Child benefit application - information on how to apply for child benefit

Anyone wishing to receive child benefit for one or more children must apply for this in writing to the responsible family fund. The family fund in whose district the applicant lives or is habitually resident is always responsible for checking the entitlement to child benefit and processing the applications.

A special feature applies to employees in the public service and to recipients of pension benefits. As a rule, the salary or remuneration office of the public law employer is also the responsible family fund at the same time.

Apply for child benefit

The child benefit application must be completed and signed, either by post or fax. An application by email and an oral application are not possible, e.g. on the phone.

There are forms for the application, which can be obtained from the family fund on site and which can also be downloaded from the Internet. Alternatively, you can fill out an online application form. This is used to electronically transmit the data entered to the family fund. However, the application must always be submitted with a signed signature. If you decide to use the online form, the application must be printed and signed after you send it. Together with all the necessary attachments, the application is then sent to the responsible family fund by post or fax. Child benefit can be requested online using the following links:

In addition to the actual application for child benefit, each child for whom child benefit is being requested must also complete and enclose a form with the name "Child attachment".

In principle, in addition to the persons entitled to child benefit, someone who has a legitimate interest in paying child benefit can also apply for child benefit. This is the case, for example, if the person concerned provides maintenance to a child instead of the parents.

Information in the child benefit application

The personal data of the respective applicant is requested in the child benefit application. This includes, for example, the full name, the address, the date of birth etc. The applicant must also state the marital status and nationality. In addition, bank details are requested, because after the successful application, the child benefit must of course also be transferred. Since 2016, the tax identification number of the applicant has also been mandatory.
The tax identification number (if available) of the child for whom child benefit is being requested must also be provided. Parents generally receive this tax ID two weeks after the birth of the child in the form of a letter from the Federal Central Tax Office. In the event that a child benefit application is submitted without the child’s tax identification number, the family fund tries to determine this tax ID itself.

plant child

The information on the child is not entered in the actual application for child benefit, but in the "Child facility". In addition to the tax ID, the family fund responsible also needs further information about the child for whom child benefit is being requested. This includes the first and last name, the date of birth, the gender and the nationality of the child.

In addition to the personal details of the child, the so-called childhood relationship must also be set out in the "annex child". This means that the child’s relationship with the applicant and the applicant’s life partner (if any) must be specified. This informs the family fund whether the child is a biological child, an adoptive child, a foster child, a stepchild or a grandchild of the applicant or partner.

In the event that child benefit is requested for a child of legal age, further information must be entered in the "Appendix child". The questions on the form logically relate to the necessary requirements that apply to paying child benefit for children over 18 years of age. In this way, information is collected as to whether the child is in training or volunteering or whether he is looking for a job. In addition, information on employment and the existence of a child’s disability is requested.

Documents and evidence to be submitted

In addition to the actual child benefit application, a form "Child attachment" must also be submitted. This applies to the application for child benefit for only one child. If child allowance is to be applied for for several children at the same time, a separate "Appendix Child" form must be submitted for each child.

If the child benefit is requested for a child born in Germany, neither the birth certificate nor the birth certificate need to be submitted. These documents are only to be presented to the family fund upon request. The situation is different for applications for children born abroad. Here, the parent-child relationship (childhood relationship) must be proven from the outset by official documents. This can be done, for example, by presenting a foreign birth certificate.

In the case of applications for child benefit for children of legal age who are in an apprenticeship, appropriate evidence must be attached. It must therefore be proven that the child is in school or in company training or is studying. For the study you should submit a certificate of enrollment from the university. In the case of vocational training, a training certificate must be submitted accordingly. If the child is in school education, a school certificate must be submitted to the family fund.

In the event that one applies for child benefit for a child with a disability, proof of the disability must be attached to the application. As a rule, the severely handicapped ID is sufficient. The disability can also be proven differently. Further information on child benefit for children with disabilities.

Processing time child benefit application

The processing time for applications for child benefit can vary considerably. Depending on the occupancy of the responsible family fund, applicants should expect a few weeks to two months. However, these two months are not set as the maximum processing time and can therefore be exceeded. However, such a long duration is the exception rather than the rule.

For parents who are financially dependent on child benefit, it may be advisable to apply for child benefit as early as possible due to the longer processing time. The sooner the application is submitted, the sooner you can expect processing. Accordingly, the first child benefit is paid out sooner. However, if it should take a little longer for the application to be submitted, it doesn’t matter. Because child benefit can also be applied for up to 6 months retrospectively. So there is no hurry, but you shouldn’t wait too long.