How to Register a Birth in Germany: Complete Guide
Congratulations! You made it through the first nine months and just had a baby in Germany…. Now what? If you’re an immigrant in Germany, the answer is: quite a lot. Between registering a birth with the city, requesting a birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde), applying for child benefits, applying for passports, and setting up your child’s health insurance, there are a number of legal formalities that you must complete within a short window of time. That’s why we’ve put together a complete guide for how to register a birth in Germany.
Read more below for all of the steps, required documents, and timing for your little bundle of joy.
Step 1: Registering a Birth with the City of Germany
Once your little one has arrived, the first “legal” step is to register the birth with the city in order for you to receive a birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde). Similar to when you had to register with the city when moving to Germany. However, depending on where you give birth, the steps required (and the amount of assistance you receive varies).
Let’s take a look.
Hospital Births/Birthing House Births (Geburtshaus)
If you give birth in a hospital (Krankenhaus) or at a Geburtshaus (birthing house), they are obliged to register the birth of your baby in Germany within 7 days. Often, the person who will help you take care of this will come directly to your room to take your documents within 24-48 hours after the birth.
We highly recommend packing the necessary documents ahead of time in your suitcase or diaper bag.
To register a birth in Germany, you will need to bring the following documents:
Passport of both parents
Birth Certificate of both parents (translated in to German)*
Declaration of paternity / Vaterschaftsanerkennung (only if parents aren't married)
Diplomas for any parent who has a Master's Degree or higher ( only if you wish for your qualifications to be included on the birth certificate)
Parents' marriage certificate (translated in to German)*
Registration documents of you and your partner (Meldebescheinigung)
*In most major German cities, legal documents in either German or English are widely accepted without the need for certified translation. However, it is best to always check before-hand.
We also recommend making multiple copies of these documents and bring the copies as well as the originals with you to the hospital.
After all of the necessary forms are completed and copies of the documents kept, you will receive confirmation of the birth for a baby born in Germany (Geburtsbescheinigung) which you must keep. However, this is NOT the official birth certificate.
If your experience is like ours, the same person at the hospital will also ask you how many copies of the birth certificate and international birth certificate you would like to order. We recommend ordering at least 2-3 copies of both, just to have on hand for the future. Your little one’s birth certificate will be necessary to apply for benefits both in Germany.
Important: If you are unable to register the birth through your hospital/Geburtshaus, you will need a Anzeige der Geburt form, from where you gave birth, to take to the hospital (along with your documents) to register the birth yourself within 7 days of the baby's date of birth.
Home Births
If you plan on giving birth at home, you will be given a form (Anzeige der Geburt) by your attending midwife which you will need to present to your local Standesamt or Bürgeramt (City Hall). Only one of the two parents need be present with the documents listed above to complete the registration for a baby born in Germany. Once more, the form must be handed in within 7 days of the baby's date of birth.
Picking up Your Baby’s Birth Certificates
While each city may handle it slightly differently, typically you will be given a date to go to your local Standesamt or Bürgeramt (city hall) to pick the birth certificates up. Normally processing times around 14 days for the birth certificates to be ready.
When picking up your birth certificates, you will automatically receive 3-4 that are free of charge for any baby born in Germany.
These have specific, allocated purposes which are for:
1. Elterngeld
2. Kindergeld
3. Health Insurance (Mutterschaftshilfe)
4. for religious purposes (eg. baptism), if your family is registered with religious affiliation.
Each certificate will have a title on them telling you which certificate needs to go to where. If you are unsure, make sure to ask.
Cost of a Birth Certificate in Germany
In addition to the 3-4 that are free of charge (as listed above), we also recommend ordering a couple extra to keep on hand. As we also mentioned, you will have the choice of a long-form birth certificate, short-form birth certificate and international birth certificate.
Long-Form Birth certificate (Geburtenregister) €12, additional copies €5
Short-Form Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) €10, additional copies €5
International birth certificate €10, additional copies €5
If you are a foreign family like us, we highly recommend picking up at least 2 international birth certificates AND at least 2 copies of the long-form German birth certificate (Geburtenregister) (NOT the Geburtsurkunde, which is the short form). The latter is the German birth certificate issued by local authorities only on request.
