Having a Baby in Germany
One of the best places in the world to have a child, generous leave, strong benefits, and near-free maternity care. Here's the full journey for Indian parents, from the first scan to the first Kita waitlist.
The money: three benefits, don't mix them up
Germany supports new parents through three separate payments.
Paid around the birth during Mutterschutz. Your insurer pays up to €13/day (~€390/mo) and your employer tops it up to your full net salary. (Privately/uninsured: a one-off cap of €210.)
Replaces ~65% of your net income after birth — min €300, max €1,800/month. Up to 12 months for one parent, or 14 if both take ≥2 months. ElterngeldPlus stretches it for part-time returners.
€259/month per child regardless of income, paid until 18 (or 25 if studying). Apply at the Familienkasse with the birth certificate.
Want your exact Elterngeld figure? Use our Elterngeld Calculator →
Antenatal care (covered)
Your gynaecologist (Frauenarzt) provides regular check-ups, ultrasounds and tests, fully covered by public insurance. You receive a Mutterpass, a booklet recording your whole pregnancy that you carry to every appointment.
Find a midwife (Hebamme) EARLY
Midwives are central to German births and their care (pregnancy, birth, and home visits afterwards) is covered by insurance. Good Hebammen get booked out months ahead — start looking as soon as you know you're pregnant.
Where to give birth
Hospital (Krankenhaus / Geburtsklinik), a birth house (Geburtshaus), or home birth. In a normal delivery the midwife leads; an OB-GYN steps in only if complications arise. Register/tour your chosen Kreißsaal (delivery ward) in advance.
Mutterschutz (maternity protection)
14 weeks of protected leave: 6 weeks before the due date and 8 weeks after birth (12 weeks after for premature or multiple births). The 8 weeks after birth are a strict no-work period. You cannot be dismissed during pregnancy and for 4 months after.
Tell your employer
Inform your employer once you're ready, this triggers your Mutterschutz protections and the Mutterschaftsgeld process. They legally cannot disadvantage you for it.
1. Register the birth (Standesamt)
Register at the local registry office (Standesamt) within about a week — the hospital often forwards documents. You receive the Geburtsurkunde (birth certificate), usually several certified copies (you'll need them for everything below). Bring parents' passports and marriage certificate (translated).
2. Add baby to health insurance
Register the newborn with your Krankenkasse. Children are covered free under Familienversicherung (public insurance), no extra premium.
3. Apply for Kindergeld
Apply to the Familienkasse for €259/month child benefit. Payments can be backdated up to 6 months — apply early. You'll need the baby's Geburtsurkunde and Steuer-ID.
4. Apply for Elterngeld
Apply at your state's Elterngeldstelle (see Money section). It's also backdated only 3 months, so don't delay.
5. Baby's Steuer-ID
A tax ID is issued automatically by post after birth registration, keep it; you need it for Kindergeld.
6. Register on the Kita waitlist
Yes, already. City Kita waitlists run 6–18 months. Put your child on lists now even though they'll start later. See our Kita & Childcare guide.
How much
Each parent can take up to 3 years of Elternzeit per child (until the child turns 3, with up to 24 months transferable to between ages 3 and 8). Your job is protected throughout.
It's unpaid (Elterngeld bridges it)
Elternzeit itself is unpaid leave, Elterngeld replaces part of your income for the first 12–14 months. Many parents take longer Elternzeit and just live on one income after the Elterngeld period.
How to request it
Apply to your employer in writing at least 7 weeks before it starts (for leave in the first 3 years). They cannot refuse it.
Working part-time during it
You may work up to 32 hours/week during Elternzeit — useful with ElterngeldPlus, which pays a smaller amount over more months for parents who return part-time.
Sick child days (Kinderkrankengeld)
Separately, each parent gets paid days off per year to care for a sick child, handy once they're in Kita and catching every cold.
Your baby's citizenship
A child born in Germany to Indian parents is Indian by descent. They get German citizenship at birth only if a parent has lived legally in Germany for 5+ years with a permanent residence right (jus soli). Otherwise the child is Indian — see our Citizenship guide.
Register with the Indian mission
Register the birth with the Indian Embassy/Consulate to get the birth registered under the Citizenship Act and to obtain an Indian passport for the baby (needed to travel to India).
OCI for a German-citizen child
If your child does acquire German citizenship, India doesn't allow dual nationality, families typically obtain an OCI card for the child. See the citizenship guide for the full India catch.
Naming rules
Germany's Standesamt has naming conventions; a single mononym (common in parts of India) can cause issues. Be ready to provide a given name and surname.
Grandparents visiting
Parents/in-laws can visit on a Schengen visa to help; Blue Card & skilled-worker families can now also sponsor parents for longer reunification (since March 2024).