Birth Certificate; Application

If you need a new birth certificate, you can apply for one at the civil registry office. To do so, please contact the civil registry office in the jurisdiction where you were born. The birth certificate confirms a person’s birth.

The birth certificate contains the following information:

• The child’s first names, birth name, and gender
• Date, time, and place of birth
• First and last names of the parents

The following information will not be included at your request:

• Gender
• First and last names of the parents

You can obtain the birth certificate in various formats:

• As a birth certificate, possibly with a translation aid for use in European Union countries.
• As a multilingual birth certificate valid in all countries that are signatories to the Convention of September 8, 1976, on the Issuance of Multilingual Extracts from Civil Status Registers. For more information, seeCivil Status Law – Conventions – No. 16: Convention on the Issuance of Multilingual Extracts from Civil Status Registers.
• As a certified printout from the birth registry. This printout contains all the information that the civil registry office entered at the time of birth.

If changes occur after the birth has been registered—for example, due to a name change—the entry in the registry is updated through a subsequent registration. Upon request, the civil registry office can then issue you a new birth certificate.

The following individuals over the age of 16 may submit an application:

• The person to whom the entry in the registry refers.
• Ancestors and descendants, such as parents, children, or grandchildren (the family relationship must be explained and, if necessary, documented).
• Siblings, if they can demonstrate a legitimate interest (the family relationship must be explained and, if necessary, substantiated).
• Other individuals who can demonstrate a legal interest, for example, through a letter from the probate court, a court judgment, or an enforceable title.

You can request a birth certificate from the registry office with jurisdiction over your place of birth in person (an appointment may be necessary), in writing, or electronically, if applicable.

Please check with the civil registry office in advance to find out the fees and available payment options.

In-Person Application

• An appointment may be required to apply in person.
• Bring your ID card or passport with you.
• You pay the fee directly at the registry office when you submit your application.
• A trusted person may also order and pick up the certificate on your behalf. This person will need a written power of attorney, as well as their own ID card or passport (original or copy) and your ID card or passport.

Written Application:

• Send an informal letter to the relevant civil registry office requesting the issuance of the birth certificate.
• Your letter should include the following information:
  • Your last name and first name
  • Your date and place of birth
  • Your parents’ last names and first names
  • Your current address
  • If known, the registration number and the registry office
  • If available, additional supporting documents, such as proof of a legal interest or an exemption from fees.
• Please include a copy of your ID card or passport.

Submitting an application online:

• If the civil registry office offers an online option, visit the corresponding website.
• If necessary, log in using the online ID function on your ID card.
• Enter the required information and, if necessary, upload the required documents.
• Submit the application online.

Birth certificates and certified copies of registry records can only be requested from the civil registry office up to 110 years after the entry was recorded in the birth registry. For older entries, the archive of the municipality to which the civil registry office belongs is responsible.

usually 2 to 10 days

The certificate office takes an average of 2–3 weeks to process an order. Of course, requests for certificates are processed as
processed as quickly as possible.

• Requesting a Birth Certificate
  

  In-Person Application:

  • Please bring your ID card or passport. 
  • You must explain your family relationship and, if necessary, provide proof of it. 
  • An authorized representative must bring a written power of attorney, as well as the ID card or passport (original or copy) of the person granting the power of attorney and their own ID card or passport.

  Submitting an Application in Writing:

  • Include a copy of your ID card or passport.
  • You must explain your family relationship and, if necessary, provide proof of it.

• Fee for a birth certificate: 12.00 EUR
• Fee for a certified copy: 12.00 EUR
• Fee for a multilingual birth certificate: 12.00 EUR
• Fee for issuing a translation aid (multilingual form pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No. 2016/1191): 12.00 EUR

We cannot provide information about the time of birth over the phone. Please request a birth certificate on the city’s website. The time of birth is listed on the certificate.