if the name or parentage is to be bindingly proven in Germany. Furthermore, the registry office can issue new certificates (also multilingual) at any time after notarization.

If the German parent was born abroad after 31.12.1999, the child only acquires German citizenship with habitual residence abroad if an application is made within one year of the child's birth for the birth to be certified in the German register of births, unless the child would otherwise become stateless.

• Complete foreign birth register excerpt or, if not available, birth certificate of the child, if necessary with translation, legalization or apostille,
• Parents' birth certificates, with translation, legalization or apostille if applicable,
• Parents' identity documents and
  • naturalization certificate, if applicable
  • or certificate of citizenship.
• If the mother is or was married:
  • Marriage certificate, if applicable with translation, legalization or apostille
  • and in the case of termination of marriage: Proof of dissolution.
• If the parents are not married to each other:
  • If applicable, proof of acknowledgment of paternity and the mother's declaration of consent,
  • If applicable, proof of joint parental custody

The submission of further documents may be required. This depends on the foreign document system and can only be assessed after the application has been examined.

• The child has acquired German citizenship by descent from a German parent or by naturalization.
• Eligible applicants are
  • the person to be registered themselves,
  • their parents,
  • their children,
  • the spouse or partner.
• The applicant or the child is not resident in Germany.

In principle, the application can be submitted via the German diplomatic mission if you live abroad.

• All documents and IDs must be submitted there in the original.
• If necessary, certified copies can be made at the diplomatic mission abroad, for which additional fees will be charged.
• The diplomatic mission or consular post can usually also determine whether a name declaration is required. In this case, a corresponding declaration can be made on the spot.

The respective processing status will be communicated with the confirmation of receipt. A longer processing time is to be expected.

If an official act is refused, an application for an order can (only) be submitted to the competent local court. If the registry office I in Berlin refuses to carry out an official act, the district court Schöneberg in Berlin would be responsible for the application for instructions:

• Birth abroad Notarization of Germans without domestic residence
• The child has German citizenship at the time of application
• Acquisition of German citizenship in accordance with Section 4 (1) of the Citizenship Act (StAG) or after naturalization despite residence abroad
• The application can be submitted by the parents, the adult child, their children, spouse or partner
• Responsible: Registry Office I in Berlin is responsible for notarization if neither the child nor the applicant ever had a residence in Germany
• Responsible: Registry office of the (last) German place of residence

If you have never had a place of residence in Germany, the registry office I in Berlin is responsible for processing your application for subsequent certification of your birth abroad.

If you had a place of residence in Germany before your stay abroad, the registry office of your former German place of residence is responsible for processing your application.

Forms: yes
Online service available: no
Written form required: no
Personal appearance required: no