Documents from Germany

You were born in Germany, or you got married there, and you need a new certificate? Or do you require a death certificate, divorce order, or other kind of certificate from Germany?

Civil status certificates can be obtained directly at the local registry office in Germany, divorce orders can be obtained directly at the divorce court. There is not central authority that can issue your certificate and you cannot apply for it at the German Missions abroad. You may contact the local offices through the website of the city or town, e.g. www.frankfurt.de, www.leipzig.de, etc.

Were you born abroad or did you get married abroad and did you subsequently register the birth or marriage with the Registry Office I in Berlin? Or did you hand in a name declaration at the Embassy/Consulate, which was forwarded to Berlin, and you now require a new name certificate? Ordering certificates in Berlin

Documents from South Africa

You were born in South Africa or got married there? Or you require a death certificate or divorce order from South Africa?

South African civil status documents will be issued by the Department of Home Affairs; divorce orders will be issued by the competent High Court. If you reside in South Africa, you can apply at their offices, directly. If you do not stay in South Africa, you can apply for civil status documents through the South African Missions abroad. The website of the South African Embassy in Germany is www.suedafrika.org

Documents from Former German Regions in Eastern Europe

You need a birth or marriage certificate from a former German region in Eastern Europe, e.g. from Poland or the Czech Republic?

Only a few of the civil registers were destroyed during World War II. Most registers are now located at the Registry Office I in Berlin, or are still being kept in Poland or the Czech Republic.

• Ordering certificates at the Registry Office I in Berlin
• Orderung certificates in Poland
• Ordering certificates in the Czech Republic

German Birth Certificate for Children Born Abroad

Your child was born abroad and you wish to register him/her with the German registry office in order to obtain a German birth certificate? Read here