Subsequent certification of a birth abroad for Germans not resident in Germany

Prerequisites

• The child acquired German citizenship through descent from a German parent or through naturalization.
• are eligible to apply
  • the person to be registered himself
  • their parents
  • their children
  • the spouse or life partner
• The child or the applicant has never had a place of residence in Germany (in this case, the registry office I in Berlin is responsible)

Documents required

You usually need the following documents:

• Complete extract from the foreign birth register or – if not available – the child’s birth certificate, if necessary with a translation, legalization or apostille
• Parents' birth certificates, if necessary with translation, legalization or apostille
• Parents' ID cards
  • naturalization certificate, if applicable
  • or proof of citizenship
• if the mother is or was married:
  • Marriage certificate, possibly with translation, legalization or apostille
  • and in the case of marriage termination: 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 responsibility
• Submission of additional documents may be required. This depends on the foreign document system and can only be assessed after the application has been checked.

Deadlines

None, but in certain cases there may be consequences under nationality law if the subsequent certification of the birth is not applied for within one year.

Procedure

If you live abroad, you can generally submit the application via the German mission abroad.

• The originals of all documents and IDs must be presented there.
• If necessary, certified copies can be made at the diplomatic mission, for which additional fees apply.
• The mission abroad can usually also determine whether a name declaration is required. In this case, a corresponding declaration can be made on site.

Processing time

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

Fees

The certification in the birth register of the registry office I in Berlin is subject to a fee.

• EUR 80.00: Application for subsequent certification


• EUR 160.00: Application for subsequent certification - if foreign law is to be observed


• 12.00 euros: birth certificate


• 6.00 euros: each additional certificate if issued at the same time


• 12.00 euros: international birth certificate


• 6.00 euros: each additional certificate if issued at the same time


• EUR 12.00: Certified printout of the register of births


• EUR 6.00: each additional certified printout of the register when issued at the same time

The certification at the registry office of the last domestic place of residence in Hamburg is also subject to a fee.

• EUR 80.00: Application for subsequent certification
  
  Possibly additional costs for information from the population register, entry of a follow-up certification, additional costs for checking foreign law.


• 14.50 euros: birth certificate


• 6.00 euros: each additional certificate if issued at the same time


• 14.50 euros: international birth certificate


• 6.00 euros: each additional certificate if issued at the same time


• 14.50 euros: Certified printout of the register of births


• EUR 6.00: each additional certified printout of the register when issued at the same time

Legal remedies

You can apply for an order at the district court of Schöneberg in Berlin.

Legal basis

• § 36 Civil Status Act (PStG)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__36.html


• Citizenship Act
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/BJNR005830913.html