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Adoption of a German child
Was your child born in Germany and did you adopt him or her in Germany? After completion of the adoption procedure before the family court, the birth register is automatically...
Your responsible authority
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Detailed description
Was your child born in Germany and did you adopt him or her in Germany? After completion of the adoption procedure before the family court, the birth register is automatically notarized.
Please contact your local adoption agency.
Note: You can apply for new birth certificates or new certified printouts from the birth register. If you have adopted your child abroad, you must apply for certification in Germany. Detailed information can be found in the procedure description "Adoption of a foreign child".
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Requirements
- Health (good physical, mental and emotional condition)
- no criminal record that endangers the child's welfare
- stable partnership
- supportive network/social environment
- secure economic conditions
- Life satisfaction/reflected personality
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Documents
- Application, questionnaire of the adoption agency,
- Biography
- Photos of the applicants,
- Police clearance certificate,
- birth certificate (certified copy),
- Marriage certificate and, if applicable, divorce certificate,
- Medical certificate from the family doctor or public health officer (if necessary, also a specialist medical report),
- Proof of earnings and assets
a.o.
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Fees
The procedure is free of charge.
Fees and expenses arise when applying for documents such as the certificate of good conduct.
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Process
The family court that pronounced the adoption sends its decision to the registry office of the place of birth of your adopted child.
The registrar completes the birth register and forwards the information to the following registry offices:- the registry office, which keeps the birth records for the child's biological parents
- the registry office, which keeps the birth records for the advotive parents
- the registry office that keeps the marriage record for the child if the child's name has changed
Note: The same procedure applies if a German family court converts a foreign adoption from a weak to a strong adoption. Detailed information can be found in the procedure description "Adoption of a foreign child - applying for conversion of a weak into a strong adoption".
The birth register contains data on both biological and adoptive parents. For example, it cannot come to a marriage with siblings. A birth certificate, on the other hand, only proves the current circumstances.
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Duration
In most cases, the registry office needs 1 to 2 days after receipt of the adoption order for the notarization.
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Responsible authority
The registry office of your adopted child's place of birth
Locally competent adoption agency
Responsible Central Adoption Office
Recognized foreign placement agency in independent sponsorship
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Legal basis
AdVermiG, BGB, FamFG, EGBG, GG
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Approved
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
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Approved date
29.03.2019