Name: Nachträgliche Bestimmung eines gemeinsamen Ehenamens nach Eheschließung in Deutschland

We would like to have a common name now after all.

If a common married name was not determined at the time of marriage and the marriage still exists, the joint declaration to determine a married name can be made up.

Possibilities:

• Determination of a married name (= common family name)
  One of the birth names of the spouses or a family name used until the marriage can be determined as the married name. As long as the marriage exists, a revocation of the jointly determined married name is not possible.
• Determination of a double name
  If a joint married name has been determined, the person whose name has not become the married name may prefix or append his or her maiden name or the family name used until the determination of the married name to the married name. The double name shall be connected by hyphen.
  Adding a name is not possible if the jointly determined married name already consists of several names.
  If the name to be prefixed or added to the married 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 the dissolution of the marriage, the maiden name or the surname used until the determination of the married name may be re-adopted. This declaration is irrevocable.

• Valid identity card or passport
• Current certified copy of the marriage register, unless the marriage was contracted at the registry office where the declaration of re-admission is made.

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

• In the case of determination of the married name:
  Joint declaration by both spouses.
• In case of addition of a name to the married name or re-adoption of the original name:
  Declaration by the corresponding person.

All declarations are publicly recorded by the registry office.

The civil registry office that keeps the marriage register is responsible for the "receipt" and thus for the effectiveness of the declaration. However, the declaration can be made at any domestic registry office.
Example: The marriage was entered into at the registry office in Cologne, but the spouses 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.

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