General Information

If one parent has German citizenship when the child is born, the child automatically receives German citizenship at birth. If only the father is German, an effective acknowledgment of paternity must first be submitted.

Also important: If the German parent was born abroad after December 31, 1999, the birth of the child must be registered in Germany before the child reaches the age of one year in order for the child to acquire German citizenship.

How do I make an acknowledgment of paternity?

In principle, the acknowledgment of paternity can be made according to the regulations of the state in which the child lives. However, since there is no formalized acknowledgment of paternity in Ghana, this option does not apply. Nevertheless, if the father is German or if the child is resident in Germany, the acknowledgment can be made in accordance with the German law.

A German acknowledgment of paternity can either be submitted personally to a responsible youth welfare office or notary, provided the father lives in Germany, or to the German embassy in Accra.

The declaration must be notarized. For legal certainty, it is also recommended that the mother submits the declaration of consent to the acknowledgment of paternity. For this, the same steps need to be taken as for the acknowledgment of paternity.

What is my child's family name and how can I determine his or her family name?

Regulations until 30th April 2025:

According to German law valid for children born until 30th April 2025, the child was given the name of the parent who has sole custody at birth. However, in Ghana both parents have joint custody when a child is born and lives in Ghana. In such cases, and when the names of the parents were entered in the birth certificate, the child did not initially get a family name according to German regulations. Therefore, the parents must submit a name declaration, e.g. as part of the birth announcement, before a German passport can be issued for the child.

If mother and child live or lived in Germany, the child initially received the mother's name as a surname. If the parents wish to give the child the surname of the father, a name declaration is also required.

If both parents are exclusively German nationals, only German law was applicable for the name of the child. If one parent has/had a nationality other than German, the parents could choose the law of the home country of the foreign parent.

Regulations from 1st May 2025:

The reform of German marital and birth name law, as well as international naming law, came into force on May 1, 2025. This created new options for both German and binational families.

The amendment to international private law is important for all Germans with habitual residence abroad. While previously, a person's name was subject to the law of their nationality, now, the use of the name will be determined by the law of the state in which the person has their habitual residence. However, a name already acquired will not change.

If a German child is born after 1st May 2025 and their parents have their habitual residence abroad, it will acquire their birth name according to the law of that country. The name registered in the foreign birth certificate according to the law applicable there is generally also valid under German law and can be entered in the child's German passport without further declaration. Please note, however, that the regulations regarding paternity recognition remain in effect and may affect the use of the name.

Further information can be found here.

Which documents do I need for the acknowledgment of paternity, declaration of consent and the name declaration

1. Child's birth certificate (if Ghanaian: green certificate from Birth and Death Registry)

2. Mother's birth certificate (if Ghanaian: green certificate from Birth and Death Registry)

3. Father's birth certificate (if Ghanaian: green certificate from Birth and Death Registry)

4. Passport of any nationality of the mother

5. Passport of any nationality of the father

6. Certificate of residency from Germany (if registered there)

7. If applicable, naturalization certificate of the German parent

8. If applicable, divorce decree in the case of previous marriages of the parents

9. Evidence that the other parent was in Ghana/Sierra Leone/Liberia or Germany at the time of conception or DNA report

10. Recognition of paternity (if the father is not present for the appointment) for the declaration of consent of the mother

11. Declaration that the mother was single at the time of the birth of the child

12. Passport of the child, if 14 years or older

The original documents must be submitted with the application.

Documents that are not in German or English must be translated into German by a sworn translator.

Please note, that the father, if not present for the appointment, should do the recognition of paternity in Germany, before the mother of the child comes for the declaration of consent. She should bring it with her.

What fees do I have to pay when applying at the embassy?

The fees are to be paid according to the official exchange rate of the embassy in GHS on the day of the application. They can also be paid by international recognized credit card (VISA).

How do I get an appointment and what is the procedure?

Once you have prepared all the documents for the acknowledgment of paternity, declaration of consent or the name declaration, please book an appointment here.

The embassy does not process any applications itself, but forwards them to the responsible registry office in Germany.

If you submit your application through the embassy, both parents with custody must be present in person at the appointment, as both signatures on the application form must be certified. If your child is 14 years old or older, the child's presence is also required. If only one parent lives in Ghana, the other parent can sign the application for registry of birth/name declaration at the registry office in Germany.

The documents are then sent to the registry office. The registry office at the child's last place of residence in Germany or, if the child has never lived in Germany, at the last place of residence of one of the parents, is responsible for processing your application. If neither the child nor either of the parents had a residence in Germany at any time, the registry office I in Berlin is responsible. They will contact you directly after the examination has been completed. This can take a few months. The German Embassy does not have any influence on the processing time of the registry office.