This document is required by many foreign consulates to process the record of a birth abroad because they must show the biological parents’ names for the baby born in Germany.
Each of these documents will be very helpful in the future if you do plan on moving back to your home country, since it will save you the time of getting a certified translation of a German legal document and will make the process of applying for any legal procedures back home (in the U.S. such as a social security number, passport, or tax identification) much easier.
Apply for Your Child's German Tax ID Number (steuerliche Identifikationsnummer)
As part of the registration process with the city that occurs when applying for a birth certificate, the city authorities will notify the relevant authorities to issue your little one a tax ID number (steuerliche Identifikationsnummer).
This number is normally issued by the Federal Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steueren – BZSt). However, in the case of immigrant children, the number may also be assigned when the child is registered at the Einwohnermeldeamt.
Although your baby is years and years away from needing to pay taxes themselves, this number will help you claim them as dependents and to claim subsequent family benefits from the German government.
To find your child's Tax ID number, look on your Withholding Tax Card (Lohnsteuerkarte) or on the income tax summary (Einkommensteuerbescheid) sent by the local tax authorities (Finanzamt) after they review and approve the yearly tax declaration. Alternatively, you can also contact your local tax office.
Step 2: Apply for Health Insurance Coverage for a New Baby in Germany
Once you receive your birth certificate, it is time to make sure that your new baby has health insurance coverage through your insurance provider (Krankenkasse). Whether you are insured with public or private health insurance in Germany, adding a family member to your plan is quick and easy. Simply complete the provider’s registration form (Antrag) and provide a copy of the birth certificate. With many Krankenkasse, this may be done online, via email or in person at one of their local service centers (KundenCenter).
Keep in mind, with public healthcare in Germany, additional family members do not increase your monthly contributions. If you are privately insured, you will need to inquire with your insurance provider on how a new baby born in Germany will change your rates.
While timing is important and you should handle these matters as quickly as possible, do not worry if you do not have your child’s insurance card or coverage forms completed before the U2 check-up with the pediatrician. The doctor will accept your insurance card for these appointments.
Step 3: Apply for Child Benefits
As we mention in our post on Pregnancy in Germany, Germany offers a range of state benefits to help in raising your child. From Mutterschutz, which guarantees time away immediately before and after the birth, Elterngeld which provides monetary support and job protection for extended parental leave, and Kindergeld which provides a monetary subsidy for the years beyond, the programs are designed to support family wellbeing.
Depending on which of these benefits you would like to apply for, you will need to notify the appropriate agency or institution of your baby born in Germany.
To apply for Elterngeld, a certificate of the birth and a form must be submitted in writing. To find the Bundesland (state) office responsible for your application, visit this site.
Keep in mind, elterngeld may only be retroactively implemented 3 months from the date the application is turned in. We recommend getting on top of this soon after your little one arrives.
To apply for Kindergeld, you must submit written forms and documentation of the birth to the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse) of the local Labor Office (Agentur für Arbeit). To download the appropriate forms, visit the Labor Office website here.
In addition you will also need to submit :
Birth Certificate
Your passport
Proof of residence permit
Proof of residency registration (Haushaltbescheinigung)
Kindergeld can be paid retroactively for a maximum of the last 6 calendar months prior to receipt of the application at the family benefits office (Familienkasse).
Step 4: Reporting a Birth Abroad to your Home Country’s Consulate
As an immigrant, there are naturally a couple of extra steps that you must complete over a “normal” citizen of Germany. Just as you must notify the German authorities of a new birth, you are also responsible for notifying your home country of the birth, since that child may be entitled to citizenship services and rights there as well. Following this process will eventually get your child their own passport.
Keep in mind that eligibility for citizenship and consular services varies from country to country and changes depending on the legal status of one or both parents. Please verify with your country’s embassy or consulate the exact requirements for a baby born in Germany.
For reference, the following information details the reporting of a birth abroad to an American parent or parents.
As a U.S. citizen parent(s), you should report your child’s birth abroad as soon as possible to the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. Consulate to establish an official record of the child’s claim to or acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth.
This must be done in person at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Germany, and both parents who hold U.S. citizenship are required to attend.
