Name Change

To be eligible to apply, you must

• be a German citizen, or

• be entitled to asylum, or

• be a foreign refugee, or

• be stateless, or

• be a homeless foreigner

and subject to German law.

For minors, the legal representatives (usually the parents or guardians) must file the application.

An important reason for a public-law name change exists if the interest of the applicant in the change is more significant and worthy of protection than the interests of other individuals or the public interest in maintaining the previous name.

The name fulfills an important organizational and identification function in our society. It ensures that individuals are clearly recognizable and distinguishable. Therefore, a name change can only be approved in exceptional cases where understandable personal or social reasons exist that make retaining the previous name unreasonable.

Examples of recognized reasons:

• For common names like Meyer, Müller, Schmidt, and Schulz

• For names that sound offensive or ridiculous

• For difficulties in spelling or pronunciation of a name

• For names with "ss" or "ß" as well as names with umlauts ä, ö, ü

• For foster children

• For psychological distress (see leaflet on the right) caused by the name

Not generally sufficient:

• Purely aesthetic or fashionable reasons

• Desire for a "better-sounding" or "more international" name

• Dislike of the name without special personal distress

1. Fully and legibly completed application form (see Downloads)
   

2. Extended registration certificate (for multiple residences, certificate for the main residence)
   

3. Regarding nationality/status
   for German citizens:

   • Copy of the German ID card or passport

   • if applicable, naturalization certificate

   • if applicable, late repatriate certificate (§ 15 BVFG)

   • if applicable, citizenship certificate

   1. for stateless persons

      • Travel document under Article 28 of the Convention of 28.09.1954 on the Status of Stateless Persons or entry by the immigration authority in the passport or passport substitute

   2. for homeless persons

      • Travel document for foreigners (issued by the immigration authority)

   3. for persons entitled to asylum

      • Travel document under Article 28 of the Convention of 28.07.1951 on the Status of Refugees

   4. for foreign refugees

      • Travel document under Article 28 of the Convention of 28.07.1951 on the Status of Refugees
        

4. Certified extract from the birth register
   (foreign-language civil status documents must be translated by an authorized translator. These are appointed by the higher regional courts.)
   

5. Marriage certificate (for married persons)
   (foreign-language civil status documents must be translated by an authorized translator. These are appointed by the higher regional courts)
   

6. Final divorce decree, possibly with custody decision
   (for divorced individuals or applications for minor children from divorced marriages)
   

7. Proof of custody
   (for applications for minor children of unmarried parents)

   • Information on sole custody under § 58 SGB VIII, or

   • Custody order from the family court, or

   • Custody declaration (youth welfare office or notary)
     

8. Certificate of conduct for submission to an authority under § 30 para. 5 of the Federal Central Register Act (from age 14)
   

9. Family court appointment of a guardian or supervisor (for applications by a guardian or supervisor for a person with limited or no legal capacity)
   

10. Family court approval for application submission (for applications by a guardian or supervisor for a person with limited or no legal capacity)
    

11. Proof of the result of the family court hearing for applications for a person with limited legal capacity (from age 16)
    

12. Information from the debtor register (from legal age)
    

13. Proof of your current financial circumstances (e.g., a payroll or salary statement, a benefit notice, or similar application documents

1. Check with the registry office at your place of residence whether a simple declaration suffices for a name change (e.g., resumption of the birth name).
   

2. If a name change through the registry office is not possible: Fill out the application (see right) for a public-law name change.
   

3. Compile documents (cf. list of required documents)
   

4. Send the application for decision and review with all documents to the Oberbergischer Kreis (District Regulatory Office).
   

5. Decision and fee notice by the Oberbergischer Kreis