Family name change
If a change of surname is desired outside the provisions of civil law (i.e. not, for example, on marriage or divorce), this must be applied for as a change of name under public law at the competent authority.
- Application with
- a statement of the important reasons
- a statement as to whether a change of name has been applied for before, if so, when and with which competent authority
- a declaration that the applicant is aware that the change of name or the rejection or withdrawal of the application is subject to a fee
- Proof that the applicant is either German within the meaning of Art. 116 Para. 1 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany or stateless, a homeless foreigner, a foreign refugee or a person entitled to asylum, e.g.
- Extract from the family register,
- certified copy from the family register,
- certificate of citizenship,
- passport, travel document, identity card or child ID card
- certified copy of the birth entry for the applicant and for all persons to whom the change of surname is to apply; the documents must be recent.
- If the applicant is or was married, the marriage certificate or a certified copy from the family register.
- In the case of a change of name for family law reasons, a certified copy of the family register that was continued as the marriage entry or the family register extract of the family whose name the applicant wishes to adopt must also be submitted.
- for persons who have reached the age of 14:
- Certificate of good conduct (document type O)
The documents should be submitted in the original. All application documents remain with the responsible office. The original documents submitted will be returned once the copies have been certified.
In individual cases, further documents and evidence may be required to process the application. Information on this can be obtained from the responsible office.
- German within the meaning of Article 116 (1) of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (GG), stateless persons, homeless foreigners, foreign refugees or persons entitled to asylum
- Existence of an important reason, which must be explained in detail in the application
For the following reasons for change, further requirements apply, which are included in the respective benefit:
- Declaration by displaced persons, ethnic German repatriates, their spouses and descendants
- Declaration on the name of spouses
- Declaration on the name of life partners
- Subsequent declaration of a joint family name
- Reassumption of the birth name
- Change of a child's surname
The amount of the fee depends on the administrative effort and the significance, economic value or other benefit of the official act for the applicant.
The legal representative (father, mother, guardian, custodian) submits the application for a person with limited legal capacity. A guardian or custodian requires the approval of the guardianship court. The approval of the guardianship court and proof of the result of the guardianship court hearing of the applicant must be attached to the application.
Further questions regarding the application will be answered by the responsible office.
Deadlines may have to be observed. Please contact the responsible office.
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior and Sport
Responsibility lies with the municipality, the joint municipality and the town in which the applicant is resident.
