Marriage / Families / Partnership

There are many facilities offering help and support for families and in matters relating to marriage and partnership. On the following pages you will find information about the different counselling services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I bring my family to Germany?
Family reunification is not possible until you have been recognized as a person entitled to asylum or as a refugee. From this point on, you can submit an application for family reunification under simplified conditions in the first three months. After three months, you must meet more requirements. In this case, contact the immigration counselling centres listed under "Arriving in Freiburg". They will help you with the application.

Exception: This regulation does not apply to persons who have received a residence permit after 17.03.2016. Ask your Social Service Centre to what extent you are affected by this regulation [see also Residence Act Sect. 104 (13)].

I want to get married in Germany. Where can I get some advice before I get married?

Those who want to get married can get advice from the registrar's office. The documents you need to get married will vary, because the national law of the country of origin has to be considered when getting married.
Go to the registry office in person (during consulting hours, no appointment necessary) to get advice and a list of all the documents you need.

What is a registered civil partnership?

In Germany, unmarried adult same-sex partners who are not related can establish a "registered civil partnership" according to the Civil Partnership Act. This provides legal protection for your relationship.

Where can I get family documents?

The registry offices can issue international birth, marriage and death certificates on request (no extra charge). International certificates are written in nine languages.

How do I get a place for my child in a day-care facility or kindergarten? 

Children aged 0 to 6 can visit a day-care facility or kindergarten where they, together with other children, are cared for by educators. If you have a child of this age, you should contact your Social Service Centre. They will try to get a place for your child in a day-care facility or kindergarten in corporation with the municipality.

Addresses

Information on marriages and registered civil partnerships

Registry Office (Standesamt)

Certification of births and deaths, marriages, name changes and termination of church membership

Angebote
  • Issuing of birth, marriage and death certificates
  • Execution of marriages and civil partnerships, name changes and termination of church membership
Please bring

Information about availability of day care and costs for parents

Information, counselling and reservation center, IBV, for child care (Informations-, Beratungs- und Vormerkstelle, IBV, Kinderbetreuung)

Municipal information, counselling and reservation centre for parents looking for day care for their children (0–6 years of age)

Forms available in the following languages: Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Turkish, English, French,
Spanish, Arabic, Italian

Services:
Advice for parents who are looking for day care for their children aged 0 to 6. Information about the services of day care/ child-minding facilities. Support in reserving a place for the children in a day care facility.

Child Benefit

Immigrants living in Germany can receive child benefit payments under certain circumstances.
 
The child benefit is generally paid until the child has reached the age of 18, in certain cases even longer.
The child benefit is transferred every month to the parents’ checking account.
The application for child benefit is submitted to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit – Familienkasse Baden-Württemberg West.
 
Application for child benefit and other information:

Employment Center (Agentur für Arbeit)

Child Supplement

The child supplement is a supplementary child benefit which is paid for minor children as of January 2005 and for unmarried children under the age of 25 as of July 2006 who live in families whose family income is insufficient.

  • Parents can apply for the child supplement if their own income is not enough to support themselves and their children under the age of 25.
  • The child supplement is calculated on the basis of the income and assets of the parents and children; the maximum child supplement benefit is 140 Euro/month
    for each unmarried child under the age of 25.

Counselling Services

Competence Center "Early Assistance" (Kompetenzzentrum Frühe Hilfen)

Interdisciplinary counselling service of the City of Feiburg on questions of prevention and child protection

Services for families:
  • Initial consultation
  • Initial diagnosis
  • Information and referrals
  • Support in crises and stressful situations
  • Advice and support for professionals, family midwife concept, State Programme „Stärke“

pro familia Freiburg

Counselling centre for family planning, sex education, sexual counselling and unwanted pregnancy

Languages:
We will call in an interpreter, if necessary

Counselling and help with the following
issues:
  • Pregnancy and birth
  • Sex education
  • Medical advice
  • Relationships
  • Sexuality
  • Separation, divorce, mediation

Child, Youth and Family Welfare Office (Amt für Kinder, Jugend und Familie)

Communal Social Service Center, KSD (Kommunaler Sozialer Dienst KSD)The KSD (communal social service centre) serves children, young people, parents and other legal guardians.

Services:
Support for families, counselling and assistance in questions of child rearing, initiation of appropriate and necessary child rearing support services, support for parents in taking care of their child in case of separation, divorce and in dealing with the situation.

Catholic Women’s Social Service Center, counselling services for pregnant women and their families (Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen Schwangeren- und Familienberatung, Guter Start ins Leben)

Counselling centre for pregnant women and their families, group services for pregnant women and families.

Services:
Advice and support for women and their families on many issues concerning pregnancy and birth, making a living, separation, divorce and child development; group services for pregnant women and families with children under three years of age.

Please bring:
Please ask what to bring when making a counselling appointment

"Acknowledging differences – embracing diversity" Network against discrimination in Freiburg ("Unterschiede anerkennen - Vielfalt leben" Netzwerk für Gleichbehandlung in Freiburg)

Contact and coordination centre concerning discrimination

Languages:
we work with interpreters, if necessary

Services:
  • Public Relations on the subject of discrimination
  • Networking of Freiburg organizations against  discrimination
  • Advice and assistance in case of direct discrimination

Freiburg Protestant Church Charity / general counselling in difficult life situations and assistance with application for health spa treatment (Diakonisches Werk Freiburg/ Allgemeine Sozialberatung und Kurberatung)

Services:
  • Advice during difficult situations in life, in case of financial and economic problems
  • Assistance in dealing with the authorities
  • Assistance in applying for treatment at a health  resort (finding a suitable health resort, clarification of costs etc.)

