If your child has at least one German parent who was already a German citizen at the time of the child’s birth, your child acquires German citizenship by descent. In such cases, the child is considered German and therefore can not apply for a visa, but for a German passport.

You can find more information on our the website of the Consular Section.

Under German law, if the parents were not married at the time of birth, an acknowledgment of paternity is required to create a full legal parent-child relationship, including rights and obligations.

What is an acknowledgment of paternity?

The acknowledgment is a personal declaration that must be officially recorded in a public deed by a competent German authority (for example registry office, youth welfare office, notary, or a German mission abroad).

It includes the father's acknowledgment of paternity and the mother's consent declaration.

When do you need it?

You typically need an acknowledgment of paternity if:

• The parents are not married to each other at the time of the child’s birth.
• Questions of custody and representation must be clarified, for example in order to submit applications or sign documents on behalf of the child.
• The child may acquire or prove German citizenship through a German father, which is often required for German passports, registration of a birth in Germany, or residence matters.
• The child is born abroad and there is a German connection (German father and/or German legal system applies).

Who can acknowledge paternity and which law applies?

Only the man who wishes to be the child’s legal father can acknowledge paternity; nobody can do this on his behalf.
The declaration can usually be made even before the child is born, during the pregnancy.

How is the acknowledgment carried out?

The acknowledgment must always be recorded in an officially certified form. This is done, for example:

• In Germany: at a registry office, youth welfare office or a notary.
• Abroad: at a competent German embassy or consulate, provided that the requirements of German law are met.

The acknowledgment by the father becomes effective only with the required consent, of the mother. This consent must also be formally certified and can be given at a different time or place (for example the father in Germany, the mother at a German mission abroad).

Practical tips for parents

It is advisable to arrange the acknowledgment of paternity as early as possible, ideally before or shortly after the birth, to avoid delays in obtaining documents for the child.
In cross‑border cases, parents should check in advance which documents are needed and which authority (in Germany or abroad) is responsible, as additional checks may apply, especially where residence rights or possible misuse are an issue.