Civil partnership certificate; application

When you entered into a civil partnership, you received a civil partnership certificate. You can apply for further copies at the registry office at any time (e.g. for pension matters, to change identity documents).

The civil partnership certificate proves the establishment of a civil partnership between two people of the same sex. You can have a civil partnership certificate issued on the basis of the civil partnership register kept at the relevant registry office. The civil partnership certificate is issued by the registry office in whose district the civil partnership was actually established and which once notarized the civil partnership.

The civil partnership certificate contains

• the first names and surnames of the civil partners
  • at the time the civil partnership was established and
  • according to the entry in the civil partnership register at the time the certificate was issued
• Place and date of birth
• Place and date of establishment of the civil partnership

You can obtain the civil partnership certificate in the following forms:

• Civil partnership certificate
• Certified printout from the civil partnership register

A certified printout from the civil partnership register shows all the data entered by the registry office in connection with the establishment of the civil partnership.

You will receive the certificate, including any subsequent certifications, as a printout from the register.

If the civil status data of the civil partner changes, for example due to a change of name, the entry will be supplemented by a subsequent certification. A new civil partnership certificate can then be issued on request.

The following persons are eligible to apply if they are over 16 years of age:

• Persons to whom the register entry relates
• Ancestors and descendants (e.g. parents, children, grandchildren)
• other persons who can credibly demonstrate a legal interest (e.g. by means of a letter from the probate court, a court judgment or an enforceable title)

2nd paragraph: Deeds can only be ordered by ancestors and descendants in a direct line.

You must apply for the civil partnership certificate at the registry office that notarized your civil partnership.

Applying in person:

• An appointment may be required to apply in person.
• You must present your identity card or passport.
• You pay the fee directly at the registry office when you apply.
• 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 their identity card or passport (original or copy) and their own identity card or passport.

Written application:

• Send an informal letter to the relevant registry office asking them to issue you with a civil partnership certificate.
• Your letter should contain the following information:
  • Surname, first name
  • Your registration address
  • Place and date of the establishment of the civil partnership
  • if known: Registry office and registration number
  • If applicable, further proof, for example of legal interest
• Enclose a copy of your identity card or passport with the letter.

Please enquire in advance at the registry office about payment options and the specific fee amount.

Electronic application:

• If available, call up the online procedure of the registry office.
• If necessary, authenticate yourself using the online ID function of your ID card.
• Enter the required data and upload any required documents.
• Submit the online application.

Civil partnership certificates and certified register printouts can only be issued from the civil partnership registers for a period of up to 80 years after they have been recorded in the registers at the registry offices. In other cases, the archive of the local authority to which the registry office belongs is responsible.

• You must submit your application:
  
  • if you appear in person: Your identity card or passport (if applying in writing: a copy)
  • if the application is made or collected by a representative:
    • written power of attorney from the authorized person,
    • their identity card or passport and
    • the identity card or passport of the representative
  • for other persons, including close relatives such as aunts and uncles: proof of their legal interest, for example a letter from the probate court, a court judgment or an enforceable title

• Fee for civil partnership certificate: EUR 12.00
• Fee for a certified printout: 12.00 EUR