How do I get a residence permit and passport for my child born in Germany?

1. Registering the birth: After the birth, it is registered at the registry office (Standesamt) of the place of birth. Hospitals usually help with this. You need the birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) for Elterngeld, Kindergeld and other procedures.

2. Is your child German: If one parent meets certain conditions, the child becomes a German citizen at birth (we explain this in a separate question). The Standesamt checks this automatically. If your child is German, no residence permit is needed.

3. Consulate and passport: To register your child as a citizen of your country of origin and get a passport, make an appointment at your consulate (for Turkish citizens, the Turkish Consulate General). For the residence permit, your child needs their own passport or must be registered in a parent's passport.

4. Residence permit: If at least one parent has a valid residence permit, the child also gets one. The child must be registered at the same Berlin address as the parent (Anmeldung). If the conditions are met, any Berlin Bürgeramt can issue the permit; otherwise you apply at the State Office for Immigration (Landesamt für Einwanderung, LEA). One parent attends the appointment together with the child.

Fees: For children with Turkish citizenship the fee is low (currently 27.60 euros). Check the current document list and fees on the Service-Portal Berlin.