Protestant Church Charity / Wellcome (Diakonisches Werk / Wellcome)

wellcome is practical help after the birth of a child, which is available to every family

Service:
In the first year of the child’s life you will get individual support in all matters concerning your child for up to 6 months. An experienced and professionally trained volunteer will visit you at home once or twice a week for three hours to take care of the baby and / or the siblings.

Information for refugees

The following information is intended for refugees without recognition as asylum-seekers or as refugees (people before the start of the asylum procedure, in the middle of the asylum procedure or people whose deportation has been suspended). Refugees who have been recognized as asylum seekers or refugees can find the information relevant to them on the remaining pages of the guide, which is intended for all migrants.

Information on marriages and registered civil partnerships

Registry Office (Standesamt)

Certification of births and deaths, marriages, name changes and termination of church membership

Angebote
  • Issuing of birth, marriage and death certificates
  • Execution of marriages and civil partnerships, name changes and termination of church membership
Please bring

Counselling Centres

Elele ileriye – hand in hand, forward together, pro familia Freiburg

Counselling for Muslim women, men, parents and young people on issues such as contraception, sexuality, violence, pregnancy, partnership and relationships; advice provided by a Muslim counsellor

Services:
  • Advice in Turkish or German, with interpreter for Arabic and other languages
  • The counselling is free and is subject to professional secrecy obligations

Kompetenzzentrum Frühe Hilfen

Interdisziplinäre Fachberatungsstelle für Fragen zu Prävention und Kinderschutz der Stadt Freiburg

Family services
  • First consultation
  • Psychosocial diagnosis
  • Information and referral for help
  • Timely assistance in situations of crisis and stress
Services for professionals
  • Professionals and institutions engaged in health care and child and youth services receive interdisciplinary advice on questions regarding risk assessment, referrals and coordination, cooperation with parents and optimal networking

pro familia Freiburg e.V., Counselling Centre

Medical, psychosocial and legal advice on any matter concerning sexuality, pregnancy, childbirth, impending parenthood and family

Please let us know in advance by phone if you need an interpreter.

Counselling for individuals, couples and families on the following subjects:
  • Pregnancy and childbirth
  • Sex education
  • Medical advice
  • Partnership / sexuality
  • Separation, divorce, mediation

Amt für Kinder, Jugend und Familie, Kommunaler Sozialer Dienst (KSD)

Der KSD ist zentrale Anlaufstelle für Kinder, Jugendliche, Eltern und andere Erziehungsberechtigte

Angebote
Unterstützung und Förderung von Familien, Beratung und Hilfen in Fragen zur Erziehung, Einleitung von geeigneten und notwendigen Hilfen zur Erziehung, Unterstützung bei der Wahrnehmung der elterlichen Sorge bei Trennung, Scheidung und Umgang.3

Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen Schwangeren- und Familienberatung, Guter Start ins Leben

Beratungsstelle für Schwangere und ihre Familien, Gruppenangebote für Schwangere und Familien

Angebote:
Beratung und Begleitung von Frauen und ihren Familien zu vielen Fragen rund um Schwangerschaft und Geburt, Existenzsicherung, Trennung und Scheidung, Entwicklung des Kindes; Gruppenangebote für Schwangere und Familien mit Kindern unter drei Jahren. Wir bitten um telefonische Anmeldung

Bitte mitbringen:
Bitte bei der Anmeldung zu einem Beratungstermin besprechen

"Unterschiede anerkennen - Vielfalt leben" Netzwerk für Gleichbehandlung in Freiburg

Anlauf- und Koordinierungsstelle zum Thema Diskriminierung

Sprachen:
Bei Bedarf arbeiten wir mit Dolmetscher*innen

Angebote
  • Öffentlichkeitsarbeit zum Thema Diskriminierung
  • Vernetzung der Freiburger Organisationen gegen Diskriminierung
  • Beratung und Hilfe bei direkter Diskriminierung

Diakonisches Werk / Wellcome

Wellcome ist praktische Hilfe nach der Geburt, die jede Familie bekommen kann.

Angebote:
Im ersten Lebensjahr des Kindes erhalten Sie für maximal 6 Monate individuelle Unterstützung rund ums Kind. Eine erfahrene und fachlich geschulte ehrenamtliche Mitarbeiterin kommt ein bis zweimal in der Woche für drei Stunden zu Ihnen nach Hause, um das Baby und / oder die Geschwisterkinder zu betreuen.

ANKER (anchor) group for children who fled with their parents

(sponsored by MAKS - pilot project working with children of addicts, AGJ professional association for prevention and rehabilitation of the Archdiocese Freiburg e.V.)

Children who fled with their parents are in an uncertain situation and under enormous mental stress. ANKER provides support in these cases (group, individual and holiday offers).

Psychological Counselling Centres

The following six counselling centres offer advice and support in case of:

  • child rearing problems
  • crises and conflicts
  • separation and divorce
  • difficulties in school and apprenticeship
  • needing assistance and possibly a referral to other professional services
  • questions on child protection
  • questions on intercultural relations and integration

Counselling Centres of Independent Sponsors: Youth Welfare Organisation (JHW) Freiburg e. V:

Psychological counselling in the Science Institute of the JHW

Psychosocial counselling for parents, children and adolescents during family crises

Counselling for crises in partnerships, conflicts in the family, child rearing problems, problems of single parents

Freiburg Centre for Educational Counselling e.V.

Educational counselling centre focusing on school problems and learning disabilities

Services
  • Advice on problems in school and difficulties in learning for parents, children, adolescents and young adults
  • Individual counselling in our centre, support during interviews with teachers
  • Counselling services in family centres

Counselling Centres of the City of Freiburg

Psychological counselling centre for parents, children and adolescents

Psychological counselling centre for parents, children and adolescents

Psychological counselling centre for parents, children and adolescents