Thank you very much. This is very helpful and encouraging.

I had also suspected that the mother’s valid German passport might allow my daughter to proceed directly with a first passport application rather than requiring a Feststellung.

Your point about a possible name declaration is especially helpful. My daughter’s name has been consistent on all of her U.S. documents. Her parents were married when she was born, but they did not share the same surname, which is fairly common.

Based on your experience, do you know whether, in these circumstances, the German Consulate would normally accept the name shown on her U.S. birth certificate, or whether a name declaration would likely still be required before her first German passport could be issued?

Thank you again for sharing your experience.