Under certain conditions, you can apply to the registry office in Germany to have your birth abroad subsequently certified in the register of births.

You apply for certification at the relevant registry office. This is the registry office of the (last) place of residence or habitual abode in Germany of the person born abroad or the person entitled to apply. If neither a current nor a former German place of residence can be determined, you can apply for certification at your competent German diplomatic mission abroad or at the Berlin I registry office.

You are not obliged to have the birth subsequently notarized. Birth certificates from abroad are often recognized in Germany as long as their authenticity is beyond question.

However, a subsequent entry in the register of births can be advantageous because the local registry office can then issue you with a German birth certificate. This means that you no longer have to have the foreign certificate translated and notarized in the future.

Different documents are required depending on marital status and personal circumstances.

As a rule, the following documents are required:

• Complete foreign birth register excerpt or foreign birth certificate, if necessary with translation, 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,
• Naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship, if applicable,
• if applicable, other documents with proof of authenticity and translation, depending on the individual case.

You must submit all documents and certificates in the original.

In Lower Saxony, the fees are based on the Lower Saxony Ordinance on Fees and Expenses for Official Acts and Services (Allgemeine Gebührenordnung (AllGO)) and may differ in other federal states.

A fixed fee of 110 euros is initially charged for the certification of a birth abroad.

Depending on the scope of the examination and the requirements in the individual case, this fee may be increased by additional fees.