After the birth: what needs to be done?
Welcome, little one.
A baby brings joy – and forms. Here you can see which applications have deadlines and when to do what – so that no money is lost.
Answer a few short questions. The list adapts and shows typical steps for your situation.
Good to know: the official websites linked here are mostly in German. German terms are shown in brackets so you can find them there.
Your personal plan
Guidance only, not legal or tax advice.
Your progress is saved only on this device, not with us.
Your deadlines at a glance
Enter the date above to see calculable guide dates here. Deadlines with an individual starting point are shown without a fixed date.
- Register the birth at the registry office (Standesamt)Responsible office: registry office (Standesamt)within one week
- Maternity protection ends at the earliestResponsible office: health insurance fund or employer8 weeks after the birth; later in certain cases
- Apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld)Responsible office: parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle)no application deadline; paid retroactively for the last 3 months of life at most
- Apply for child benefit (Kindergeld)Responsible office: family benefits office (Familienkasse)no application deadline; paid retroactively for 6 months at most
- Notify your employer of parental leave (Elternzeit)Responsible office: employerin text form; at least 7 weeks before it starts up to the 3rd birthday, 13 weeks between the 3rd and 8th birthday
Deadlines can differ in individual cases, for example because of contracts, state law or special circumstances. Calculated dates are guide dates; what counts is the information from the responsible office. This overview helps you put the next steps in order. Depending on your situation, further urgent tasks may come up.
Step by step
- 1
In the first week
Settle in. The hospital often takes care of the essentials.
You will then receive the birth certificate, which you need for almost all applications. Some copies for parental allowance, child benefit and health insurance are free of charge.
Health insurance pays for home visits by a midwife in the weeks after the birth. Look early, midwives are often fully booked.
What do I say on the phone?
Say this in German:
„Unser Kind ist am [Datum] geboren oder kommt voraussichtlich am [Datum]. Haben Sie noch Platz für die Nachsorge im Wochenbett?“
What it means:
“Our child was born on [date] or is due on [date]. Do you still have capacity for postnatal care?”
The U2 check-up takes place between the 3rd and 10th day of life, often still in hospital. The yellow check-up booklet (gelbes Heft) accompanies you until school age.
- 2
In the first weeks
Insurance and money: these applications have deadlines.
Usually the child is insured free of charge through a parent’s family insurance. The health insurance fund needs the birth certificate for this.
What do I say on the phone?
Say this in German:
„Unser Kind ist am [Datum] geboren. Ich möchte es bei Ihnen familienversichern. Was brauchen Sie dafür?“
What it means:
“Our child was born on [date]. I would like to add them to my family insurance with you. What do you need for this?”
At the family benefits office (Familienkasse). Payment is limited retroactively to six months before the month of application. The child’s tax ID arrives automatically by post and is needed for the application.
Parental allowance is paid retroactively for at most the last three months of life before the month of life in which the application is received. So apply as early as possible at the parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) of your federal state.
After the birth, maternity protection lasts at least eight weeks. For premature and multiple births it is twelve weeks, and also on application if a disability is medically diagnosed in the child before the eight weeks are over. If the child arrives earlier than expected, the protection period is additionally extended by the days that could not be taken before the birth. Maternity pay comes from the health insurance fund, plus a top-up from the employer.
- 3
In the first months
Plan parental leave, childcare and provisions.
You notify your employer of parental leave in text form, for example by email: at least seven weeks before it starts if it falls before the child’s 3rd birthday, and at least 13 weeks before if it falls between the 3rd and 8th birthday. Text form applies to children born from May 2025. If the leave is to start directly after maternity protection, time gets tight quickly.
From the first birthday, your child has a legal right to early childhood support in a nursery (Kita) or with a childminder (Kindertagespflege), but not to a place in a particular facility. In many cities it is worth registering your child very early.
Families on a low income may also receive the child supplement (Kinderzuschlag) or housing benefit (Wohngeld). It is worth a look.
For travel, even a baby needs their own document. The children’s passport (Kinderreisepass) no longer exists since 2024; an ID card or passport is possible.
With a child, it is worth looking at a will and a custody provision: who should take care of the child if something happens to the parents?
This website offers general information and guidance for typical life situations. The checklist created from your answers is not a complete or binding review of your individual situation. Further obligations and deadlines may apply. Please clarify important legal questions and deadlines with the responsible offices. This service does not replace individual legal, tax or medical advice.