Certify birth abroad

If you or a close family member in an ascending or descending line of descent was born abroad, you can apply for subsequent certification of the birth in the register of births (formerly the register of births) at the registry office in Germany.

You apply for the certification at the registry office that is responsible for your German place of residence or the German place of residence of the person entitled to apply. If neither a current nor a former German place of residence can be determined, you can apply for the certification at your competent German mission abroad or at the registry office Berlin I.

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

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