Birth of a child

Who can register the child?
The father or mother can register the child.

How long do you have to register?
When the child is born:
You then have 1 week.
It is best to register with the office immediately after the birth.
Then everything is in order.

Please note:
You must make an appointment inadvance to registerat
.

How to get an appointment for registration

You have 3 options:

1. make an appointment online.
Click here: Newborn registration

2. call us.
The telephone number is
0241 - 432 - 34092

3. write us an e-mail.
The e-mail address is
geburtenbuch@mail.aachen.de

We need a lot of information from you for the appointment.
For example:

• Your name
• Your telephone number
• the date of birth of the child
• the nationality of the mother and father.

Please give us this information on the phone.
Or write the information in the e-mail.
Then you will receive an appointment for the registration.

You register the child at the Aachen registry office.
Here is the address:
Standes-Amt Aachen
Bendelstraße21, 52062 Aachen.

There are 6 offices for registration on the first floor.

Attention:
The registry office is unfortunately not barrier-free.

You must bring
certificates with you when you register.
Please only bring
original certificates with you.
Please do not bring any copies.
We are not allowed to accept copies.

Perhaps you come from another country.
If so, your certificates are often not in German.
You will need to have the certificates translated into German.
There are translators for this.
These translators are called state-approved translators.
You can find translators at:
www.dolmetscher-uebersetzer.nrw.de

Attention:
The translator must be state-approved.
Only then will your
certificates be recognized here.

It is important
whether the mother is married.
Or whether she is not married.

The mother is married

Please bring these certificates with you:

• the identity card or passport
  of the father and mother.
• A certificate confirming the birth of the child.
  You can obtain the certificate from
  Kranken-Haus.
  Or from the midwife.
• A declaration of the child's name.
  Both parents must sign the declaration.
• Your family genealogy book.

If you got married abroad :

• Your birth certificate
• the birth certificate from the father

The mother is not married

Please bring these certificates with you:

• the identity card or passport
  of the father and mother.
• A certificate confirming the birth of the child.
  You can obtain the certificate from the hospital
  .
  Or from the midwife.
• A declaration of the child's name.
  Both parents must sign the declaration.
• Your birth certificate
• If the child's father acknowledges paternity:
  Then the father may have already declared this to the authorities.
  He has received a certificate to this effect.
  Please bring the certificate with you.
  And the father's birth certificate.
  

• You want to take care of the child together
  with the father:
  Please also bring a statement on this.
  

The mother is divorced

Please bring these certificates with you:

• the identity card or passport
  of the father and mother.
• A certificate confirming the birth of the child.
  You can obtain the certificate from the hospital
  .
  Or from the midwife.
• A declaration of the child's name.
  Both parents must sign the declaration
  .
  

• Your birth certificate
• The Family Tree Book
  or the judgment of divorce

• If the child's father acknowledges paternity
  :
  Then the father may have already declared this to the authorities.
  He has received a certificate to this effect.
  Please bring the certificate with you.
  And the father's birth certificate.

The mother is married,
but the husband is dead

Please bring these certificates with you:

• the identity card or passport
  of the father and mother.
• A certificate confirming the birth of the child.
  You can obtain the certificate from the hospital
  .
  Or from the midwife.
• A declaration of the child's name.
  You must sign the declaration.

• Your birth certificate
• The death certificate of the husband
  from the family register

If you have everything with you at the appointment:
Then the child is registered.
And you will receive several birth certificates.
You need the certificates, for example
for the child benefit.
You do not have to pay for these birth certificates
.
If you want an extra birth certificate:
You have to pay for this birth certificate .
It costs €10 in 2023.
Each additional certificate costs €5.
Multilingual certificate €10.

Attention:
This price may change over time.

The parents are married

If the parents are married:
They care for the child together.

Both have custody of the child.
If both parents have the same
surname:
Then the child is given this surname.

If the parents do not have
the same surname:
Then the parents must tell
which name the child will have.
If the parents then have
more children:
All children then have this surname.

Attention:
The child cannot have both names.

The parents are not married

If the parents are not married:
Then the mother or father has custody rights.
Whoever has custody rights
determines the child's name.

For example:
Mrs. Müller is the mother.
Mr. Schmitz is the father.
Mrs. Müller has custody rights.
That's why the child is called Müller.

If the parents marry later:
Perhaps the child's surname will then change
.

For example:
Mr. Schmitz and Mrs. Müller
marry shortly after the birth.
Now both parents are called Schmitz.
The child is then also called Schmitz.
Important:
If the child isolder than 5 years at the wedding
:
Then the child can say
what it wants to be called.

These were examples.
But there are also other reasons
why the surname changes.
If you want to change your child's name
:
You can discuss this with us
at an appointment.

The paternity

If the parents of the child
arenot married:
Then only the mother's name is on the birth certificate
.
The father can say that he is the father.
This is called:
Acknowledgement of paternity.
The father must make the acknowledgement of paternity
at the office.

The father then receives a certificate.
The certificate states:

• The name of the child
• The name of the father.

The father does not have to pay for the certificate.

You want to acknowledge paternity.
Please make an appointment for this at
at the
Department for Children, Youth and Schools.

Here is the telephone number:
0241 - 432 - 12 34.

You must bring
certificates with you to the appointment.
We will tell you over the phone:
You must bring these certificates
with you.

Here is an example:
You are pregnant and go on vacation to Spain
.
You have the baby there.

When you come back:
You can register the child in Aachen.
Then the child has German citizenship.
Even if it was born in Spain.

Attention:
This is only possible
if you also live in Aachen.

If you have any questions:
Call the registry office.

Here is the telephone number:
02 41 - 432 - 34 09

Or write an e-mail.
The e-mail address is
geburtenbuch@mail.aachen.de

The staff at the registry office
will be happy to help you.