Service Portal Niedersachsen Startseite
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IMPORTANT: Select a location.To obtain application forms, location-specific information and contacts, select a town or zip code.

For an area outside of Lower Saxony and foreign languages, some menu items and functions are not available. Please go to the service page of the respective country.

Please specify an area.

Your selected location: Rhede (Ems) (268...)

Which place to enter?

The location is used to determine the responsible office for the selected administrative service. In most cases you can enter your place of residence to find the competent authority. However, there are also cases in which a different location must be specified. Here are some examples:

Birth certificateYou want to get married and need a birth certificate. You live in Hanover, but you were born in Celle. You must therefore state your place of birth, i.e. Celle.

Business registrationYou would like to register a business in Braunschweig. Your place of residence is Hanover. You must therefore state the location of your future business, i.e. Braunschweig.

Apply for a building permitYou would like to build a house in Wunstorf and therefore apply for a building permit. Her place of residence is currently Hanover. You must indicate the place where the house is to be built. In this case it is Wunstorf.

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Federal Cross of Merit)

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The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the highest recognition given by the Federal Republic of Germany for services to the common good. It is awarded to domestic and foreign citizens for political, economic-social and intellectual achievements as well as for all special services to the Federal Republic of Germany, for example also merits from the social, charitable and human fields.

The Order of Merit is awarded in eight different levels. The first award is generally the Medal of Merit or the Cross of Merit on Ribbon.

A financial donation is not associated with the award of the Order of Merit.

Who should I contact?

The Lower Saxony State Chancellery is responsible for processing the suggestions of the Order for citizens of Lower Saxony.

Responsible authorities

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Niedersächsische Staatskanzlei
Address: Planckstraße 2, 30169 Hannover
Timetable
Telephone: +49 511 120-0
Email: Get in touch
www: http://www.stk.niedersachsen.de/

What else should I know?

Anyone can suggest that the Order of Merit be awarded to another person. The stimulation is informal. However, it must be in writing (also possible by e-mail) and should contain the following information about the proposed person:

  • First name and surname, residential address, if possible: date of birth
  • Description of the nature and extent of the special services to the Federal Republic of Germany and the general welfare
    (It might be helpful to designate reference persons or organisations who can comment on the proposal.)

Anyone who initiates his own award cannot expect to be awarded the Order of Merit according to the provisions of the Order's law. Nor can the Order of Merit be awarded posthumously.

Formal proposals for the Order are submitted to the Federal President by the heads of government of the 16 Länder for their "children of the country", the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs for foreigners or for Germans residing abroad and the respective Federal Minister for his employees. In principle, the Federal President bases his decision on their examination results and applications and awards orders only in consensus with them.

Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Portalverbund des Bundes und der Länder)

Further Links

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Single points of contact of the state of Lower Saxony, Single points of contact of the countries of Europe, advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families.
Access information on the single point of contact for the state of Lower Saxonyvisit Website Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEsVisit advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families