OtterFillHow to fill in the Kindergeld application (KG 1 and Anlage Kind)
The Antrag auf Kindergeld (form KG 1) is the paper application for Germany’s child benefit, sent with one Anlage Kind for each child to the Familienkasse of the Federal Employment Agency. You fill it in if you live in Germany (or are fully taxable there) and a child under 18, or an older child in training, lives with you; only one person receives Kindergeld for each child.
Last checked against the official form:
- Form
- KG 1
- Edition
- KG 1 – 01.25 / Anlage Kind – 01.25 (Stand September 2025)
- Issued by
- Familienkasse der Bundesagentur für Arbeit
- Form language
- Deutsch
- Where it goes
- The Familienkasse responsible for you, usually the one for where you live; or apply online at familienkasse.de
- What you send
- KG 1 once, plus one Anlage Kind for each child; Anlage EU, Anlage Ausland or a copy of your residence permit where the form asks for it
- How
- Signed on paper by post or fax, or online; not by email or phone
- Back payment
- At most 6 months before the month in which the Familienkasse receives your application (§ 70 Income Tax Act, EStG)
- Amount
- The same for every child since 2023; it is set by law and changes, so check the Familienkasse’s page
What this form is
Kindergeld (child benefit) is a monthly payment for children that does not depend on your income. In most cases it is paid under the Income Tax Act (EStG), in some special cases under the Federal Child Benefit Act (BKGG); the Familienkasse (family benefits office) of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit decides and pays. Only one person receives it for each child, normally the parent the child lives with.
On paper, the application is two forms. KG 1, the main form, asks about you, your spouse or the other parent in your household, the bank account and your other children. The Anlage Kind (4 pages) asks about one child: identity, relationship to you and to the other parent, the child’s situation if 18 or older, and benefits or work abroad in the last 5 years. You send one Anlage Kind for each child you apply for. Depending on your nationality and where your family lives and works, you also add the Anlage EU, the Anlage Ausland (KG 51) or a copy of your residence permit.
The Familienkasse also offers the application online at familienkasse.de: there the Anlage Kind is part of the online form, and with a BundID you send it without printing or signing. This guide follows the paper forms KG 1 and Anlage Kind in the edition of September 2025 (KG 1 – 01.25); the online application asks for the same information. The amount of Kindergeld changes, so this guide does not state it: check the Familienkasse’s page.
Who has to fill it in
You fill in KG 1 if:
- You live in Germany, or you live abroad but are fully taxable in Germany, and you have your own, adopted, step-, grand- or foster child in your household.
- The child is under 18; or 18 to 24 and in school, training or studies, in a voluntary service, between two stages of training (at most 4 months), or without a training place; or under 21 and registered as a jobseeker; or has a disability that began before the age of 25.
- You are a citizen of Germany, another EU or EEA country or Switzerland; or a citizen of another country with a residence permit that entitles you to Kindergeld, for example a settlement permit.
You do not use this form if:
- The child does not live with you but with the other parent: as a rule, the parent whose household the child lives in applies.
- You are an orphan, or a child who does not know where your parents are, applying for yourself: the Familienkasse has a separate form (KG 1a).
- You want the extra benefit for families with low income (Kinderzuschlag): that is a separate application.
Field-by-field instructions
KG 1 · 1: About you (the applicant)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| KG 1Kindergeld-Nr. | Your Kindergeld number, which the Familienkasse gives you with your first application. | If you already receive Kindergeld for another child, copy the number from your notice (Bescheid): it has 11 characters and contains FK, for example 123FK456789. If this is your first application, leave it blank. |
| KG 1Anzahl der beigefügten "Anlage Kind" | How many Anlage Kind forms you attach. | Write the number of children you apply for now, one Anlage Kind for each. Children who already receive Kindergeld through you need none. |
| KG 1 · 1Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer der antragstellenden Person (soweit vergeben, zwingend auszufüllen) | Your tax identification number (Steuer-ID), 11 digits from the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt). Kindergeld is paid only if you and the child can be identified by it. | Copy it from the letter the BZSt sent you, your payslip’s annual tax certificate or your tax assessment. If you cannot find it, request it again on bzst.de; it is sent only in writing, by post. If you have never been given one, leave the boxes empty. |
| KG 1 · 1Familienname / Titel / Vorname | Your last name, an academic title and your first name. | Write them as in your passport or ID card. Titel is for an academic title, for example Dr.; leave it empty if you have none. |
| KG 1 · 1ggf. Geburtsname und Familienname aus früherer Ehe | Your name at birth, or a last name from an earlier marriage, if it differs from your current name. | Fill it in only if you had another last name; otherwise leave it empty. |
