How to submit a name declaration/ application for certification

It is normally the registry office in your last place of residence in Germany that is responsible for processing your declaration. If neither party to the application has ever lived in Germany, the responsible registry office will be Standesamt I in Berlin.

For your application to be processed, you must provide the registry office with the declaration form completed with certified signatures, plus certified copies of the supporting documentation.

You can file your application in the following ways:

1. You can hand in your declaration in person at the registry office if you are in Germany.
   
   OR

2. If the German registry office has no objection (please clarify this directly with the registry office), the certification can alternatively be done by a British notary public. You would then need to send the documents on to the registry office responsible.
   
   OR
   

3. The application is prepared at the Embassy in London or the Consulate General in Edinburgh, and certification is done in London, Edinburgh or by one of our Honorary Consuls.

Please note: The German missions in the UK do not process civil status applications and name declarations themselves, but can, if you wish, forward them to the registry office responsible. However, the German missions can advise you on the consequences of your name declaration under German law.

Please note that the processing time at the London Embassy is currently up to 12 weeks.

Information on handing in your application at a German Mission

The German Embassy London is offering appointments for name declarations and civil status applications again from 12 April 2021.

The Consulate General Edinburgh will reopen on 26 April 2021. Appointments will be released two weeks in advance.

Please note that it is still required to get your application checked prior to booking an appointment. Should you not have posted your documents to us and received a confirmation email, please find general information on procedures and appointments here.

Please send plain photocopies (not originals!) of the required documents to the relevant mission:

Please do not send your documents more than once as this would lead to unnecessary extra work on our side and does not accelerate the process.

If you have posted your application to us, we will contact you in due course.

Thank you for your understanding.

Click here for more information on procedures and appointments.