Name: Sortiererklärung zur Reihenfolge der Vornamen

I would like to rearrange the order of my first names. My first name is in second place. I would like my first name to come first.

Persons who bear their name under German law and have several first names can change the order of their first names.

Foreign nationals whose name is governed by German law due to their place of residence or domicile or who have chosen German law for their name can also make this declaration. In these cases, we recommend that you enquire in advance at the consulate of your home country as to whether the change will be entered in your passport.

• Current certified copy of the birth register/ birth certificate, if the register is not kept at the registry office where the declaration is made.
• Current certified copy of the marriage register / marriage certificate, if the register is not kept at the registry office where the declaration is made
• Identity card or passport

The declaration must be made in person at the registry office or at a notary's office.

The declaration can be made at any registry office.

Declarations that are not made at the registry office of birth are sent by the certifying registry office to the registry office of birth. There, the declaration becomes effective and a birth certificate or a name change certificate is issued. If there is no German birth registry office and a marriage is registered in Germany, the registry office that keeps the marriage register takes the place of the birth registry office. If there is neither a register of births nor a register of marriages in Germany, the registry office of the place of residence is responsible.

Possible explanations:

permitted:
- specify new order of first names

not permitted:
- addition of first names
- omission of first names
- changes to first names connected by a hyphen
- deletion of special characters
- conversion of umlauts
- other spelling changes

Children:
- under 14 years declaration by legal representatives
- from 14 to 17 years own declaration with consent of legal representatives (best to bring to notarization, otherwise the separately notarized declaration of consent is required)
- from 18 years own declaration