| KG 1 · 1Geburtsdatum / Geburtsort / Geschlecht | Your date and place of birth and your sex. | Write the date with day first, for example 03.07.1990, and the town of birth, adding the country if it is abroad. |
| KG 1 · 1Staatsangehörigkeit | Your citizenship. It decides which extra forms you need. | Write all your citizenships. If you are not German but a citizen of another EU or EEA country, also fill in the Anlage EU. If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, enclose a copy of your residence permit. If someone in the family lives or works abroad, add the Anlage Ausland as well. |
| KG 1 · 1Anschrift (Straße/Platz, Hausnummer, Postleitzahl, Wohnort, Staat) | Where you live. | Street, house number, postcode, town and country, as you are registered. The decision (Bescheid) is sent here unless you name someone else in box 4. |
| KG 1 · 1Familienstand: ledig / verheiratet / geschieden / verwitwet / in eingetragener Lebenspartnerschaft lebend / aufgehobene Lebenspartnerschaft / dauernd getrennt lebend – seit | Your marital status and since when. | Tick one box and write the date it began after seit. Tick dauernd getrennt lebend (permanently separated) only if you are married or in a civil partnership and at least one of you intends to stay apart for good. |
KG 1 · 2: Your spouse, partner or the other parent in your household
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| KG 1 · 2Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer (soweit vergeben, bitte ausfüllen) | The tax ID of the person in box 2. | Box 2 is for your spouse or registered partner, or the child’s other parent or a step-parent who lives in your household. Copy their 11-digit tax ID if they have one. If the other parent does not live with you, leave box 2 empty and give their details in the Anlage Kind, box 2. |
| KG 1 · 2Familienname / Vorname / Titel / Geburtsdatum / Staatsangehörigkeit / Geschlecht / ggf. Geburtsname und Familienname aus früherer Ehe | The name, date of birth, citizenship and sex of the person in box 2. | Fill it in as you did for yourself in box 1, including a birth name or a name from an earlier marriage. |
| KG 1 · 2Anschrift, wenn abweichend von antragstellender Person, z. B. bei weiterem Wohnsitz im In- oder Ausland | The address of the person in box 2, if it is not yours. | Fill it in only if they also have another home, in Germany or abroad. If they live only at your address, leave it empty. |
KG 1 · 3: Bank account
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| KG 1 · 3IBAN / BIC / Bank, Finanzinstitut (ggf. auch Zweigstelle) | The account the Kindergeld is paid into. | Write the IBAN, the BIC and the name of the bank. The Kindergeld for one child cannot be split between several accounts. |
| KG 1 · 3Kontoinhaber(in) ist: antragstellende Person wie unter Nr. 1 / nicht antragstellende Person, sondern: Familienname, Vorname | Whose account it is. | Tick the first box if the account is yours. If it belongs to someone else, tick the second and write their last and first name. You remain the one who must repay Kindergeld paid wrongly, even when it goes to another person’s account. |
KG 1 · 4–6: Notice and your other children
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| KG 1 · 4Der Bescheid soll nicht mir, sondern folgender Person (z. B. Steuerberater, Rechtsanwalt, etc.) zugesandt werden | Someone who should receive the decision letter (Bescheid) instead of you. | Fill it in only if, for example, a tax adviser or an income-tax help association (Lohnsteuerhilfeverein) handles your Kindergeld. Otherwise leave it empty. |
| KG 1 · 5Für folgende Kinder beziehe ich bereits Kindergeld (auch in Fällen der abweichenden Kontoverbindung, Abzweigung und Erstattung) | Children for whom you already receive Kindergeld. | For each, write the first name (and last name if it differs), date of birth, sex, and the Familienkasse with the Kindergeld number. Include children whose Kindergeld goes to another account or another person. These children need no Anlage Kind. |
| KG 1 · 6Weitere eigene Kinder, für die eine andere Person Kindergeld bezieht | Your own children for whom someone else receives Kindergeld, for example your former partner or a grandparent. | Give each child’s name, date of birth and sex, who receives the Kindergeld, and at which Familienkasse with the Kindergeld number if you know it. |
KG 1: Signatures
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| KG 1Datum / Unterschrift der antragstellenden Person bzw. der gesetzlichen Vertretung | Your declaration that everything is complete and true, and that you will report changes at once. | Write the date and sign. If you are under 18, your legal representative signs for you. An application without a signature cannot be processed; with a BundID online, no signature is needed. |
| KG 1Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass das Kindergeld zugunsten der antragstellenden Person festgesetzt bzw. bewilligt wird. – Unterschrift der unter Punkt 2 genannten Person bzw. deren gesetzliche Vertretung | The person in box 2 agrees that you, not they, receive the Kindergeld. | If you live together and both of you could receive it, decide who applies; the other signs here. If you do not agree, tell the Familienkasse. If a court has decided who receives it, enclose the decision. |
