First name change

You can have your first name changed under certain conditions.
 

If you want to have your first name changed, there must be an important reason that justifies the name change. Good cause exists if the private interests of you as the bearer of the name in the name change that are worthy of protection outweigh the public interest or a private interest of third parties in retaining your name.

In the case of children over 1 year of age and younger than 16 years of age, you can only change the first name for serious reasons in the best interests of the child.

• Registration certificate and valid official photo ID (identity card, passport)
• Excerpt from the birth register (available at the registry office of the place of birth)
• in the case of stateless persons: travel document or entry of the Foreigners' Registration Office in the passport or passport substitute
• in the case of homeless foreigners or persons entitled to asylum: entry of the Foreigners' Registration Office in the passport or passport substitute
• in the case of foreign refugees: entry of the Foreigners' Registration Office in the passport or passport substitute
• for persons who have reached the age of 14, a certificate of good conduct in accordance with § 28 of the Federal Central Register Act,
• proof of the outcome of the hearing by the family or guardianship court, if the application is made by a guardian or guardian,
• the outcome of the hearing by the family court if the applicant has reached the age of 16.

For further documents, please inquire in advance at the name change authority responsible for you.

Forms: Request for a change of name (available for download on their website or on request, depending on the competent authority)

Online procedure possible: no

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

• You are a German citizen.
• They are entitled to asylum, foreign refugees, stateless persons, homeless foreigners or quota refugees.
• There is an important or serious reason that justifies the name change.

You must apply for the change of your first name in writing to the name change authority. In municipalities with more than 7,500 inhabitants, the magistrate is responsible; in all other respects, the district committee is responsible.

• For minors, the legal representative submits the application.
• Explain in detail the reasons for your request. The authority must weigh up and decide, taking into account all the circumstances of the individual case. The public interest in retaining the name weighs all the more heavily the longer the name has been used.
• Your competent authority will collect an advance on fees and then carry out the necessary investigations. In the case of people over 14 years of age, it involves various agencies, such as the police. It obtains information from the list of debtors at the district court and, if necessary, from other bodies.
• If the requirements are met, you will receive a certificate of the name change. When they are handed over, the name change takes effect. Otherwise, you will receive a rejection notice.
• The name change authority will notify other bodies of your name change. These include:
  • the registration office,
  • the registry office that keeps the birth register,
  • the registry office that keeps the marriage register or the civil partnership register.
• As soon as the name change has taken effect, you will need to have various documents (identity card, passport, vehicle registration document) changed. You will have to apply for these changes yourself.

There are no freests to consider.

The costs are determined by the administrative effort in each individual case. The fee range is 28 to 560 euros.Note: If the change is successful, follow-up costs will be incurred, as you will have to reapply for documents, such as your identity card or passport.: Fee from 28,00 EUR to 560,00 EUR