After the birth in Germany: the checklist with deadlines

Within 1 week: register the birth (Geburtsanzeige)

Take the hospital’s birth notification to the registry office (Standesamt) of the city where the baby was born – many hospitals accept it on site. Bring both passports, your marriage certificate (with apostille and certified German translation if issued abroad) and your registration certificate. Ask for several copies of the birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde). You get free copies marked “für Elterngeld” and “für Kindergeld”.

2–4 weeks: tax ID and health insurance

The child’s tax ID (Steuer-ID) is sent automatically by post after the birth registration – you need it for both Kindergeld and Elterngeld. Health insurance: with statutory insurance the baby is covered for free under a parent (Familienversicherung) – just send a copy of the birth certificate. With private insurance you must enrol the child within two months.

As soon as possible: Kindergeld (€259 per month)

Kindergeld is paid retroactively for at most six months before the month of application, so apply as soon as the tax ID arrives. File form KG 1 plus one Anlage Kind per child with the Familienkasse; non-EU citizens enclose a copy of the residence permit. The forms are German only – you can fill them in from English here.

Within 3 months: Elterngeld

65–100 % of your previous net income (€300–1,800 per month) for up to 14 months. It is paid retroactively for only three months, so the first three months of your baby’s life are the deadline in practice. Each federal state has its own form; enclose 12 payslips, the birth certificate and the maternity pay statement.

7 weeks before it starts (often before the birth): Elternzeit

Parental leave must be requested from your employer in writing at least seven weeks before it begins. Many fathers take the first two months right after the birth, so they file before the due date. This is separate from the Elterngeld application.

Within 3–6 months: passport and residence permit for the child

Register the birth with your home country’s consulate (some countries lose citizenship rights if you miss their deadline – Japan, for example, requires this within three months). Apply for the child’s passport there. If the child only has a non-EU nationality, apply for its residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde within six months of the birth.

Also worth checking

• Registration (Anmeldung): done automatically with the birth registration, but verify it.
• Daycare (Kita): in many cities you can join waiting lists right after the birth.
• Tax class: if one parent’s income drops during parental leave, changing tax classes can raise the net income.
• Liability insurance: children are covered by the parents’ Haftpflicht automatically.