Register Your Baby's Birth in Germany: Sworn Translation of Parents' Documents
Last updated: 2 October 2026
Your baby is here, or will be soon. The Standesamt (registry office) now needs the parents' documents for the Geburtsanzeige (birth registration). Only then does it issue the German Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate). Whether your papers come from Turkey, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia or India, we make the sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung) your office asks for. Our partner translators sworn by German courts do the work.
- Both parents' birth certificates and your marriage certificate as one family set
- Can be ordered before the due date, so your papers are ready
- Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, Russian, English, Hindi and other Indian languages
- Names kept exactly as written, with your passport spelling in a translator's note
- PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days)
Fixed price from €39 · You see the price before you pay
What documents do parents need to register a baby in Germany?
Usually both parents' passports, both parents' birth certificates and your marriage certificate, if you are married. Documents that are not in German need a translation by a translator sworn in Germany. Depending on the country, the office may also want an apostille, a legalisation or a verification. Always check the exact list with your Standesamt, because lists differ between cities.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who translates | Our partner translators sworn by German courts (beeidigt / ermächtigt) |
| German name of the procedure | Geburtsanzeige / Beurkundung der Geburt at the Standesamt; result: Geburtsurkunde |
| Price | From €39 (English) or €49 (other languages) per document; family set from €99 |
| Delivery | PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days) |
| What to upload | Every page, front and back. Usually a clear scan or photo is enough. Some offices want the translator to see the original, so check your letter. |
| Where to verify the translator | Official database: justiz-dolmetscher.de |
Is this page for you?
- Your baby was born in Germany, or is due soon, and at least one parent has a non-EU passport.
- The Standesamt or hospital gave you a list, and your documents are not in German.
- You are not married, and the office asks about paternity or custody papers.
Geburtsanzeige: which documents need a translation?
The Standesamt records facts about both parents in the birth entry. So it reads each parent's birth record and, if you are married, your marriage record. Anything not in German usually needs a sworn translation.
| Document | When you need it | Translation needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Passports of both parents | Always | Usually no |
| Each parent's birth certificate or civil registry extract | Usually always | Yes, if not in German. A Turkish Formül A needs none. See birth certificate translation. |
| Marriage certificate | If you are married | Yes, if not in German. A Turkish Formül B needs none. See marriage certificate translation. |
| Divorce decree | If a parent was married before | If the office asks. See divorce decree translation. |
| Name change proof | If names differ between documents | If the office asks. See name change affidavit. |
| Paternity acknowledgment / custody declaration | If you are not married | Only if made outside Germany and not in German |
Documents you usually do not need to translate: your passports, your German residence permit, your German registration (Anmeldung) and any document already in German. A paternity or custody declaration made at a German Jugendamt or Standesamt is already in German.
Parents' documents by country
What the Standesamt wants depends on where your documents were issued. Some need an apostille, some cannot be verified, and some need no translation. The office decides.
| Country | Typical document (local name) | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Formül A (birth), Formül B (marriage), Nüfus Kayıt Örneği | Formül A and B need no translation and no apostille. The Nüfus Kayıt Örneği needs an apostille and a sworn translation. |
| Ukraine | Свідоцтво про народження, Свідоцтво про шлюб | Apostille from the Ukrainian ministry. Older documents are often Soviet-era and in Russian. |
| Russia | Свидетельство о рождении, Свидетельство о браке | Apostille from Russian justice authorities or civil registry offices. |
| Syria | إخراج قيد (Ikhraj Qaid), بيان عائلي (family statement), marriage contract from a Sharia court | The German Embassy in Beirut legalises extracts from the electronic database. Otherwise the office decides case by case. |
| Iraq | Unified National Card, شهادة ميلاد (birth certificate), marriage contract from the personal status court | Legalisation is suspended. The Standesamt decides at its discretion. |
| Afghanistan | Tazkira, Nikah-Khat (marriage certificate); birth certificate often missing | No verification possible. Tazkira plus affidavit is common; the office decides. |
| India | Birth certificate, marriage certificate (Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act) | No apostille: the office can ask the German mission in India for a verification. See our verification guide. |
Do English documents also need a German translation?
Often, yes. The official language of German offices is German. Some Standesamt staff read English, but many offices still ask for a sworn German translation. Translations made abroad are usually not accepted. Ask your office before your appointment.
When the office cannot confirm the parents' details
The Standesamt needs proof of your identity and civil status (for example, married or single). If it has no suitable proof, it adds an explanatory note to the birth entry, for example that an identity is not proven (§ 35 PStV). Until the gap is closed, it may only issue a certified printout of the register, not a normal Geburtsurkunde.
