Recognition of paternity
A declaration acknowledging paternity of a child and the mother's declaration of consent can be notarized at any registry office, youth welfare office or notary's office. Paternity can be recognized effectively if there is no paternity of another man to this child. The acknowledgment of paternity and the mother's declaration of consent are notarized in public form.
Recognition of paternity is possible even before the child is born.
Under German law, the woman who gave birth to the child is the mother of the child. Recognition of maternity is generally not required. If recognition of maternity or a declaration of consent by a legal representative is required, these must also be notarized by a registry office, the youth welfare office or a notary's office.
If the mother's or father's home country law requires recognition of maternity, this can also be notarized. The same rules apply as for acknowledgment of paternity.
Who should I contact?
Responsible authorities
Gemeinde Rhede (Ems) - Standesamt
Transport Connection:
Station Rhede (Ems), Markt
Bus: 611
Parking:
Handicapped Parking Place: „Rathaus“, Number: 2, Fees: no
Parking Place: „Rathaus“, Number: 60, Fees: no
Building Access
elevator available, wheelchair-accessible
bank account:
recipients: Gemeinde Rhede (Ems)
bank: Emsländische Volksbank
IBAN: DE08266614940000164300
recipients: Gemeinde Rhede (Ems)
bank: Sparkasse Emsland
IBAN: DE06266500010017000019
recipients: Gemeinde Rhede (Ems)
bank: Emsländische Volksbank
IBAN: DE08266614940000164300
recipients: Gemeinde Rhede (Ems)
bank: Sparkasse Emsland
IBAN: DE06266500010017000019
payment methods:
Sepa Direct Debit, Cash Payment, Paypal, Bank Transfer, Bill
Sepa Direct Debit, Cash Payment, Paypal, Bank Transfer, Bill
Contact
Frau Maria Dünhöft
Address: Gerhardyweg 1, 26899 Rhede (Ems)
Department:
Bürgeramt, Standesamt
Room:
14
responsible for:
- Rhede (Ems):
- Application for exemption from presentation of the certificate of marriageability for foreign nationals.
- Application for issuance of a German death certificate in case of death abroad
- Application for the issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for German nationals, stateless persons, homeless foreigners or foreign refugees within the meaning of the Convention on the Status of Refugees with Habitual Residence in Germany
- Apply for a certificate of notification of death
- Apply for a death certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate for a civil partnership entered into abroad
- Birth Indication
- Birth certificate issuance
- Birth certificate issuance at home birth
- Birth registers
- Conversion of an existing domestic civil partnership into a marriage Application
- Death abroad - application for certification
- Declaration of resignation from the church
- Declaration of the right to a name
- Declaration on the use of the name - Declaration on the use of the name of spouses without a domestic marriage or marriage entry
- Establishment of a civil partnership Notarisation
- Family book: Exhibition
- Family name change
- Home Birth Ad
- Intended for deletion - marriage consummation with custodial partner
- Intended for deletion - marriage consummation with divorced or widowed partner
- Issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for stateless persons, persons entitled to asylum, recognised refugees and persons whose nationality cannot be ascertained, with habitual residence in Germany
- Marriage consummation only for German citizens
- Marriage consummation with foreign partner
- Maternity recognition
- Multilingual form for issuing death certificates
- Recognition of paternity
- Marriage consummation with same-sex partner
- Notification of a death
- Register marriage
Address: Gerhardyweg 1, 26899 Rhede (Ems)
Department:
Ordnungsamt, Sozialamt, Bürgeramt, Standesamt, Gewerbeamt
Room:
19
responsible for:
- Rhede (Ems):
- Application for exemption from presentation of the certificate of marriageability for foreign nationals.
- Application for issuance of a German death certificate in case of death abroad
- Application for the issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for German nationals, stateless persons, homeless foreigners or foreign refugees within the meaning of the Convention on the Status of Refugees with Habitual Residence in Germany
- Apply for a certificate of notification of death
- Apply for a death certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate for a civil partnership entered into abroad
- Birth Indication
- Birth certificate issuance
- Birth certificate issuance at home birth
- Birth registers
- Conversion of an existing domestic civil partnership into a marriage Application
- Death abroad - application for certification
- Declaration of resignation from the church
- Declaration of the right to a name
- Declaration on the use of the name - Declaration on the use of the name of spouses without a domestic marriage or marriage entry
- Establishment of a civil partnership Notarisation
- Family book: Exhibition
- Family name change
- Home Birth Ad
- Intended for deletion - marriage consummation with custodial partner
- Intended for deletion - marriage consummation with divorced or widowed partner
- Issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for stateless persons, persons entitled to asylum, recognised refugees and persons whose nationality cannot be ascertained, with habitual residence in Germany
- Marriage consummation only for German citizens
- Marriage consummation with foreign partner
- Maternity recognition
- Multilingual form for issuing death certificates
- Recognition of paternity
- Marriage consummation with same-sex partner
- Notification of a death
- Register marriage
Address: Gerhardyweg 1, 26899 Rhede (Ems)
Department:
Hauptamt, Schule, Sport, Kultur, Tourismus
Room:
29
responsible for:
- Rhede (Ems):
- Application for exemption from presentation of the certificate of marriageability for foreign nationals.
