Source: BUS Sachsen-Anhalt (Linie6PLus)

Request change of first name

Description

If you want to change your first name, there must be an important reason that justifies the name change. An important reason exists if the private interests of you as the bearer of the name, which are worthy of protection, in the change of name outweigh the following

the public interest or
a private interest of a third party in keeping your name.

Important reasons are for example:

religious motives,
if the name is a trigger for psychological problems (for example, by association)
if there is a risk of confusion
if the name sounds offensive or ridiculous and is awkward to pronounce or complicated to write, or
after a gender reassignment.

Furthermore, your name must be subject to German law. This includes not only German nationals, but also persons entitled to asylum, foreign refugees and stateless persons.

A name change is not considered if you do not like your name, for example, names of foreign language origin. A name change is also not justified if you want to make identification by creditors more difficult.

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

Requirements

You have German citizenship.
You are entitled to asylum, a foreign refugee, a stateless person, a homeless foreigner or a quota refugee.
There is an important or serious reason justifying the change of name.

Which documents are required?

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 case of stateless persons: travel document or entry of the foreigners authority in the passport or passport substitute
for homeless foreigners or persons entitled to asylum: entry of the foreigners authority in the passport or passport substitute
for foreign refugees: Entry of the foreigners authority in the passport or passport replacement.

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

What are the fees?

Varies depending on administrative effort and federal state.

Note: If the change is successful, there will be subsequent costs, as you will have to reapply for documents, such as your ID card or passport. If the application is rejected, a fee of 10 to 50 percent of the administrative fee will be incurred.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

none

Processing duration

About 6 months

Who should I contact?

Name change authority of the place of residence, usually citizens' or registry office as well as legal office.

Appeal

Forms: Application for name change (available for download on their website or upon request, depending on the responsible office).

Online procedure possible: no

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

Process flow

You must apply for the change of your first name in writing.

Ask your competent authority for the application form or download it and fill it out completely. For minors, the legal representative makes the request.
State in detail the reasons for your request. The authority must weigh and decide, taking into account all the circumstances of the individual case. The public interest in retaining the name weighs more heavily the longer the name has been used.
Your competent authority collects an advance on fees and then carries out the necessary investigations. In doing so, it involves various agencies, such as the police, in the case of persons over 14 years of age. It obtains information from the debtors' register at the local court and, if necessary, from other offices.
If the requirements are met, you will receive a certificate of the name change. The name change becomes effective when the certificate is handed over. Otherwise, you will receive a notice of refusal.
The name change authority will notify other authorities 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 become effective, you must have various documents (identity card, passport, vehicle registration document) changed. You must apply for these changes yourself.

Note: If another person is involved, for example the other parent when changing the name of a child after the parents have divorced, you will initially only receive a notice of the name change. This will state that you must wait until the name change can no longer be challenged by legal means. In these cases, the name change becomes effective under the following conditions: