Baby Expat
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Help with Baby Expat

Baby Expat is made for parents handling baby paperwork in Germany, with added help for families who need U.S. paperwork. Check whether Baby Expat supports your family.

Who it works for

Can I use this app?

Use it when all of these are true.

  • The baby has two legal parentsA parent who is recognized by law for official records and paperwork., and they are married to each other.
  • At least one legal parentA parent who is recognized by law for official records and paperwork. is a German or U.S. citizen.
  • You do not need urgent travel papers right after birth.
  • The baby was or will be born at a hospital, birth clinic, or GeburtshausA midwife-led birth center in Germany. in a city Baby Expat covers.
  • If one or both legal parentsA parent who is recognized by law for official records and paperwork. are U.S. citizens, Baby Expat helps you check the official citizenship-at-birthWhether a child is a U.S. citizen from birth under the official U.S. rules. rules first. Baby Expat then shows the CRBAConsular Report of Birth Abroad, the U.S. birth record for a child born outside the United States., first U.S. passport, and Social Security paperwork that may apply.
  • The baby's health insurance uses German public insurance, German private insurance, or a public/private mix that Baby Expat covers.
Current coverage

What does this version not cover?

This version does not cover the situations below. If your answers match one, the app shows an official starting point for that situation.

  • The parents are not married to each other, or the case involves adoption, surrogacy, a donor, a court order, or unclear parentageThe legal facts about who is treated as the child's parent..
  • Neither legal parentA parent who is recognized by law for official records and paperwork. is a German or U.S. citizen.
  • You need to travel soon after birth and cannot wait for the normal birth papers or passport process.
  • The birth will happen at home.
  • Your birth city or home city is not covered yet.
  • The baby's health insurance involves military coverage, non-German insurance, public family insurance through another person, or you are not sure which insurer can cover the baby.
Questions

What can I do here?

Use Baby Expat for baby paperwork in Germany. It shows what to do and what to keep. It also shows which office, insurer, employer, or consulate to check before you act.

Where are my answers saved?

In this browser, on this device. They are not saved to an account. If you clear this browser's data or use another device, your answers may not be there.

When should I check an official source?

Check before you send a form, book an appointment, rely on a deadline, or pay a fee. For office or insurer steps, use the official page or a written reply before you act.

What do the dotted words mean?

Tap or hover over dotted words to see short explanations. They explain German words, office names, form names, and common shortcuts. Try StandesamtThe German civil registry where the birth is registered., GeburtshausA midwife-led birth center in Germany., ElterngeldGerman parental allowance paid after birth when a parent works less or not at all to care for the baby., GKVPublic health insurance in Germany., PKVPrivate health insurance in Germany., CRBAConsular Report of Birth Abroad, the U.S. birth record for a child born outside the United States., DS-2029The paper form for the U.S. birth record., DS-11The U.S. passport application form., or SSNThe U.S. Social Security number..

What if my situation is not covered?

This version cannot make a plan for every family. Start with the StandesamtThe German civil registry where the birth is registered. in the birth city for birth registration, the parents' insurer or health plan for baby health insurance, or the passport office, embassy, or consulate for travel papers.

What if something looks wrong?

Do not act on it yet. Check the official source or the reply you got from the office or insurer. If it still looks wrong, wait for a current official answer before you act.