Apply for an identity card as a person under 16
Source: Serviceportal Rheinland-PfalzIf you have German citizenship, you can apply for an identity card. This applies to children from birth. If you are under 16, you must be accompanied by your parents. Your parents or legal guardians will take care of the application for you.
Your ID card is valid for a maximum of 6 years. When you turn 16, you must have a valid identity card if you do not have a valid passport.
The ID card becomes invalid before the expiry date entered on it in the following cases:
- Entries no longer apply, for example if you change your name.
- You are no longer clearly recognizable in your photo. This may be the case in particular with ID cards for infants or very young children.
You can submit the application to the ID card authority at your main place of residence. This is usually the Citizens' Registration Office. Applications can be submitted to any other ID card authority if you have an important reason. You will then pay a surcharge.
The ID card can be used as electronic proof of identity (online ID card) from the age of 16. This function is automatically deactivated for children and young people up to the age of 16. If you are at least 16 years old, you can have the function activated free of charge at a later date, for example at the Citizens' Registration Office, and at the same time set a six-digit PIN of your own choice before you can use the online ID card.
If you urgently need an ID document, you can first apply for a temporary ID card. This is valid for a maximum of 3 months.
Your parents or legal guardians must apply for the ID card personally and together with you at the Citizens' Office:
- Your parents submit the application jointly if they have joint custody.
- One custodial parent can be represented by the other custodial parent by power of attorney.
- They must sign if they are 10 years or older at the time of application.
- The submission of fingerprints for storage in the document is legally required for the application (usually a flat print of the left and right index finger).
- Persons who have not yet reached the age of 6 do not provide a fingerprint.
- You will receive a one-time PIN and the unlocking number (PUK) in a sealed envelope. You will only need this information after your 16th birthday.
- Your Citizens' Registration Office will inform your parents when you apply when they can collect your ID card.
- At many citizens' offices, your parents can arrange a collection date online, by e-mail or by telephone.
- You can find out which options your Citizens' Registration Office offers on their website, for example.
Please contact the identity card office in your place of residence.
You can be issued with an ID card if you are under 16 and have German citizenship.
For applications outside your main place of residence:
- You or your legal guardian must have an important reason why you are not applying for your ID card at the Citizens' Registration Office at your main place of residence.
- old identity document, regardless of whether it is valid or has already expired:
- old identity card or passport
- old children's passport
- if no old identity card or passport is available:
- birth certificate
- if only one parent with custody is present:
- Declaration of consent of the non-custodial parent present
- if only one parent is present:
- Proof of custody
- biometric digital passport photo: taken on site at the authority or by a registered domestic photo service provider (photographer). There are exceptions to the biometric requirements for infants and small children according to the sample photo table.
Fee: 22,80 EURPayment in advance: yeshttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswgebv/BJNR147700010.htmlFees for the identity card Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.
Fee: 10,00 EURPayment in advance: yeshttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswgebv/BJNR147700010.htmlFees for the temporary identity card Fees can be reduced or waived for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.
Fee: 13,00 EURPayment in advance: yeshttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswgebv/BJNR147700010.htmlSurcharge for applications submitted outside working hours or if the authority is not responsible Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.
Fee: 30,00 EURPayment in advance: yeshttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswgebv/BJNR147700010.htmlSurcharge for issue by consular or diplomatic representation abroad Fee reductions or exemptions are possible for people in need. This is at the discretion of the identity card authority.
Fee: 6,00 EURPayment in advance: yeshttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswgebv/BJNR147700010.html
You must apply for an identity card at the latest when you turn 16. Exception: You have a valid passport document such as a passport or temporary passport.
Period of Validity: 6 YearsFür antragstellende Personen unter 24 Jahre.
It usually takes at least 2 weeks from the date of application before you can collect your ID card from the Citizens' Registration Office.
If your ID card is stolen, you must report this to the police. If you lose your ID card, you can block it by calling the blocking hotline.
