Apply for a multilingual birth certificate

Personal application:

• Go to the registry office that registered the birth.
• You must present your identity card or passport to prove your identity.
• You usually pay the fee when you apply at the registry office.
• In addition to yourself, a person you trust may also order and collect the certificate on your behalf. In addition to a written power of attorney, they must present your identity card or passport (original or certified copy) and their own identity card or passport.

Application by post or fax:

• Send an informal letter to the relevant registry office asking them to issue you with a birth certificate.
• Your letter should contain the following information:
  • Surname, first name
  • Date and place of birth
  • Surname, first name of parents
  • if known: Registry office and notarization number
• Enclose a certified copy of your identity card or passport with the letter.
• You will receive a notification of fees when the certificate is sent to you.

Online application:

Depending on what the city or municipality offers, you can also submit the application online.

• The registry office that certified the birth. For births in Germany, this is the registry office responsible for the specific place of birth.
• If you were born abroad and do not know whether and where the birth was registered, you can enquire at the registry office of your place of residence or at Registry Office I in Berlin.

Civil status certificates contain personal data, so their issue is subject to data protection restrictions.

• Eligible applicants (minimum age: 16 years):
  • the person to whom the birth certificate relates
  • the spouse or civil partner (within the meaning of the Registered Civil Partnership Act)
  • Ancestors and descendants of the person concerned
  • Siblings with a legitimate interest
• Other persons, including close relatives such as aunts and uncles, only receive a certificate if they can credibly demonstrate a legal interest (e.g. by means of a letter from the probate court).

To apply for a birth certificate you need:

• Your identity card or passport (if applying in writing: certified copy),
• if requested or collected by a representative:
  • written power of attorney from the authorized person,
  • their identity card or passport (original or certified copy)
  • and the identity card or passport of the representative
• certain persons must additionally demonstrate a legal or legitimate interest

• § Section 50 Ordinance on Civil Status (PStV)
• § Section 55(1)(3) of the Civil Status Act (PStG)
• § Section 59 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)
• § Section 62 of the Civil Status Act (PStG)
• Convention of September 8, 1976 on the issue of multilingual extracts from civil status records

• Forms: none
• Online service available: depending on what the office offers
• Written form required:
• Personal appearance required: no

none

• Birth certificate issue multilingual
• Multilingual certificates are intended for presentation to foreign authorities.
• Only the relevant foreign office can decide whether a multilingual document is appropriate and whether additional certification (legalization/apostille) is required.
• No additional legalization is required in the contracting states to the Convention (see legal bases).
• The form text of the certificate is issued in 16 languages of the contracting states (see legal bases), the information about the person is taken from the German birth register.
• Responsible: Registry office that recorded the birth

Senate Department for the Interior, Digitization and Sport Berlin, Department 1 - Constitutional and Administrative Law