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What does Sorgerecht mean?

Sorgerecht (parental custody) is the right and duty to care for a child. It includes important decisions, for example about school and health.

das Sorgerecht

If the parents are married when the child is born, both have Sorgerecht. Otherwise, at first only the mother has it, unless the parents declared joint Sorgerecht before the birth.

Unmarried parents can declare joint Sorgerecht at the Jugendamt or at a notary. This is possible before or after the birth.

After a separation, joint Sorgerecht usually continues. The parents then still decide important questions together.

Example sentence

Bitte legen Sie einen Nachweis über das Sorgerecht für das Kind vor.

Please provide proof of Sorgerecht for the child.

What you can do

Offices often ask who has Sorgerecht, for example with applications for the child. Keep the proof ready.

  • Jugendamt The Jugendamt (youth welfare office) is your city's or district's office for children, young people and families.
  • Geburtsurkunde The Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate) is the official document about a person's birth. It shows the name and the date and place of birth.
  • Unterhalt Unterhalt (maintenance) is money someone must pay towards another person's living costs, for example a parent for their child.
  • Standesamt The Standesamt (registry office) is the office for births, marriages and deaths. It issues the certificates for them.
  • Nachweis A Nachweis is a document that proves something, for example your income, your rent or your address.