Name: Nachträgliche Bestimmung eines gemeinsamen Lebenspartnerschaftsnamens nach Begründung der Lebenspartnerschaft in Deutschland

If a joint civil partnership name was not determined when the civil partnership was established and the civil partnership still exists, the joint declaration for the determination of a civil partnership name can be made up.

Possibilities

• Determination of a civil partnership name (= common family name)
  One of the birth names of the civil partners or a family name used up to the establishment of the civil partnership can be determined as the civil partnership name. As long as the civil partnership exists, a revocation of the jointly determined civil partnership name is not possible.
• Determination of a double name
  If a joint civil partnership name has been determined, the person whose name has not become the civil partnership name may prefix or append his or her maiden name or the family name used until the civil partnership name was determined to the civil partnership name. The double name is connected by hyphen.
  Adding a name is not possible if the jointly determined civil partnership name already consists of several names.
  If the name to be prefixed or added to the civil partnership name consists of several names, only one of these names can be added.
• Revocation of the double name
  The declaration on the prefixing or addition may be revoked at any time by publicly authenticated declaration. A new addition is then no longer possible.
• Re-adoption of a previously used name
  After dissolution of the registered civil partnership, the birth name or the surname used until the civil partnership name was determined can be re-adopted. This declaration is irrevocable.

• Valid identity card or passport
• Current certified copy of the civil partnership register

The relevant declarations must be made in person at the registry office.

In the case of a civil partnership name:
Joint declaration by the two civil partners.

In case of addition of a name to the civil partnership name or in case of re-adoption of the original name:
Declaration by the respective person.

All declarations are publicly certified by the registry office.

The civil registry office that keeps the civil partnership register is responsible for the "receipt" and thus for the effectiveness of the declaration. However, the declaration can be submitted to any domestic registry office.

Example: The civil partnership was established at the registry office in Cologne, but the partners both live in Bremen.

The registry office in Bremen can record the declaration and then sends it to the registry office in Cologne. The declaration becomes effective the moment it is received by the registry office in Bremen.

The certified copy of the marriage register to be submitted should not be older than six months.