Sole custody; application for information from the custody register

A custody register is kept at the youth welfare office responsible for the child's place of birth. An entry is made in the custody register if

• declarations of custody have been made in accordance with Section 1626a Para. 1 No. 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB),
• parental custody has been transferred jointly to the parents in whole or in part by a legally binding court decision or
• parental custody has been wholly or partly withdrawn from the mother or transferred to the father alone on the basis of a final court decision.

If there are no entries in the custody register, the mother who is not married to the child's father will receive written information on request. By presenting the written information to authorities, banks, etc., the mother can document her sole custody.

The application for written information must be sent to the youth welfare office in whose area the mother has her habitual residence. The date and place of birth of the child as well as the name the child had at the time of its birth must be stated.