This can matter when documents cannot be verified, as with Afghan and Iraqi documents at present. Complete, clear translations help the office read your file. We translate every stamp, seal and handwritten entry. What proof is enough is decided by your Standesamt; we do not give legal advice.
When your documents show no family name
Some documents show only a given name, or a given name with the father's name. Many Indian birth certificates are an example. The Standesamt then needs to know which surname your child gets, through a name declaration (Namensbestimmung or Namenserklärung). The office explains your options. We translate every name exactly as written.
How names are handled in your translation
| On your document | In your passport | In our translation |
|---|---|---|
| أحمد (Arabic script) | AHMED | Ahmad (translator's note: passport spelling AHMED) |
| सुनीता (Devanagari) | SUNEETA | Sunita (translator's note: passport spelling SUNEETA) |
Why birth registration files get delayed, and how we help
- 1Names look different. Syrian, Iraqi, Ukrainian and Indian names are often spelt another way in the passport. We transliterate as written and add a translator's note.
- 2Missing stamps or back sides. Offices notice when an apostille, seal or back page is missing. We translate every stamp and note.
- 3The translator is not sworn in Germany. Some offices refuse translations made abroad. You can check our partner translators at justiz-dolmetscher.de.
- 4Old or handwritten certificates. Soviet-era Ukrainian records and late-registered Indian certificates are examples. We translate them carefully and mark unclear parts.
- 5Ordering too late. Order before the due date. We send the PDF in 3 working days.
How it works
- 1Upload clear photos or scans of your documents.
- 2Get a fixed price. You see it before you pay.
- 3Check your PDF for names and dates.
- 4Receive the signed original at your German address.
Want the details? Read how it works step by step.
Price
| Package | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One parent | One birth certificate, all stamps, PDF + signed original by post | from €39 (English) · from €49 (other languages) |
| Both parents | Two birth certificates, PDFs + signed originals | from €69 · + €10 per document not in English |
| Family set | Two birth certificates + marriage certificate, PDFs + signed originals | from €99 · + €10 per document not in English |
| Express | PDF in 1 working day | + €15 |
All prices shown are starting prices incl. VAT and postage within Germany. Your exact fixed price comes in a written quote after upload, before you pay.
Your files are transferred encrypted and deleted after 30 days (GDPR).
If your office asks for a change to our translation, we correct it free of charge.
Full details: see our prices.
What language are your documents in?
Parents often bring documents in two languages, such as an Iraqi record in Arabic and Kurdish or an Indian certificate in Hindi and English. We translate every language on the page.
Languages we translate into German: Turkish · Arabic · Kurdish (Kurmanji/Sorani) · Dari · Pashto · Persian (Farsi) · Ukrainian · Russian · English · Hindi · Punjabi · Urdu · Tamil · Telugu · Bengali · Marathi · Gujarati · Malayalam and other Indian languages.
Next step: Kindergeld and family benefits
After the birth, many parents apply for Kindergeld. Read what you may need for Kindergeld and family benefits. Not married yet and planning a wedding here? See getting married at the Standesamt.
Frequently asked questions about birth registration translation
How long do I have to register my baby's birth in Germany?
For a home birth, you must report the birth within one week. For a hospital birth, the hospital usually reports it. Ask your Standesamt about your exact steps.
We are not married. How do we register our baby?
You can still register. The office may ask for a paternity acknowledgment (Vaterschaftsanerkennung) and a custody declaration (Sorgeerklärung). Your birth certificates usually still need a translation.
Do we need to translate a Turkish Formül A or Formül B?
No. According to the German Embassy in Turkey, the international extracts Formül A (birth) and Formül B (marriage) need neither a translation nor an apostille in Germany. A Nüfus Kayıt Örneği is different: it needs an apostille and a sworn translation.
One parent is from Afghanistan and has no birth certificate. What can we do?
Many Afghans have no birth certificate and use the Tazkira plus an affidavit. Afghan documents cannot currently be verified, so the Standesamt decides at its discretion what it accepts. We translate the Tazkira and any document the office asks for.
Do we need to translate our marriage certificate to register our baby?
Usually yes, if it is not in German. Many Standesämter ask for a translation by a translator sworn in Germany, even for English certificates.
Can I order the translation before the baby is born?
Yes. Your own documents do not change after the birth, so you can be ready early.
Will the Standesamt take a PDF?
Many offices want the signed paper original. We send the PDF first so you can check it, then post the original.
Do you help with the registration itself?
No. We only translate. For the registration and your child's name, please speak to your Standesamt.
Get your birth registration documents ready
Upload your documents now and get your fixed price before you pay.
Questions? Email us: info@germantranslators.de