If the parents are not married to each other, the natural father of a child is not automatically also the legally recognized father. Recognition with all rights and obligations only takes place through the public certification of a declaration by the father. The mother must agree to the declaration.

You can obtain the birth certificate for your child from the registry office in the place of birth.

Do you need a civil partnership certificate? You can only obtain your civil partnership certificate from the registry office in whose area the civil partnership was established. The registry office will issue it from the civil partnership register.

If you as parents are not married to each other at the time of your child's birth, you can obtain joint custody by both making declarations of custody.

Do you need a marriage certificate? You can only obtain your marriage certificate from the registry office in whose area the marriage took place. The registry office issues it from the marriage register.

In Germany, motherhood is clearly regulated: Mother of a child is the woman who gave birth to the child.

This regulation does not apply to all countries. If the mother is not married, according to the law of some states, a relationship between mother and child only arises when the mother makes a declaration in which she acknowledges the child.