Apply for a multilingual birth certificate

Prerequisites

Civil status documents contain personal data, which is why their issuance is subject to data protection restrictions.

• Eligible applicants (minimum age: 16 years):
  • the person to whom the birth certificate relates
  • the spouse or life partner (within the meaning of the Act on Registered Life Partnerships)
  • Ancestors and descendants of the data subject
  • Siblings with Legitimate Interest
  • Other people, including close relatives such as aunts and uncles, only receive a certificate if they can substantiate a legal interest (e.g. through a letter from the probate court).

Documents required

To apply for a birth certificate you will need:

• Your identity card or passport (when applying in writing: certified copy),
• when applying through a representative:
  • written power of attorney of the authorized person,
  • their identity card or passport (original or certified copy)
  • and the representative's identity card or passport
• certain persons must also demonstrate a legal or legitimate interest

Please note

• Telephone orders are not possible.
  You can apply for birth certificates in writing by post, email or fax, online or in person.
• If you no longer know the location of the event registered in the registry office, please write to the general register of the Hamburg registry offices (see links). There you can find out which Hamburg registry office has notarized the civil status case.
• For civil status cases (birth, marriage, death) that have been certified in a Hamburg registry office since 2009, further certificates can be issued in all Hamburg registry offices.
  These documents, which are issued by a registry office other than the one that authenticates them, are provided with the addition "Certificate in accordance with § 67 Paragraph 3 of the Civil Status Act".
  With this addition, documents are not recognized abroad, e.g. birth certificates for entry into the USA. They must be issued by the originally responsible registry office.
• For birth certificates of births more than 110 years ago, please contact the Hamburg State Archives (see links).
• You can obtain an apostille from the Ministry of the Interior and Sport, Office for Migration.

Deadlines

No

Procedure

You must submit the application for a birth certificate to your responsible registry office.

Online application:

• Use the "Certificate Request" online service in the service portal on hamburg.de (see links).
  You will be guided through the application process.

Application by post, fax or email:

• Send an informal letter to the relevant registry office asking them to issue you an international birth certificate.
• Your letter should contain the following information:
  • Name first Name
  • Date and place of birth
  • Surname, first name of parents
  • if known: registry office and certification number
• Enclose a copy of your identity card or passport with the letter.
• You will receive a notification of fees when the certificate is sent to you.

Personal application:

• Go to the registry office that registered the birth.
• You must present your identity card or passport for legitimation.
• You usually pay the fee when applying at the registry office.
• In addition to yourself, a person you trust may order and collect the certificate for you. In addition to a written power of attorney, you submit your identity card or passport (original or certified copy) and your own identity card or passport.

Processing time

• The processing time is 3 to 10 days.


• In the case of a personal visit, the certificate will be handed over immediately.

Fees

• Fixed fees of EUR 14.50 apply.


• Fixed fees of EUR 6.00 are charged for each additional document in the same processing step.

Legal remedies

You can apply for a court decision at the district court of Hamburg, Sievekingplatz 1, 20355 Hamburg.

Legal basis

• Section 50 Civil Status Ordinance (PStV)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstv/__50.html


• § 55 paragraph 1 number 4 Personal Status Act (PStG)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__55.html


• § 59 Civil Status Act (PStG)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__59.html


• § 62 Civil Status Act (PStG)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__62.html


• Convention of 8 September 1976 on the issuance of multilingual extracts from civil registers
  https://www.personalstandsrecht.de/Webs/PERS/DE/ueberkommen/_documents/ciec/ue16.html