The name of a German citizen does not change automatically by marriage alone. Therefore, a name declaration might be necessary before a German passport can be issued in the new desired name.

Do we have to submit a name declaration?

The name of a German citizen does not automatically change through marriage. If both spouses wish to use the same surname, they have to specify a shared name.

If you got married in Germany

When you get married in Germany you can declare a married name at the civil wedding itself. The married name is then stated on the marriage certificate. If you got married in Germany and your married name appears on your marriage certificate, you do not need to submit a name declaration through the Embassy. You can apply directly for a new passport in your married name. If you do not declare a joint married name, each spouse keeps his or her current surname.

If you got married abroad

• Marriages before 01.05.2025

The naming of German citizens was previously subject exclusively to German naming law for marriages before 1 May 2025. Therefore, the name in German law may differ from the name you use in Irish documents or in everyday life. If you got married and did not file a name declaration according to German law and regulations, your surname has not changed. For example, if you got married in Ireland you continue to carry your previous name even after marriage. This also applies if you are a dual citizen and already carry your spouse's name in Ireland.

The change to private international law on 1 May 2025 is important for all Germans habitually resident abroad. While until this date an individual’s surname had been determined by the law of the country of which they are a national, from 1 May 2025 on a person’s name is determined by the law of the state in which they have their habitual residence. However, any surname which the person has already acquired will not change.

If you got married in Ireland before 1 May 2025 and the German spouse subsequently wishes to change his or her surname, you will have to file a formal “married name declaration”. A name declaration can be filed at any time during a marriage. The declaration is irrevocable in principle. However, according to the new naming law, spouses who already use a married name, may, as an exception, subsequently determine a new hyphenated married name from both last names once from 1 May 2025. However, the names used for the double surname may not consist of more than two parts. The compound surname may be written either with or without a hyphen.

On the website of the Federal Ministry of Justice you will find FAQs with detailed information on the new options under German naming law (only available in German).

• Marriages on or after 01.05.2025

An important factor for all Germans habitually resident abroad is the change to private international law on 1 May 2025. While until this date an individual’s surname had been determined by the law of the country of which they are a national, from 1 May 2025 on a person’s name is determined by the law of the state in which they have their habitual residence. However, any surname which the person has already acquired will not change. If a German habitually resident abroad marries on or after 1 May 2025, their married name will be determined by the law of the country where they reside. However, they can opt for German naming law by submitting a declaration stating their law of choice (Rechtswahlerklärung) to a German registry office, provided one of them is German citizen. This means that spouses can choose their future name in accordance with the law of the country

• to which one of them belongs or
• in which one of them has their habitual residence

at or after the wedding ceremony by declaration at a registry office.

What law should I choose for my declaration of married name?

As of 1 May 2025, it is possible under German law to specify a compound surname made up of the surnames of both spouses. However, the joint surname cannot consist of more than two parts. Compound surnames may be written either with or without a hyphen.

Example: The two German citizens Lisa Becker and Lukas Schmidt are married in Germany, on May 1, 2025. Unlike before, they can now use their combined last names as their shared last name (e.g. “Becker-Schmidt”). Children born in wedlock automatically receive that same last name as their name at birth, as has been the case in the past.

Also as in the past, only one name can be designated as the family name. The spouse whose name does not become the married name can add his or her maiden name or birth name with a hyphen in front or behind the married name. If you do not declare a joint married name, each spouse keeps his or her current surname.

Example: Claudia Schulze and Pedro González Vicario live and marry in Spain. The marriage certificate continues to contain the previous names of the two spouses. They can now choose German law by submitting a declaration and determine their married name. In addition to the current options, after the change to German naming law they can also opt for a joint compound surname (e.g. Schulze-González or Vicario Schulze) as described above. However, it may be that their surname in Germany is different to their surname abroad.

On the website of the Federal Ministry of Justice you will find a FAQ with detailed information on the new options under German naming law (only available in German).

