Apply for subsequent registration of birth abroad in the German birth register

Prerequisites

• You or your direct descendants possess German citizenship at the time of application.
• You are eligible to apply if you are
  • the person to be registered himself or
  • whose ancestors and descendants in a direct line of descent

Documents required

• Form "Application for registration of a birth abroad in the birth register (§ 36 PStG)"
• Foreign birth certificate with translation; if applicable, with legalization or apostille
• valid identity card, passport or travel document
• Marriage and birth certificates of the parents of the person to whom the entry relates
• If applicable, naturalization certificate or proof of citizenship
• If necessary, further documents and, if necessary, a translation, depending on the individual case with legalization or apostille.

Submit all original documents to the relevant registry office. If you reside abroad, contact the German embassy or consulate.

Please note

The registry office of your last German residence is responsible for the registration. If you or your direct family members have never had a residence in Germany, Registry Office I in Berlin is responsible.

Please contact the registry office directly for details regarding the procedures and specific documents they require. It is best to do so in writing.

A subsequent registration can be useful if you need or wish to provide legally binding proof of your name or lineage in Germany. The Berlin Registry Office I or the registry office of your last residence can issue you new certificates – including multilingual ones – at any time after the initial registration.

Deadlines

no




In certain cases, you may face consequences under nationality law if you have not applied for the subsequent registration of your birth or the birth of your child within one year.




If the German parent was born abroad after December 31, 1999, the child will only acquire German citizenship if they are habitually resident abroad and the child's birth is registered in the German birth register within one year of the birth. An exception applies if the child would otherwise become stateless.

Procedure

• You apply for the registration of the birth at the registry office responsible for your German place of residence or the German place of residence of the person entitled to apply. If neither a current nor a former German place of residence can be determined, you can apply for registration at the Berlin I registry office.
• Compile the required documents and send them with your application to the responsible authority.
• The relevant registry office checks whether the registration can take place.
• If the requirements are met, the birth will be entered into the German birth register.
• If needed, you can apply for birth certificates after your registration has been completed.

Processing time

The processing time depends on the individual case.

Fees

Subsequent certification is only carried out upon request and is subject to a fee:

• Registration of a birth from abroad after individual case review, starting from EUR 125.00


• Additional costs may apply for information from the residents' registration office, registration of a subsequent notarization, and additional expenses incurred when examining foreign law.


• Birth certificate: 19.50 EUR


• Each additional certificate issued at the same time: 8.50 EUR


• International birth certificate: 19.50 EUR


• Certified extract from the birth register: 19.50 EUR


• Each additional certified register extract issued at the same time: EUR 8.50

Registration of births at Registry Office I in Berlin is subject to a fee. Please contact Registry Office I in Berlin to find out the amount of the fee.

Legal remedies

• Application for instruction to the Hamburg District Court, Sievekingplatz 1, if one of the Hamburg registry offices is responsible.

Legal basis

Section 9 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__9.html




Section 10 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__10.html

Section 36 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)


https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__36.html




Nationality Act (StAG)


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




Order for the implementation of the Civil Status Act (PStGDAnO)


https://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/bsha/document/jlr-PStGDAnOHArahmen