Anlage Kind · 1: The child (one Anlage Kind per child)
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Anlage KindFamilienname und Vorname der antragstellenden Person / Kindergeld-Nr. / zum Antrag auf Kindergeld vom / Lfd. Nr. | The top of each Anlage Kind, which links it to your KG 1. | Write your name as the applicant, your Kindergeld number if you have one, the date of your KG 1 after vom, and a running number (Lfd. Nr.) for each Anlage Kind: 1, 2, 3. |
| Anlage Kind · 1Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer des Kindes (soweit vergeben, zwingend auszufüllen) | The child’s 11-digit tax ID; the child must be identified by it. | For a child born in Germany, the BZSt sends it to the child’s registered address soon after the birth. If the child lives abroad and never received a German tax ID, leave it empty; the Familienkasse tells you which foreign documents identify the child. |
| Anlage Kind · 1Familienname / Titel / Vorname / Geburtsname / Geburtsdatum / Geburtsort / Geschlecht / Staatsangehörigkeit | The child’s name, birth name, date and place of birth, sex and citizenship. | Copy them from the birth certificate or passport. For a child born in Germany, you show the birth certificate only if the Familienkasse asks; for a child born abroad, prove that the child is yours with official documents, for example the foreign birth certificate. |
| Anlage Kind · 1Anschrift, wenn abweichend von antragstellender Person / Grund der abweichenden Anschrift | Where the child lives, if not with you, and why. | Fill it in only if the address differs from yours, and give the reason, for example living with grandparents, in a foster home, at a place of school or training, or in another home in Germany or abroad. A child who lives away only for school or studies still counts as part of your household. |
Anlage Kind · 2: Relationship to the child
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Anlage Kind · 2Kindschaftsverhältnis: leibliches Kind / Adoptivkind / Pflegekind / Stiefkind / Enkelkind – zur antragstellenden Person / zum/zur Ehepartner(in) bzw. eingetragenen Lebenspartner(in) / zu einer anderen Person | How the child is related to you, to the person in KG 1 box 2, and to another person. | In each row that applies, tick biological, adopted, foster, step- or grandchild. For an adopted child, enclose the adoption decision; for a foster child, the Familienkasse asks for a separate declaration (KG 12a). |
| Anlage Kind · 2Angaben zur anderen Person: Familienname / Vorname / Geburtsdatum / letzte bekannte Anschrift / Staatsangehörigkeit / ggf. Zusatzangaben (z. B verstorben, Vaterschaft nicht festgestellt, unbekannt) | The other parent (or foster parent) who is not in KG 1 box 2, for example the child’s other parent who does not live with you. | This box is always required: name, date of birth, last known address and citizenship. If the parent has died, add verstorben; if paternity has not been legally established, write unbekannt or Vaterschaft nicht festgestellt. |
Anlage Kind · 3: Only for a child who is 18 or about to turn 18
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Anlage Kind · 3Nachweise zu den Angaben (Punkt 3.1 - 3.3) für ein volljähriges Kind: sind beigefügt / liegen bereits vor / werden nachgereicht | Whether the proofs for an adult child are attached. | Fill in section 3 only if the child is 18 or turns 18 soon; otherwise go on to box 4. Tick whether the proofs are attached, already with the Familienkasse, or will follow. Proofs are, for example, a school or university certificate or a training contract. |
| Anlage Kind · 3.1Das Kind … (Schul-, Hochschul- oder Berufsausbildung / sonstige Ausbildungsmaßnahme / mangels Ausbildungsplatz / freiwilliger Dienst / Übergangszeit / arbeitsuchend gemeldet) – ab/von, bis | Why Kindergeld should continue after 18: training or studies, other training measure, no training place, voluntary service, a break between two stages, or registered as a jobseeker. | Tick what applies, name the training, and give the dates from and to. For no training place, or for a child registered as a jobseeker, enclose the form KG 11a. Kindergeld can continue until the child turns 25, or 21 for a jobseeker; a break between two stages counts for at most 4 months. |
| Anlage Kind · 3.2 aDas Kind hat bereits eine Berufsausbildung oder ein Studium abgeschlossen bzw. wird diese(s) in Kürze abschließen. | Whether the child has finished, or will soon finish, a first vocational training or degree. | Tick ja or nein. If ja, give the qualification with its subject, the date it ends, and the career aim if it differs. If nein, go on to 3.3. |
| Anlage Kind · 3.2 bDas Kind war/ist erwerbstätig bzw. wird erwerbstätig sein. … Insgesamt (vereinbarte) regelmäßige wöchentliche Arbeitszeit | Whether the child works, worked or will work, and how many hours a week. | Tick ja or nein, tick a minijob (geringfügige Beschäftigung) or other work, give the dates and the employer, and the total agreed hours per week. After a first training or degree, work of more than 20 hours a week usually ends Kindergeld; a minijob does not. |
| Anlage Kind · 3.3Liegt bei dem Kind eine Behinderung vor, welche vor Vollendung des 25. Lebensjahres eingetreten ist? | Whether the child has a disability that began before the age of 25. | Tick ja or nein. For a child who cannot support themselves because of such a disability, Kindergeld can continue without an age limit; the Familienkasse asks for medical or official proof. |