Please note: As far as we know, it is not possible in Ireland to choose a common married name at the time of marriage. No married name is entered on the Irish marriage certificate. Name certificates as proof of the determination of a married name are also not issued in Ireland, as far as we are aware. For reasons of legal certainty, we therefore recommend submitting a name declaration to determine a married name or submitting an application for subsequent notarisation of the marriage.

The above also applies to registered same-sex partnerships.

Authentication of name declarations

For the submission of name declarations, signature authentication is required. The required authentications can be carried out by the Embassy in Dublin (after making an appointment). The Embassy can also forward the name declaration to the German Registar’s Office responsible for you.

In many cases, constellations are more complex than the examples given above. If you have any question about your individual situation, you are welcome to contact the Embassy via our contact form.

Which application forms do we need to fill out?

Download the declaration form here: Application form in German

Please print out the application form and complete it carefully. Do not use only block capital letters because this could result in deviated spelling.

How do we have to submit the declaration?

The Registrar’s Office in Germany that was the last place of residency of one of the spouses is responsible for processing the declaration. If neither of the spouses ever resided in Germany, the Registrar’s Office I in Berlin is the appropriate office for processing the marriage registration.

The Embassy Dublin can provide the required signature authentication on the name application form and forward the name declaration to the relevant Registrar’s Office.

Please contact the Consular Section of the Embassy via the contact form to arrange an appointment for signature authentication. If you would like to apply for a new passport at the same time, you can arrange a passport appointment via the following link, Please inform the Consular Section of this appointment using the contact form. We will then check whether the name declaration can be submitted on the day of your passport appointment.

To enable the embassy to prepare your name declaration, please complete the relevant application form, but do not sign it yet, and send it to the Consular Section of the embassy by e-mail before your appointment.

Which documents do we need?

Normally, the following original documents are required to submit the name declaration:

• the completed application form for the name declaration (not yet signed)
• marriage certificate of the spouses
• valid passports of both spouses
• birth certificates of both spouses
• if you have joint children: birth certificates of your children
• proof of residence in Ireland (e.g. utility bill)
• if applicable, German Naturalization Certificate or “Staatsangehörigenausweis” (certificate of citizenship)
• if applicable, evidence of any previous marriage or registered same-sex partnership (evidence of the marriage/same-sex partnership and of the divorce/dissolution, e.g. divorce decree or death certificate)
• any other relevant documents, e.g. regarding name changes
• if applicable, deregistration from Germany (“Abmeldebescheinigung”)

Documents that are not in German or English should be submitted with a certified translation into German. Documents issued outside the EU should be submitted with an apostille or legalisation (if possible).

During your appointment, certified copies of the originals will be made for forwarding them to the Registrar’s Office (for a fee). The originals will be returned to you immediately.

Please note that the responsible Registrar’s Office may request additional documents at a later date.

Procedure, Costs and Duration

1. Both partners must be present in person at the appointment, as your signatures on the name declaration must be authenticated.

2. Please bring the originals of all required documents with you. The originals will be returned to you immediately.

3. Documents that are not written in German or English must be accompanied by a certified translation into German. However, the Registrar’s Office may also request translations for English-language documents in individual cases. Occasionally, apostilles or legalisation are also requested for foreign documents.

4. The Embassy in Dublin forwards the declarations and documents you have submitted to the relevant Registrar’s Office in Germany, which can issue a certificate confirming your new name. For the name certificate the Registrar’s Office will charge an additional fee.

5. Data protection information regarding the processing of your personal data can be found here.

6. The fee charged by the Embassy Dublin for the authentication of signatures on the name declaration form is approx. 85,- Euros. In addition, there is a fee of approx. 31,- Euros for the legislation of the copies that must be provided to the Registrar’s office. Please note that the Registrar’s Office will later charge an additional fee. This fee is determined individually by the respective Registrar’s Office.

7. Processing times for name declarations vary depending on the Registrar’s Office.

8. The declaration only becomes effective upon receipt by the competent Registrar’s Office and is subject to a further comprehensive legal review there.

9. A name declaration may also be necessary under certain circumstances if a passport has already been issued in the corresponding name, but the submission of a name declaration was omitted at the time.