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1. If parents were married when the child was born

A child whose parents were married at the time of the child’s birth and who bear a married name (Ehename) would have obtained the parents’ married name as birth name. No name declaration is needed.

If the parents got married outside of Germany and made a name declaration abroad please email us in advance to check if this married name might be recognised.

If the married parents do not have a joint married name and the child applying for a passport has not been issued with a passport in the past (= first time applicant), a declaration of name is generally not required if:

• the child has/ has had their habitual residence in New Zealand
• the name in the NZ birth certificate is spelled correctly (e.g. with regards to “ß” and “ä”, “ö” or “ü”)
• the parentage of the child is clear
  

If the parents have already made a name declaration for their first child, choosing German law and the father’s or mother’s name for their child, all future children will automatically receive this name. No further name declaration is needed. When applying for a passport, please provide the name certificate for the first child.

2. If parents were not married when the child was born

A child whose parents were unmarried or in a civil union at the time of the child’s birth would have automatically received the mother’s surname as birth name. Therefore, if you want the child to have the mother’s name, a name declaration is not necessary. If, however, you want the child to have the father's name, a name declaration is indeed necessary.

3. If you did a name declaration in the past but it did not reflect the name in your birth certificate

In the past, New Zealand name law was in general not accepted by German registry offices due to a ruling of the Federal Court of Justice (May 9, 2018 - XII ZB 47/17). Therefore, some name combination, such as a double last name combining the parents’ last names, was usually not possible to have for a child. In most cases, the parents then had to choose either the mother's or father's surname to be used in the German passport. Individuals affected by this that have a different name in their New Zealand birth certificate than their German passport can now do a one time declaration opting for New Zealand name law and changing their name in their German passport to reflect their New Zealand birth certificate.

Both parents and children of 14 years or older must be present at the Embassy or one of our Consulates Honourable since their signatures on the name declaration form must be certified. If you are of age and do not bear a name according to German law yet, you can make the name declaration on your own. The parent whose surname you are choosing might have to give parental consent to their name being used.

At the appointment, the following documents are required as originals:

Please note that all New Zealand documents (such as birth certificates and marriage certificates) must carry a paper-apostille. These can be sent directly to the German Embassy. Information can be found here: https://www.govt.nz/browse/passports-citizenship-and-identity/proving-and-protecting-your-identity/use-your-nz-documents-overseas/.

• Form (only available in German): Name declaration for a minor child; pdf here OR Form: Name declaration for a child over the age of 18: pdf here AND declaration of parental consent: pdf here.
• Completed name declaration form (please only fill out the first pages of the form and do not sign the declaration yet)
• Valid passports for both parents (or German identity card/Personalausweis)
• Birth certificates of both parents, with apostille if New Zealand birth certificate
• Child’s birth certificate, with apostille if New Zealand birth certificate
• Child’s passport if applicable
• If you wish to make a name declaration by choosing the foreign law of one parent (see above nr. 4), proof that the child bears the intended name under the law of the respective country (passport or birth certificate issued by the authorities of that country)
• If you are married: your marriage certificate, with apostille if New Zealand marriage certificate
• Divorce decree absolute for divorcees
• Naturalisation certificate for naturalised German nationals or “Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis” if you have one
• German deregistration certificate (Abmeldebescheinigung) from your last German place of residence or current registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) from your most recent address in Germany
• Translations of foreign documents (usually not required for English or “international” documents, for example international birth certificates)
• Birth certificates of all other children of the parents including older siblings, with apostille if New Zealand birth certificates
• Name certificates of other children of the parents if applicable

Depending on the case more documents can become necessary or may subsequently be requested by the relevant registry office (Standesamt) in Germany.