Declarations under the law of names - declaration - for marriage and without a domestic residence
Namensrechtliche Erklärungen - Erklärung - bei Eheschließung und ohne Inlandswohnsitz
Machine translation of the German page, 2026-09-15. The German original is binding.
If you live exclusively abroad and have never had a residence in Germany, you can submit a Namenserklärung (declaration of name) to the Standesamt I (Register Office I) in Berlin.
If you have previously had a residence in Germany, you must contact the Standesamt (register office) responsible for your last residence in Germany.
The declaration of name must be publicly certified or notarized. If you are staying abroad, it should be made at the responsible German mission abroad (Auslandsvertretung), including an honorary consul. If this is not possible, a public certification by a local notary may also be considered. In this case, please contact the responsible German mission abroad beforehand to coordinate the procedure.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• no domestic residence
• existing marriage
A Ehenamenserklärung (declaration on the married surname) must be submitted by both spouses. It can be made at the time of the marriage or later.
Consultation on the legal options and requirements is recommended.
Documents you need
• Marriage certificate (Heiratsurkunde, issued by the official registry authority)
• Proof of nationality, in particular passports/identity cards
• Birth certificates of children affected by the declaration of name
• where applicable, proof of the dissolution of all previous marriages (final divorce decree) when resuming a former name
• where applicable, recognition decision (Anerkennungsbescheid) for a foreign divorce, when resuming a former name
• where applicable, proof of differing forms of the name used
Fees
The declaration of the married name at the time of marriage is free of charge.
Subsequent declaration of the married name: 25.00 Euro
Affidavit (eidesstattliche Versicherung), if applicable: 30.00 Euro
Certificate of name usage (Bescheinigung über die Namensführung): 12.00 Euro
Legal basis
• § 41 Personenstandsgesetz - PStG (Civil Status Act) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstg/__41.html
• § 1355 Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch - BGB (Civil Code) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__1355.html
• § 46 Personenstandsverordnung (Civil Status Ordinance) www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pstv/__46.html
• § 8 der Verordnung zur Ausführung des Personenstandsgesetzes im Land Berlin (Ordinance Implementing the Civil Status Act in the State of Berlin) <http://gesetze.berlin.de/jportal/?quelle=jlink&query=PStGAV+BE+%C2%A7+8&psml=bsbeprod.psml&max=true>
Processing time
Standesamt I (Register Office I) in Berlin makes every effort to process your application as quickly as possible. In individual cases, a processing time of several weeks or months unfortunately cannot be avoided, since postal transit times to and from abroad and any processing times of other authorities (e.g. recognition of foreign divorce judgments) must also be taken into account
Who is responsible
This service can only be used at Standesamt I (register office I) in Berlin if you do not have a domestic residence. If you previously had a domestic residence, please contact the Standesamt (register office) with local responsibility for that last domestic residence.
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Bezirksamt Spandau
- Standesamt Spandau
- Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO)
- Standesamt I in Berlin
Original
Service number 326101 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326101/