Ordering a birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) in Köln
A birth certificate for a birth in Köln is issued by the certificate service (Urkundenservice) of the Standesamt Köln (civil registry office), Gülichplatz 1-3. The first certificate costs €10, each further identical one €5, plus €1 or €2 for postage. Delivery can take up to 10 working days. We order for you with your authorisation: €39 including the fee.
Birth certificate in Köln at a glance
- Responsible office
- Urkundenservice of the Standesamt KölnAs of: 22.10.2026 · Stadt Köln
- Address
- Haus Neuerburg, Gülichplatz 1-3, 50667 KölnAs of: 22.10.2026 · Stadt Köln
- Official fee
- €10 first certificate, €5 each further identical one · certified copy from the birth register €10 · postage €1 or €2 · free of charge for social insuranceAs of: 22.10.2026 · Stadt Köln
- Processing time
- up to 10 working days, longer abroadAs of: 22.10.2026 · Stadt Köln
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- How to apply
- online · by phone 0221 / 221-26530 · in writing · in person only by appointment
- Power of attorney
- Possible when visiting in person: the authorised person shows the power of attorney, a copy of your ID and their own ID · not explicitly regulated for online and postal orders
- Payment
- online by PayPal or credit card · on site cash or card · by phone/in writing: the certificate comes with a payment request
- Behördenfix fixed price
- €39 including the official fee
Which certificate do you need? The types in Köln
- Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde)
- name, date of birth with time, place of birth
- International birth certificate
- multilingual, for foreign authorities
- Certified copy from the birth register
- with later changes, for getting married · €10
How we order your birth certificate
- 1State the type of certificate and place of birthName, email, type of certificate and place of birth are enough before payment.
- 2Pay the fixed priceOnline; the Standesamt's fee is included.
- 3Add details and sign the power of attorneyDate of birth, parents' names and a copy of your ID; for relatives also proof of the relationship.
- 4We order and follow upWe order from the Standesamt and follow up if the certificate does not arrive.
Ordering the birth certificate yourself from the Standesamt Köln
The way without us, step by step
The Standesamt Köln asks people to order certificates online or by phone where possible. This is how you do it yourself:
- Online: via the order form of the Urkundenservice on the city of Köln's website. You pay during the process by PayPal or credit card.
- By phone on 0221 / 221-26530, in writing to Postfach 10 35 64, 50475 Köln, or by fax to 0221 / 221-6569187. The certificate then comes to you with a payment request.
- In person at Haus Neuerburg on Gülichplatz only by appointment. Opening hours: Monday and Thursday 8 to 16, Tuesday 8 to 18, Wednesday and Friday 8 to 12.
- You need your identity card or passport.
- Example from the city of Köln: two birth certificates €15, one birth certificate and one certified copy €20, two birth certificates and one in family-book format €25, each plus €1 or €2 postage.
- Costs if you apply yourself: €10 for the first certificate plus €1 or €2 postage. With us you pay €39 including the fee. For this we take care of the application, the authorisation and follow-up.
Documents and who may order
- Identity card or passport (for us as a copy).
- Date of birth, place of birth and parents' names.
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- Your power of attorney for Behördenfix, which you sign during the order.
- Under § 62 of the Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz), certificates are issued to the person themselves, spouses or civil partners, ancestors and descendants. Other people need a legal interest.
- If you order for parents or children, upload proof of the relationship.
Important for Köln: place and year of birth
Only for births in Köln – and only from 1916
According to the city of Köln, you can only get certificates from the Standesamt of your place of birth. If you live in Köln but were born in Bonn, you order in Bonn.
More about Cologne (3)Show less
The Köln Urkundenservice issues certificates from the birth year 1916 onwards. For an earlier birth, the city's page names no office; we check these cases individually before making an offer.
If the certificate is to be sent abroad, the city refers to the online certificate service and points out that shipping abroad can take longer. For use abroad there is also the multilingual international birth certificate.
If you come to Haus Neuerburg with an appointment: according to the city, the entrance area and toilets are fully accessible for wheelchair users, and there is a lift. The barrier-free entrance is via the staff car park in Obenmarspforten, the street that branches off Gülichplatz; the bell is to the left of the entrance.
Frequently asked questions about the birth certificate in Köln
Where do I get my birth certificate in Köln?
From the Urkundenservice of the Standesamt Köln at Haus Neuerburg, Gülichplatz 1-3, if you were born in Köln. According to the city, you only get certificates from the Standesamt of your place of birth, in Köln from the birth year 1916. We order there for you with your authorisation.
How long does a birth certificate take in Köln?
Up to 10 working days. According to the Standesamt Köln, that is how long it can take between sending the order and receiving the certificate; shipping abroad can take longer. We track the delivery and follow up if the certificate does not arrive.
What do I do if I can no longer find my birth certificate?
You order a new one from the Standesamt of your place of birth. In Köln, the first certificate costs €10, each further identical one €5, plus €1 or €2 postage. You need your identity card or passport. With us, the order costs €39 including the fee.
What do I need for a new birth certificate?
Your identity card or passport, plus date of birth, place of birth and your parents' names. Under § 62 of the Civil Status Act, certificates are issued to the person themselves, spouses or civil partners, ancestors and descendants; other people need a legal interest. With us, you also add a copy of your ID and your power of attorney.
Is the birth certificate the same as the copy from the birth register?
No. The certified copy from the birth register also contains later changes, for example after a change of name or an adoption. The city of Köln names it as the certificate for registering a marriage. It costs €10. When ordering, tell us the type that the requesting office asks for.
How do I get a birth certificate from Köln if I live abroad?
Through the city of Köln's online certificate service, which the city names for shipping abroad; delivery then takes longer. For foreign authorities there is the multilingual international birth certificate. If the authority also requires an apostille, you can order it from us as a separate service.
Official sources
- Stadt Köln – Geburtsurkunde bestellen, read on 22.10.2026
- Stadt Köln – Urkundenservice (Anschrift, Öffnungszeiten), read on 22.10.2026
- Personenstandsgesetz § 62 (Erteilung von Personenstandsurkunden), read on 26.10.2026
Reviewed by M. Gabal on 28.10.2026
Provided by Behördenfix (M. Gabal). Behördenfix fills in, submits and tracks the application. We do not give legal advice and do not assess your individual case.