Registration of the birth of a German citizen born outside of Germany

A child born to a German parent in the United States may receive a German birth certificate upon application to register the birth. It is recommended to apply for a German birth certificate in addition to a German passport, as evidence of citizenship from birth. This will make it easier for the child to apply for German passports after reaching adulthood, without the need to show the parents’ documents each time.

The application to register the birth of a German citizen can be submitted via an honorary consul at the same time as an application for a German passport. The application is transferred to the responsible Standesamt in Germany for processing.

If the applicant is age 18 or older and has never had a registered residence in Germany, or if neither parent of a child under 18 has even had a registered residence in Germany, the birth registration application is processed at the Standesamt Berlin I. Otherwise, the birth registration application is processed at the Standesamt of the most recent registered residence in Germany. In this case, the applicant must provide a copy of the Abmeldebescheingung from this Standesamt.

The applicant must bring the birth registration application form. The applicant must also bring all required original documents forthe child and both parents, plus two simple photocopies of each document. We will certify the copies. Please copy each document on its own page, single-sided, and do not staple any copies or application forms.

Please contact our office by telephone or email to schedule an appointment.