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of United States citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Although CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday, we recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.
The U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt has now made the application process for a CRBA easier than ever with an online portal through MyTravelGov. You can read more about the program here.
Alternatively, you can apply for a CRBA by completing Form DS-2029 and submitting all appropriate documentation in person for your baby born in Germany. Please note the application must be signed in front of a consular officer, notary public, or other person qualified to administer oaths. In other words, you can fill out the form ahead of time, but wait to sign it until you are at the embassy or consulate.
In addition to your child’s birth certificate, you will need to gather a significant amount of documentation in order to apply for a CRBA depending on the citizenry of both parents.
A General Overview of Documents needed for your application include:
Child’s German Birth Certificate plus two photocopies (beglaubigte Abschrift/Ausdruck aus dem Geburtenregister). This is the German birth certificate issued by local authorities in City Hall (Bürgeramt) on request. This document must show the biological parents’ names. Other short-form birth certificates (like the “Geburtsurkunde”) are not acceptable.
U.S. parent(s) passport(s), non-U.S. citizen parent’s passport, as applicable, plus two photocopies of the biographical page of each passport.
Proof of marital status i.e. current marriage certificate and/or divorce certificate(s), as applicable, plus one photocopy of each document.
Proof of physical presence in the United States. Read more on documentation of proof of physical presence here.
For a detailed account of required documents and how to print and assemble them, read more in this comprehensive CRBA checklist from the U.S. Consulate and Embassy in Germany.
$100 CRBA fee: Payable in Euros/Dollars or via Credit Card. The fee is a non-refundable processing fee and is retained by the Department of State whether or not the CRBA is issued.
Step 5: Apply for Your Child’s Passport
When reporting a birth abroad to your home country’s consulate or embassy, it is also a good idea to go ahead and also apply for your child’s birth certificate simultaneously to save yourself two trips.
Once again, eligibility for passports and other consular services varies from country to country and changes depending on the legal status of one or both parents. Please verify with your country’s embassy or consulate the exact requirements for a baby born in Germany.
For reference, the following information details the reporting of a birth abroad to an American parent(s).
If done in conjunction with the report of birth abroad, you must complete the following forms and include the following documentation or items to process a new passport:
Completed Form DS-11.
Print on two sheets of paper leaving the reverse page blank. Print only the actual form (pages 5 and 6), not the instructions. Fill out the form on behalf of your child. Do NOT sign the form.
One passport photo of your child: 2″x2″ (5cm x 5cm), with white background.
If only one parent will appear: the other parent’s original, notarized consent to the issuance of a passport and a completed Form DS-3053.
This must be accompanied with a photocopy of the identification used for the notarial service.
Photocopy of child's birth certificate
Photocopies of parents’ passports.
Cost: $105. Payable in Euros/Dollars or via Credit Card. The fee is a non-refundable processing fee and is retained by the Department of State whether or not the CRBA is issued.
Important: Failing to bring all original documents and/or completing the application forms prior to your appointment (such as signing the forms), will result in being required to schedule a new appointment for your baby born in Germany.
Read more Frequently Asked Questions about U.S. Children’s Passports, Answered.
Black Forest Family Tip
If my child holds dual citizenship in Germany and the United States, do I need to get him/her/they a U.S. passport? If you plan on taking your little one to the United States, the answer is YES. It is illegal for a U.S. citizen to enter U.S. soil without a U.S. passport from abroad.
Step 6: Apply for Your Child’s Residence Permit or Visa in Germany
The final legal step for your little one is to get him or her their own residence permit or visa, depending on what the immigrant parent(s) holds.
Keep in mind, this step is only necessary for children:
Born in Germany
Where at least one parent holds a valid residence title
And the child does not have a claim to German citizenship.
In order to apply for a residence permit in Germany, you should schedule an in-person appointment at your local Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) and bring the following documentation with you:
The child's Passport
The child must either possess its own valid passport or be registered in the passport of a parent.
1 current biometric photo
35mm x 45mm, frontal shot with neutral facial expression and closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, light background
Certificate of birth
Passports of the parents
Cost for your child’s residence permit: 50 euros.
