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Obtaining a Birth Certificate if born in Germany
You were born in Germany and you wish to apply for a birth certificate?
Please note that the procedure differs significantly depending on whether you were born in a US Military Hospital or off a military Base.
How to obtain a birth certificate from Germany (if born off a US Military Base)
Every childbirth off a foreign military base (e.g. in a civilian hospital) in Germany will be registered with the local registrar's office. If this applies to you and you wish to receive a birth certificate from the Federal Republic of Germany, you will have to get in touch directly with the competent registrar's office (“Standesamt”) at your place of birth. Your letter should be addressed to the “Standesamt” of the place (Village, Town, City) where you were born.
The German phrase for asking for an international birth certificate is:
“Ich bitte um Ausstellung einer internationalen Geburtsurkunde für ... (first name/middle name/last name), geboren am ... (date of birth) in ... (place of birth). Eltern: ... (name of father) und ... (maiden name of mother).”
Please do not indicate the month of your date of birth with a number but in letters since it might otherwise lead to a mix-up (e.g. the date 10/12/56 in Germany means December 10, 1956). Information on the fee will be sent to you with the certificate.
Please do not forget to mention your name and address.
This same procedure also applies for death certificates (Sterbeurkunde) and marriage certificates (Heiratsurkunde).
Unfortunately, the German missions in the United States cannot issue birth certificates.
How to obtain a birth certificate from Germany (if born on a US Military Base)
If you are a US citizen and if you were born in a US Military Hospital, your birth was not registered with German authorities (i.e. the registrar's office). This means that German authorities cannot issue a German birth certificate to you at all but you need to contact the Department of State in order to apply for a Replacement Report of Birth Abroad. For more information please follow the links below:
Consular Information of the US Embassy in Germany
Department of State - How to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad
