Acknowledgement of Paternity

When is an acknowledgement of paternity necessary?

If the parents of a child were not married during the pregnancy, only the man who acknowledges his paternity may be entered as the father to the child's Hungarian birth certificate, regardless of the contents of the Canadian one. The acknowledgement may be signed before the birth.

When is acknowledging the paternity not possible?

A man cannot acknowledge his paternity if

• the mother was married during her pregnancy,
• or she divorced, and less than 300 days passed between the day of birth and the day on which the divorce took effect.

​In the above cases the legal presumption is that the husband or the ex-husband is the father. This presumption can only be contested at the court. There are some special rules for children born via an in vitro procedure. For clarifications, please send us an email to consulate.ott@mfa.gov.hu.

It is also impossible to acknowledge the paternity if a court has already passed a judgment on paternity.

Who cannot acknowledge his paternity?

A man who is not older than the child by at least 16 years.

Who have to give consent to the acknowledgement?

The consent of the

• mother
• the legal guardian of a minor, and
• child if he or she is at least 14 years of age

​are necessary for the full effect of the acknowledgement.

If the mother or the child is deceased or are permanently hindered, the consent may be given by the Hungarian guardianship office. A statement on the family name of the child is part of the acknowledgement and the consent.

How can paternity be acknowledged in Canada?

The father can only acknowledge his paternity in person, in Ottawa, in Toronto, in Montreal, in Vancouver or during extramural consular days. If the mother and the child who is at least 14 years of age cannot be present, they can also give their consents to the statement made by the father earlier at a honorary consulate.

How much is the fee?

The fee for the acknowledgement is: https://ottawa.mfa.gov.hu/hun/page/konzuli-dijak (I. Állampolgársági Ügyek, Állampolgársági bizonyítvány iránti kérelem) which is payable by debit/credit card only. We do not accept either cash or cheques.

Which form do I have to fill out?

Please fill out this form if the child was already born,and this one if the child is yet to be born.

• Pay attention to statements on the form that need to be underlined.
• Do not sign the forms, only in the presence of the consul!

What other documents are necessary?

• valid photo ID of the parents;
• the proof of citizenship of the parent who is a Hungarian citizen (valid passport or a passport expired within the past one year, ID card, valid citizenship certificate or naturalization certificate)
• if the marital status of the mother is divorced or widow, proof of that (marriage certificate with a note, court decree on divorce, death certificate)
• if the child is yet to be born, certificate from the obstetrician / gynecologist on the likely date of giving birth.

​Forms