What German-Americans Need to Know from May 1, 2025
Christine Stenner, Attorney (Germany) | Foreign Legal Consultant (PA) | April 28, 2025
On May 1, 2025, a major reform of Germany’s name law will take effect. For the first time, Germans abroad will no longer be automatically bound by German name rules. Instead, the law where you live — in this case, U.S. name law — will apply, unless you choose otherwise.
The way Germany handles names is changing — and if you’re a German citizen living in the U.S., the change could directly affect your family name, your child’s name, or even your passport.
Here’s what that means for you.
A Long-Overdue Update
German name law has long been one of the strictest in Europe. Until now, names of German citizens have been governed exclusively by German law — even if the person has lived abroad for decades. This led to frequent mismatches between U.S. and German documents.
The new law modernizes this outdated system, acknowledging what the German Parliament called the “complex realities of modern family life.” It also introduces more flexibility for blended families, divorced parents, and adults who want to redefine their birth name.
The Big Change: Country of Residence Matters
Starting May 1, 2025, your place of residence — not your citizenship — determines which name law applies.
If you’re a German citizen living in the U.S., your name will now follow U.S. law.
That means:
- If you get married in the U.S. and take a double surname (e.g. Taylor-Meyer), that name will be valid under German law too.
- If you have a child in the U.S. and choose a certain surname, that name will be recognized automatically in Germany.
Example:
Lisa Müller, a German citizen living in New York, marries her American partner, David Parker. Under U.S. law, she becomes Lisa Müller-Parker.
Until now, she would have had to submit a special name declaration through the German consulate to have that name recognized in Germany.
From May 2025, no such declaration is needed — the name in her U.S. marriage certificate will be recognized as valid under German law.
Already Have Different Names in German and U.S. Documents? You Can Fix It.
If you already have a mismatch — for example, your U.S. passport shows one name and your German passport shows another — the new law allows you to align them retroactively.
You can now file a declaration of choice of law (Rechtswahlerklärung) to apply U.S. name law to your German records. This is particularly helpful for:
- Dual citizens with a hyphenated name in the U.S.
- Children whose surname was automatically assigned under German law at birth but differs from their U.S. documents
- Adults who changed their name through marriage in the U.S. but were never able to reflect it in German documents
Example:
Markus Schneider, born in Germany, became a U.S. citizen and got married in California. His name in the U.S. became Markus Schneider-Taylor. But his German documents still list him as Markus Schneider.
With the new law, he can submit a declaration through his local consulate and have his German records updated to match his U.S. name — without needing a court-ordered name change.
Other Major Changes in German Name Law
This reform goes beyond just international application. It also updates how names can be structured inside Germany. Here are a few highlights:
- Real Double Surnames for Families
Married couples can now choose a shared double surname (e.g. Bergmann-Schmidt), which can also be passed on to their children.
Parents can even assign a double surname to their child even if they don’t use one themselves, regardless of whether they are married.
→ Maximum of two name elements allowed — long name chains are still prohibited.
- Flexibility for Divorce and Blended Families
- Children may adopt the new surname of the parent they primarily live with after divorce.
- They can choose to fully take on the name or create a hyphenated version combining both surnames.
- Stepchildren who previously took a stepparent’s name can now revert to their original birth name after a divorce. This was not previously allowed.
- One-Time Name Redefinition for Adults
Adults now have the right to change their birth name once, without needing to marry or be adopted.
You can:
- Shorten a double name
- Replace one parent’s surname with the other
- Create a new double name using both parents’ names
This offers meaningful identity options for those who never felt their name fully reflected their personal or family story.
What Should German Citizens in the U.S. Do?
If you’re living in the United States and any of the following apply to you:
- You’re planning to marry or have children
- You already have inconsistent names in your passports or official documents
- You want to finally have your U.S. name recognized in Germany
Then the upcoming law change gives you new tools to align your legal identity across both countries.
Important:
Your local German consulate is the first point of contact for name-related questions and declarations. They can walk you through the process of submitting a declaration of choice of law or updating your personal records. You can find more information on their page as well as the application form.
Final Thoughts
This reform is a long-overdue recognition that identity is shaped not only by citizenship, but by the realities of life across borders.
For German-American families, it opens the door to simpler, more consistent name recognition and gives people more control over their personal identity.
If you’ve struggled with inconsistent names, complicated paperwork, or outdated rules, help is on the way — starting May 1, 2025.