Anlage Kind · 4–7: Earlier claims, public service, abroad, signature
| On the form | What it means | How to fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Anlage Kind · 4Haben Sie oder eine unter Punkt 2 genannte Person für dieses Kind bereits Kindergeld beantragt oder erhalten? | Whether you or a person in box 2 has already applied for or received Kindergeld for this child. | Tick nein, or tick ja and give who applied or received it, their date of birth, the period, the Familienkasse with its address and the Kindergeld number. |
| Anlage Kind · 5Sind Sie oder eine unter Punkt 2 genannte Person, zu der das Kind in einem Kindschaftsverhältnis steht, im öffentlichen Dienst tätig? | Whether you or a person in box 2 who is related to the child works in the public service. | Public service means a civil servant or employee of the federal government, a state, a municipality or another public-law body, a judge or a soldier; churches and welfare associations do not count. If ja, answer a) and b) and give the person’s name and date of birth. |
| Anlage Kind · 6Besteht oder bestand für Sie oder eine unter Punkt 2 genannte Person für das Kind in den letzten 5 Jahren vor der Antragstellung ein Anspruch auf eine kindbezogene Geldleistung von einer Stelle außerhalb Deutschlands oder von einer zwischen- oder überstaatlichen Einrichtung? | Whether anyone in box 2 had a claim to a child-related payment from abroad, or from an international body such as the EU institutions, in the last 5 years. | Tick nein, or tick ja and give the person, the benefit, the monthly amount in euros, the period, the paying body with its address and its file number. A comparable benefit from abroad can rule out German Kindergeld, so answer exactly. |
| Anlage Kind · 7Sind oder waren Sie oder eine unter Punkt 2 genannte Person … in den letzten 5 Jahren vor der Antragstellung a) außerhalb Deutschlands … tätig? b) in Deutschland bei einer Dienststelle oder Einrichtung eines anderen Staates oder als Angehörige(r) der NATO-Streitkräfte tätig? c) in Deutschland auf Veranlassung eines Arbeitgebers mit Sitz außerhalb Deutschlands beschäftigt? | Whether you or a person in box 2 worked in the last 5 years abroad, for a foreign state or NATO forces in Germany, or in Germany for an employer based abroad (for example as a posted worker). | Tick ja or nein for a), b) and c). Answer ja also for work in a diplomatic or consular service. If ja, give the person, the period, the employer with its address, and the place and country of work. |
| Anlage KindDatum / Unterschrift der antragstellenden Person bzw. der gesetzlichen Vertretung | Your declaration that the details in this Anlage Kind are complete and true. | Date and sign each Anlage Kind, or your legal representative signs if you are under 18. |
Key terms
| Term on the form | What it means |
|---|---|
| Kindergeld | Child benefit: a monthly payment for each child, paid to one person per child. |
| Familienkasse | The family benefits office of the Federal Employment Agency, which decides on and pays Kindergeld. |
| Anlage Kind | The annex for one child; you send one for each child you apply for. |
| Anlage EU | The annex for applicants who are citizens of another EU or EEA country. |
| Anlage Ausland | The annex (KG 51) for families where a parent or child lives or works abroad, or receives benefits from abroad. |
| Steuerliche Identifikationsnummer | The 11-digit tax identification number from the Federal Central Tax Office; you and each child need one. |
| Kindergeldnummer | Your Kindergeld number from the Familienkasse; it also decides the day of the month you are paid. |
| Antragstellende Person | The applicant: the person who applies and, if entitled, receives the Kindergeld. |
| Aufenthaltstitel | A residence permit for citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. |
| Gemeinsamer Haushalt | Living together in one home where the child is cared for; being registered at the address alone is not enough. |
| Kindschaftsverhältnis | The relationship between a child and an adult: biological, adopted, foster, step- or grandchild. |
| Dauernd getrennt lebend | Permanently separated: married or in a civil partnership, with at least one partner intending to stay apart for good. |
| Volljähriges Kind | A child who has turned 18, for whom Kindergeld continues only in the cases the law lists. |
| Geringfügige Beschäftigung (Minijob) | A small job (minijob) under §§ 8, 8a of the Social Code, Book IV; it does not end Kindergeld after a first training. |
| Öffentlicher Dienst | The public service: federal, state and municipal bodies, judges and soldiers, but not churches or welfare associations. |
| Bescheid | The written decision from the Familienkasse; you can object to it within 1 month. |
| Merkblatt Kindergeld | The Familienkasse’s leaflet with the rules for Kindergeld (KG 2), also in English; by signing you confirm you have read it. |
| BundID | The federal online account; with it you send the online application without a signature. |
Common mistakes
- 1
Leaving a tax ID empty
Your tax ID and the child’s are required whenever they have been issued; without them the Familienkasse cannot pay. Find them in the BZSt letter or your tax papers, or request them again on bzst.de, which sends them only by post.
