Birth
Congratulations on the birth of your child
Here we explain which documents you need to take with you to the hospital, which official procedures you can take care of before the birth of your child, and a few things concerning the naming of your child.
If the mother of the child is single or legally divorced, she is always the only person on the child's birth certificate. If the father is to be included in the birth certificate, he must submit an acknowledgement of paternity - this must be recorded by a notary public (registry office, youth welfare office or notary public). The personal presence of the father and the mother is necessary. An acknowledgement of paternity can also be made before the child is born. Despite the acknowledgement of paternity, the mother retains sole custody and the child bears the surname of the mother. Joint custody can be declared at the Jugendamt.
If one of the parents is a foreign citizen, please call the registry office and ask in detail which documents are necessary for the certification of the birth of your child.
Documents you should take with you to the hospital:
Then the registry office needs your marriage certificate (original) and your two birth certificates (original).
You need a current marriage certificate with divorce decree (original) or marriage certificate and divorce decree with final decree and your birth certificate (original).
Please ask at the registry office what documents/deeds are needed.
Then please take your birth certificate (original) with you to the hospital.
What should the child's name be?
Of course, your child should get the most beautiful first name, but for this there are some things to consider - it must be a gender-specific first name, i.e. for boys a male first name, for girls a female first name. Gender-neutral first names, e.g. Luca, have been allowed to be chosen as the sole first name for some time. If you have any questions about first names, please do not hesitate to contact us.
If the child's parents are married and have determined a common married name, their child will automatically also be given your married name.
If the parents do not have a common surname, they decide together which surname the child should have. This surname then also applies to the other joint children.
If the mother is not married, the child will have the surname that the mother had at the time of birth.
If the child is to have the father's surname, paternity must be acknowledged and a name must be granted.