Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum and still trying to find my way around it. But I have a question which I will like to ask. I have looked through the other threads but could not find the answer to my question. I am a master student in the University of Bern and I am from Cameroon. Presently, I am 25 weeks pregnant and my babys father is a Belgian citizen and lives in Belgium. (We do ocassional visits though).
He would like to acknowledge paternity of our child but we are somehow confused about the process.
First, do we have to acknowledge paternity here in Switzerland and also in Belgium?
secondly, if we have to acknowledge the paternity here in Switzerland, what documents are expected from us?
Actally we tried to call the Civil registry office but the lady there could not speak any English and we could not speak German either so it was hard. At the end we could not get any information and she wouldn't send the information by mail.
I would be really glad to hear from you guys. Especially those who have had some personal experiences in this area.
Thank you all in advance.
I think you have to wait until the baby is born to do a paternity test.
Is it because the father is unsure it is his (sorry, for the blunt question) or do you think he needs to prove that he is the father in order for some documentation requirements?
Normally, putting the name of the baby's father on, say, a birth certificate, for example, doesn't require any proof of paternity (just so you know).
You could check with your gynae/obstetrician or whomever is handling the pregnancy if they can do the test or at least recommend somewhere.
Hello Sandgrounder,
thank you for replying me. Actually he does not doubt that the baby is he's. We read that since we are not married, then he has to acknowledge paternity of the child before his name can be added in the baby's birth certificate as the baby's father. We also saw in the website that this can be done before the baby is born or even after the birth. But we would like to do this before the birth so as to reduce the burden after the birth.
I would check directly with your obstetrician in that case. The test I've just read about is invasive and carries a small risk of miscarriage, probably the same kind of test you could order if you think the baby is at high risk of a birth abnormality.
Not sure the non-invasive paternity test would be covered by insurance but maybe someone on here would know more than me.
As for the burden after birth, you could try to arrange one in the maternity hospital while you are there. They do all sorts of tests and you could just order this as an additional one.
I don't think any paternity test is required. The father just has to say that he's the father, and sign the birth certificate or some other document.
https://www.ch.ch/en/register-birth/
There is no need for any tests.
He just needs to put his name on the birth certificate (unless the mother objects, which she can).
This can be done anytime after the birth, but I don't think that it is possible beforehand.
Tom
I thought maybe with the OP being from Cameroon and the father being Belgian perhaps the rules (from either of their home nations) are different as they won't be registering the baby as a Swiss.
Either way, the Swiss authorities don't usually ask for this kind of a test.
They never do, as they can't (unless the father denies that it is his, and even then, only with the permission of the mother).
Tom
She's not asking about paternity test, she's asking about how the father can officially claim legal paternity. They're two completely different things.
There is a process here in Switzerland for this, but because neither you, the father or the baby are/will be Swiss, it is not applicable.
What process?
I know at least 5 couples who have kids out of wedlock here with at least one Swiss parent, no process at all, just sign the form.
Tom
In this case though, neither parent is Swiss! And the father is not even resident in CH.
Geeze, just give her the info she needs folks.
" Who do I contact?
If you live in Switzerland you can acknowledge paternity in any civil register office.
If you live abroad, you can acknowledge paternity at the register office where your child was born or at the usual place of residence; at the place of residence or place of origin of the child’s mother; or, if you are a Swiss citizen, at your place of origin."
" How do I formally have paternity acknowledgement from Switzerland recognised abroad?
A non-Swiss father who has acknowledged paternity of a child in Switzerland must personally ensure that he also does so in his country of origin. Swiss civil register offices do not automatically inform authorities abroad when someone acknowledges paternity, except for those in Germany, Austria and Italy, countries with which an agreement has been signed.
Contact the embassy or consulate of the country concerned to find out what the formal requirements are."
https://www.ch.ch/en/how-acknowlede-paternity/
I'll tell you when my wife gets home she'll remember.
But here is a link to the site ....(German of course)
https://www.ch.ch/de/vorgehen-vaterschaftsanerkennung/
EDIT: I just saw Medea Fleecestealer had already posted the link inn English
I can confirm that you can legally recognize paternity prior to the birth irrespective of whether you or the father are Swiss. No tests required. I did this with both my kids. Neither I nor their mother are Swiss.
The exact requirements will depend on your canton, so you probably need to go back to the Civil registry office and either try to find someone there who speaks English or take with you a friend who can translate.
Updated to add: the link Medea Fleecestealer posted says normally only ID and proof of address are required. In Geneva, they also required a certificate confirming that I was not married (requiring a trip to the British Consulate in Bern).
LOL Sandgrounder, what a suspicious creature you are. OP did not mention a test anywhere, just the official acknoledgement by the father of the baby.
Which is done at birth here in Switzerland - ofcourse you can have him noted down before as well. After the birth, the father has to bring passport, his birth-certificate etc. etc. There are threads about this on here already.
This is all correct. Registering the baby after birth is the big marathon. Not the paternity. There you go, Lekla,
check this page.
What can I say? I must have watched too many hours of Jeremy Kyle in my yoof...
The father can legally recognise the baby in Belgium before it is born.
Links available in French or Dutch and I assume French is more useful for the OP.
http://www.belgium.be/fr/famille/enf...reconnaissance
http://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/Serv...ivil/filiation
It will be important for the father to officially recognise the child in Belgium if they want to get a Belgian passport for him/her. In order to travel outside of Switzerland the baby will need to have either a Belgian or Cameroon passport.
Thank you all so much for all the useful Information. It has been really Helpful. I think I will have to find someone who can speak German to accompany me to the civil registry here in Bern so that i can get the specific requirements for Bern Canton. I will keep you guys posted once that is done. Thank you all once again.