Child benefits for a child born in Germany: what Ukrainian families are entitled to
If a child is born in Germany to parents holding status under §24 AufenthG, the family may be eligible for several types of support at once — from monthly Kindergeld to Elterngeld for the period of caring for the baby.
International Law Firm "Zahist" has for more than ten years assisted Ukrainians with legalization and social benefits abroad and has its own representative office in Germany, and therefore knows Standesamt and Familienkasse procedures not from hearsay but from daily practice.
Our experience shows that child benefits in Germany depend not only on the fact of birth, but also on the validity period of the parent’s residence permit and their employment status, which is why seemingly similar families obtain different outcomes.
How a child’s birth is registered in Germany
A child’s birth must be registered at the Standesamt (civil registry office) at the place of birth within one week — this is considerably shorter than registration deadlines in neighboring countries.
After registration, the Standesamt issues a Geburtsurkunde — a birth certificate, which will be required to arrange all subsequent benefits and the child’s health insurance policy.
The maternity hospital usually transmits the basic data to the Standesamt itself, but parents still need to appear in person to complete the registration and obtain the documents.
Who is responsible for child benefits in Germany
Kindergeld is awarded and paid by the Familienkasse — a specialized unit of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, not by the local municipality and not by the Standesamt.
Elterngeld is administered by separate Elterngeldstellen, which in different federal states may fall under different authorities — state youth welfare offices or social services.
The Standesamt is responsible only for registering the fact of birth itself and issuing the Geburtsurkunde — without this document it is not possible to apply for any of the benefits.
Kindergeld: monthly child benefit
Kindergeld is the basic monthly benefit for each child; from January 2026 its amount is 259 euros per month regardless of the child’s birth order and the family’s income.
Additional conditions apply for holders of status under §24 AufenthG. The residence permit must allow employment for at least 6 months, and the applicant must either be lawfully employed or have resided continuously in Germany for at least 15 months.
The application is submitted online via the Familienkasse portal, which is part of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit structure — there is no need to visit any other authority separately.
Elterngeld: parental allowance
Elterngeld is a benefit for a parent who temporarily does not work or reduces their working hours in order to care for a newborn; the minimum amount of Basiselterngeld is 300 euros per month.
Entitlement to Elterngeld for foreigners is usually linked to lawful residence and authorized employment in Germany — the specific conditions for status under §24 AufenthG should be clarified individually when submitting the application.
For children born outside the EU, a certified German translation of the birth certificate will be required, whereas for children born in EU countries an ordinary copy of the document is often sufficient.
Comparison of the main child benefits
| Benefit | Amount | Eligibility condition |
| Kindergeld | 259 €/month per child | §24 AufenthG for 6+ months, employment or 15 months in Germany |
| Elterngeld (Basiselterngeld) | From 300 €/month | Lawful residence, authorized employment |
| Geburtsurkunde | Free of charge | Registration at the Standesamt within one week |
Medical care for mother and child
Pregnancy care in Germany is provided by a gynecologist, and the costs are covered by health insurance — statutory or private, depending on which system the family belongs to.
In addition, before and after childbirth Mutterschutz applies — statutory protection for a working mother, including Mutterschaftsgeld for the maternity leave period if the woman is formally employed.
After the birth, a local pediatrician (Kinderarzt) is assigned to the child, and scheduled check-ups under the U-Untersuchungen program are free for all children regardless of the parents’ status.
If the child was born before moving to Germany
If the child was born outside Germany and the family subsequently moved, a certified German translation of the foreign birth certificate will be required to arrange Kindergeld and Elterngeld.
The translation must be prepared by a sworn translator officially authorized by a German court — an ordinary translation without the corresponding seal will not be accepted by the authorities.
Once the document has been recognized, the family will be able to apply for all due benefits on the same general terms that apply to children already registered in Germany.
Which documents need to be prepared
The standard package includes the child’s Geburtsurkunde, the parent’s residence permit under §24 AufenthG, proof of residence (Meldebescheinigung), and bank details for the transfer of payments.
- Register the child’s birth at the Standesamt within one week
- Obtain the Geburtsurkunde and the child’s Meldebescheinigung
- Submit the Kindergeld application via the Familienkasse portal
- If necessary, submit a separate application for Elterngeld
How the amount of Elterngeld is calculated
Basiselterngeld is calculated on the basis of the parent’s average net income for the last months before the child’s birth and usually amounts to between 65 and 67 percent of that income, but not less than 300 euros per month.
If the parent was not employed before the child’s birth, they are still entitled to the minimum Basiselterngeld amount provided the general residence status conditions are met.
Our experience shows that many families underestimate the expected Elterngeld amount, failing to take into account supplements for the birth of twins or several children in succession with only a short interval.
Specifics for Ukrainian families with temporary protection
Status under §24 AufenthG alone does not guarantee automatic award of Kindergeld — entitlement to the benefit is always checked against the validity period of the document and the applicant’s employment status at the time of application.
International Law Firm "Zahist" regularly advises Ukrainian families on these nuances — how to properly evidence the condition of 15 months of continuous residence or of authorized employment.
Our experience shows that the continuous residence condition is often interpreted incorrectly, with short trips to Ukraine being counted toward the period, although the rules for accounting for such periods require separate verification.
It should also be borne in mind that an extension of status under §24 AufenthG should be promptly confirmed with the Familienkasse so that payments are not suspended because of a formally expired document.
Where and how to submit applications
The Kindergeld application is submitted online via the Familienkasse service (KiGeld-Online), where scans of the Geburtsurkunde and the residence permit can be uploaded without visiting an office.
The Elterngeld application is submitted via ElterngeldDigital — a single electronic service available in most federal states — or on paper at the local Elterngeldstelle.
Our experience shows that electronic submission noticeably shortens the processing time compared with paper applications, especially if all documents are uploaded at once and without errors.
What to do if a benefit is refused
A Familienkasse refusal can be challenged by means of an Einspruch within one month of receiving the decision — the exact deadline is always stated in the notice itself.
Our experience shows that a significant share of refusals is linked to incomplete evidence of status under §24 AufenthG or the absence of a translation of foreign documents, rather than to a genuine lack of entitlement to the payment.
Before filing a formal Einspruch, it is worth carefully rereading the reason for refusal and, where possible, submitting the missing documents — this is often faster than a full challenge of the decision.
Typical mistakes when arranging benefits
The first mistake is to apply for Kindergeld without taking into account the residence permit validity requirement, as a result of which the Familienkasse temporarily suspends the payment.
The second is failing to translate a foreign birth certificate where this is required, which delays consideration of the Elterngeld application.
The third is missing the one-week registration deadline at the Standesamt, assuming that the maternity hospital will do everything automatically without the parents appearing in person.
How we help arrange child benefits
We support Ukrainian families at every stage — from birth registration at the Standesamt to submitting applications to the Familienkasse — so that child benefits in Germany are awarded without delays and unnecessary refusals on formal grounds.
Our experience shows that a preliminary review of the conditions under status §24 AufenthG and of the full set of documents noticeably shortens the application processing time.
We also help you determine whether it is worth one parent temporarily reducing their working hours to maximize Elterngeld, or whether it is more advantageous to continue working full time.
If your child was born in Germany and you are unsure which child benefits in Germany you are entitled to, it is better to clarify the current conditions in advance rather than finding out only after a rejection by the Familienkasse.