- 2
Applying months after the birth or the move
Kindergeld is paid back for at most 6 months before the month the Familienkasse receives your application. Apply as soon as you can, even if a document will follow.
- 3
Forgetting an Anlage Kind
Each child you apply for needs their own Anlage Kind, and the number of them goes at the top of KG 1. On paper the main form alone is not a complete application.
- 4
Both parents applying
Only one person receives Kindergeld for a child. When you live together, decide who applies; the other signs the consent at the end of KG 1.
- 5
Missing the extra papers for your nationality
Citizens of another EU or EEA country add the Anlage EU; citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland enclose a copy of their residence permit. If a parent or child lives or works abroad, the Anlage Kind questions 6 and 7 and the Anlage Ausland matter.
- 6
Sending the form by email
The Familienkasse does not accept applications by email or phone. Send the signed paper form by post or fax, or apply online.
- 7
Applying for an adult child without proof
For a child aged 18 or over, enclose proof of school, studies, training or voluntary service, or the form KG 11a for a child without a training place or registered as a jobseeker.
- 8
Not reporting changes afterwards
You must tell the Familienkasse at once about changes such as a move, a child leaving your household or finishing training, or work abroad. Kindergeld paid wrongly must be repaid, even if you were not at fault.
Questions and answers
Who should apply when both parents live with the child?
Either parent can; you decide between you who receives Kindergeld. The other parent signs the consent at the end of KG 1. If you cannot agree, the family court decides on request.
How far back can I get Kindergeld?
At most 6 months before the month in which the Familienkasse receives your application (§ 70 of the Income Tax Act). Your entitlement itself does not expire, but older months are not paid out.
Can I apply online instead of on paper?
Yes, at familienkasse.de, for a newborn and for a child over 18. With a BundID you send it without printing or signing; without one, you fill it in online, print it, sign it and post it. Online, the Anlage Kind is part of the form.
My child does not have a tax ID yet. What do I do?
A child born in Germany receives it by post at the registered address soon after the birth. When you move to Germany, the BZSt sends tax IDs after you have registered your address. If the child lives in another EU country and has no German tax ID, the child is identified with documents of that country; ask your Familienkasse which ones.
Can I get Kindergeld if I am not German?
Citizens of other EU or EEA countries and of Switzerland can, once they live in Germany; for new arrivals the entitlement generally starts in the fourth month. Citizens of other countries need certain residence permits, for example a settlement permit or a permit that allows work; the Familienkasse checks your permit, so enclose a copy.
Until what age is Kindergeld paid?
For every child until 18. After that until 25 if the child is in training, studies or a voluntary service, between two stages, or has no training place; until 21 if registered as a jobseeker; and without an age limit for a child who cannot support themselves because of a disability that began before 25.
How much is Kindergeld?
The same amount for every child since 2023. It is set by law and changes, so check the current amount on the Familienkasse’s page.
How long does it take?
The Familienkasse checks whether your papers are complete and contacts you if something is missing. If you have heard nothing after 6 weeks, you can ask by phone about the status.
Do I need to send my child’s birth certificate?
For a child born in Germany, only if the Familienkasse asks for it. For a child born abroad, prove the relationship with official documents, for example the foreign birth certificate.
Fill in this form in your language
Upload the form to OtterFill. It explains every question in your language, prefills answers from your documents and checks the form before you submit it.
This guide explains a form. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice, and forms change: check the official instructions before you submit. How we write and check our guides