After the birth

Apply for parental allowance

If you look after your child after the birth, the parental allowance compensates for part of the loss of income.

Parental allowance - calculation

The amount of your parental allowance is calculated by the responsible parental allowance office and is based on various factors.

Apply for a birth certificate

You do not have your birth certificate, but you need it for a marriage or other official act, for example? Then you can apply for a birth certificate to be issued.

Apply for a birth certificate if you were born abroad or in a former German territory

If you need proof of birth from the former German territories or from the consular and colonial registers, you can apply for a birth certificate. You can obtain this from the registry office I in Berlin.

Birth certificate issuance for home births

The birth certificate proves the birth of a person, their first and last names, as well as the details of the parents. You can have a birth certificate issued on the basis of the birth register kept at the relevant registry office.

Apply for a multilingual birth certificate

If you need proof of birth for submission to foreign agencies, you can apply for a multilingual birth certificate.

Register parental leave

You can plan your 3 years of parental leave flexibly, but you must meet certain requirements. You must give notice of your parental leave to your employer.

Parental leave utilization

When you become parents, you are entitled to unpaid time off from work, provided you meet certain requirements. You must register the parental leave with your employer in writing.

Have your birth notarized abroad

Were you, your child or another close family member in the ascending or descending line of descent born abroad? Then you can have the birth subsequently certified in the birth register at the registry office responsible for you.

Applying for subsequent certification of a birth abroad without domestic residence

If you or your child were born abroad, it may make sense to have your birth registered in the German birth register.

Birth abroad Notarization for births on seagoing vessels

If your child was born on a ship flying the German flag on a sea voyage, you are obliged to report it to the skipper. The registration of the birth is carried out by the registry office I in Berlin.

Printout from the birth register

You do not have your birth certificate, but you need it for a marriage or other official act, for example? Then you can apply for a printout from the birth register.

Confidential birth

Apply for maternity benefit

Under what conditions do you receive maternity benefit?

Allowances for multiple births Granting

You can receive a grant for multiple births

Social welfare benefits as health counselling for families with infants

If you receive social welfare or basic income support and have just had a baby, the social welfare office will cover the cost of counseling sessions.

Declaring joint custody of a child

If you as parents are not married to each other at the time of your child's birth, you can obtain joint custody by both submitting declarations of custody.

Assistance by the Youth Welfare Office

End guardianship by the youth welfare office

Have you applied for guardianship for your child and no longer need it? Then you can terminate the guardianship at the local youth welfare office.

Maternity recognition

If you wish to make a declaration recognizing the maternity of your child, insofar as this is required by your home law or the law of the country in which the child has its habitual residence.

Recognition of paternity

If you wish to make a declaration acknowledging paternity of a child and a declaration of consent by the mother, this can be publicly notarized at any registry office, youth welfare office or notary's office.

Parental responsibility for minor children

In this section, you will find information on your rights and obligations regarding birth, maintenance obligations for children in cross-border family situations, and surrogacy and adoption.

Compulsory vaccination programmes and screening / early detection tests

As regards health protection, there are public preventive measures in place in Germany, which you can benefit from and may need to take into account. Here you can find information on your rights and obligations on compulsory vaccination programmes and screening tests.

Rules of gender recognition

Rules of gender recognition An application to change gender must be filed in person with the Local Court in the applicant’s place of residence. Foreign nationals can file an...

Apply for child benefit

As a German citizen, you can apply for child benefit if you are have your residence or habitual abode in Germany you live abroad, but are subject to unlimited income ta...