FAQs - Frequently asked questions and answers

DOCUMENT SERVICE

What is a civil status certificate?

It is the collective term for birth certificates, civil partnership and marriage certificates as well as death certificates. Certified register printouts or copies from the civil status registers also fall under this term.

What do I need birth, marriage, civil partnership and death certificates for?

Documents are required to establish the civil status of a person within the legal system, including names (binding evidence with probative value).

Where can I order birth, marriage / civil partnership and death certificates? Can I order certificates from the registry office online?

Civil status certificates can be requested by e-mail (standesamt@gera.de), by FAX (0365 8382545) or by letter (Standesamt Gera, Kornmarkt 12, 07545 Gera). We recommend requesting by e-mail; you can find the relevant application forms at HERE.

I need an apostille. Can I order apostilles here? Where can I obtain an apostille for my document issued in Gera?

Apostilles must be ordered from the Thüringer Landesverwaltungsamt Weimar. The address is

Thuringian State Administration Office Weimar
attn. Mrs. Fischer-Geist
Jorge-Semprún-Platz 4
99423 Weimar
Phone: 0361 57332 1346
eMail: anke.fischer-geist@tlvwa.thueringen.de
Link: Apostille, Legalisation | Landesverwaltungsamt (TLVwA) (thueringen.de)

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GENERAL QUESTIONS BEFORE THE WEDDING AND ON THE WEDDING DAY

Where can you park the wedding car?

For the duration of the wedding ceremony, the "wedding car" can park with up to 4 other cars in front of the registry office (parking permits are issued by the registry office)

Does the registry office provide tables for the champagne reception?

No.

Are wedding guests allowed to release balloons and scatter rice?

Sprinkling rice during a wedding ceremony has become a common practice in Germany over the years and is said to bring the couple good luck in life. However, this tradition also has two faces. In the stairwell and in front of the registry office, rice becomes a real accident hazard! Rain softens the rice grains and leaves behind a greasy mass and in winter the floor becomes very slippery. Rice is also a staple food for many people, who often have no more than a handful of rice a day to survive on. For this reason, the registry office asks you to refrain from scattering rice. We also ask that you refrain from using confetti cannons, the contents of which are difficult to remove from the cobblestones. Balloons may be released if there are fewer than 500, they are not bundled, not filled with helium and no hard objects are attached to them. For more information, please contact DFS GmbH, telephone: 069/78072-6 58.

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GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT MARRIAGE / CIVIL PARTNERSHIP IN GERMANY AND ABROAD

Am I married in Germany if I got married abroad?

If the marriage took place in the usual form in the country concerned and in compliance with the marriage regulations, the marriage is also valid in Germany. The foreign marriage certificate with translation serves as proof. This certificate can also be presented to all other German authorities. There is no official recognition procedure for marriages abroad. German nationals can have their marriages concluded abroad subsequently notarized at the German registry office.

What do I have to consider after getting married abroad?

The marriage certificate should be presented at the residents' registration office so that the marital status can be changed in the register of residents. If the spouses were born in Germany, the certificate should also be shown at the registry office so that a note of the marriage can also be made in the birth register. If the spouses wish to have a joint married name, it may be necessary to submit a declaration on the married name to the German registry office. This is always the case if no married name is noted in the foreign deed or if a name has been entered there that is not possible under German law.

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GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT BIRTH REGISTRATION

Do we have to register the child with our registration office?

No. As part of the birth certification process, the registry office automatically sends a notification to the relevant registration office.

How does my child get their tax identification number?

After the birth certificate has been issued, the registration office sends the required data to the Federal Central Tax Office. The Federal Central Tax Office then assigns the child a tax identification number. This will be sent to the parents by post.

OTHER

What documents do I need to change my name?

The documents required depend on the reason for the name change, which can be obtained from the registry office.

Where can I leave the church?

The local registry office performs this task for citizens registered in Gera.

I am a refugee and have no passport - and now?

Without a passport, the identity of the person cannot be proven. In these cases, the certification of a birth or death is provided with a restrictive note. In this case, no birth or death certificates will be issued. Only certified copies of the registers can be issued which contain this addition of restricted identity. Marriage is not possible without proof of identity and the relevant documents!

When are changes made by court order entered in the civil status register?

The prerequisite for the entry of changes in the civil status register is always that the decision has become legally binding (this usually takes one month after the decision has been issued). Divorces and paternity disputes, decisions on name changes and the like are entered promptly after receipt. For the registration of adoptions and paternity determinations, various documents are still required before entry in the civil status register. It takes up to six weeks for the documents to reach us (this means that it can take up to three months from the time the decision is made until the entry is made).