- Application for issuance of a German death certificate in case of death abroad
- Application for the issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for German nationals, stateless persons, homeless foreigners or foreign refugees within the meaning of the Convention on the Status of Refugees with Habitual Residence in Germany
- Apply for a certificate of notification of death
- Apply for a death certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate for a civil partnership entered into abroad
- Birth Indication
- Birth certificate issuance
- Birth certificate issuance at home birth
- Birth registers
- Conversion of an existing domestic civil partnership into a marriage Application
- Death abroad - application for certification
- Declaration of resignation from the church
- Declaration of the right to a name
- Declaration on the use of the name - Declaration on the use of the name of spouses without a domestic marriage or marriage entry
- Establishment of a civil partnership Notarisation
- Family book: Exhibition
- Family name change
- Home Birth Ad
- Intended for deletion - marriage consummation with custodial partner
- Intended for deletion - marriage consummation with divorced or widowed partner
- Issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for stateless persons, persons entitled to asylum, recognised refugees and persons whose nationality cannot be ascertained, with habitual residence in Germany
- Marriage consummation only for German citizens
- Marriage consummation with foreign partner
- Maternity recognition
- Multilingual form for issuing death certificates
- Recognition of paternity
- Marriage consummation with same-sex partner
- Notification of a death
- Register marriage
Address: Ordeniederung 1 , 49716 Meppen
Postal address: Post Office Box 15 62 , 49705 Meppen
Transport Connection:
Station Haltestelle Kreishaus
Bus: 993
Building Access
elevator available, wheelchair-accessible
Competent authority
The responsibility lies with the municipality, the Joint Community and the city.
Requirements
- The acknowledgement and consent must be publicly notarized.
- The acknowledgement of paternity can be submitted to any municipal office, youth welfare office or notary's office.
- The acknowledgment is not subject to receipt and does not require acceptance by a specific registry office or other authority to be effective.
- The prohibition of abusive acknowledgement of paternity pursuant to § 1597a applies. BGB
- Recognition of paternity of a child is not effective as long as the paternity of another man exists (blocking effect).
- Recognition subject to a condition or time limit is ineffective.
- There must be no effective revocation by the acknowledging party.
- Recognition requires the consent of the mother.
- Recognition also requires the consent of the child if the mother is not entitled to parental custody in this respect.
- The effectiveness of the declaration of acknowledgment of paternity is not dependent on the actual parentage relationship; (legal) paternity is established solely through the effective submission of the declaration of acknowledgment and all necessary declarations of consent. Paternity can also be acknowledged before the child is born.
- Anyone with limited legal capacity can only acknowledge paternity themselves, but requires the consent of their legal representative. In the case of legally incompetent persons, the legal representative can acknowledge with the approval of the family court; if the legal representative is a guardian, the approval of the guardianship court is required.
- The same regulations apply to the mother's consent.
- For a legally incompetent child or a child who is not yet 14 years old, only the legal representative can consent to the acknowledgment.
- Acknowledgements or consents cannot be declared by an authorized person.
Which documents are required?
Proof of identity (e.g. identity card, passport, ID card)
What are the fees?
Fee: free of chargeRecognition of paternity and declarations of consent at the registry office
Process flow
The acknowledgment of paternity and the declaration of consent can be submitted at any municipal office, youth welfare office or notary's office.
- The acknowledging man declares that he is the father of the child.
- The registrar must check the declaration of acknowledgment in order to prevent ineffective acknowledgments as far as possible.
In particular, the following is checked
- The identity of the acknowledging party, the mother and the child
- The legal capacity of the parties involved
- Any previous status determinations
- The registrar clarifies the legal consequences of the name.
- The recognition is publicly notarized
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
The declaration of recognition can be made for an unlimited period of time, even before the birth of the child (prenatal recognition) and after the child's death (post-mortem recognition), as well as for stillborn children.
Processing duration
- Depending on the individual case
Appeal
- Objection
- Contestation
- Declaratory proceedings