- Informationen zum Personalausweis auf der Internetseite des Bundesministeriums des Innern (BMI)
- Fragen und Antworten zum Thema "Biometrie" und Passfotos auf dem Personalausweisportal
- Informationen zur Sperrung des Personalausweises bei Verlust auf dem Personalausweisportal des Bundesministeriums des Innern (BMI)
25.06.2025
Your responsible office:
Verbandsgemeinde Cochem - Fachbereich 2/3 - Bürgerdienste
Address
Ravenéstraße 61
56812 Cochem
56812 Cochem
Building access
Lift available, wheelchair accessible
Contact
Telephone
+49 2671 608-0
Fax
+49 2671 608-140
Website
Opening hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday 14:00 - 16:00
Thursday 14:00 - 18:00
Contact person
Visitor address
Ravenéstraße 61
56812 Cochem
56812 Cochem
Telephone
+49 2671 608-172
Fax
+49 2671 608-88172
Website
room
1.06
Responsible for:
- Cochem (Verbandsgemeinde):
- Apply for a new ID card due to expiry of validity
- Apply for a new ID card due to theft
- Apply for a new ID card if you lose it
- Apply for a new identity card due to change of name on marriage
- Apply for a new identity card due to name change after divorce
- Apply for a new passport due to name change
- Apply for a passport
- Apply for a passport due to change of other data
- Apply for a passport with 48 pages
- Apply for a second passport
- Apply for a temporary identity card
- Apply for a temporary passport
- Apply for an examination authorization certificate
- Apply for an express passport
- Apply for an identity card
- Apply for an identity card as a person under 16
- Apply for exemption from the identification requirement as a permanently disabled person who cannot move around in public
- Apply for identity card because of other name change
- Applying for an eID card as an EU citizen
- Applying for an ID card for the first time
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for assisted persons
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for permanently housed persons
- Blocking of information and transmission in the population register, entry, blocking of transmission of information to parties, etc.
- Budget certificate
- Certificate of voting rights
- Change of main residence
- Change of residence
- Comply with reporting obligations in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Declaration of consent for minors traveling without a legal guardian
- Deregister residence due to emigration
- Deregistering the secondary residence
- Electronic proof of identity Blocking
- Electronic proof of identity Change PIN
- Exempt from identification requirements
- Extended information from the civil register
- Fishing licence issuance
- Have a new address entered on your ID card
- Have your identity card changed
- House number assignment
- ID card Issuing information on the ID card with online ID function
- ID card storage in the chip
- ID card Storage of signature certificates in the chip
- Identity card information issue
- Identity card status query
- Information and transmission blocks in the population register Entry of information block
- Issuing information from the population register
- Life certificate for submission to the pension insurance company Issue
- Make identity card notifications
- New passport issue due to change of name on marriage or establishment of a civil partnership
- Notarization of documents or signatures
- Obligation to report in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Official registration confirmation Issue
- Passport change
- Passport issue
- Passport issue for adults for the first time
- Passport issue for minors for the first time
- Passport notification
- Passport notification due to loss
- Passport report due to find
- Passport status query
- Passport theft report
- Pick up identity card
- Place of residence - registration of the sole or main residence
- Population register information Provision of group information
- Providing information to political parties and voter groups
- Register residence
- Registering a secondary residence
- Registration information Issuing self-disclosure
- Registration register information issued to landlords
- Report the theft of your own identity card
- Reporting the loss of your own identity card
- Reporting the retrieval of your own identity card
- Residence deregistration
- Residence registration for inland navigation skippers and seafarers
- Simple information from the population register
- Submit a lost and found report
- Unblocking electronic proof of identity
Visitor address
Ravenéstraße 61
56812 Cochem
56812 Cochem
Telephone
+49 2671 608-152
Fax
+49 2671 608-88152
Website
room
1.07
Responsible for:
- Cochem (Verbandsgemeinde):
- Apply for a new ID card due to expiry of validity
- Apply for a new ID card due to theft
- Apply for a new ID card if you lose it
- Apply for a new identity card due to change of name on marriage
- Apply for a new identity card due to name change after divorce
- Apply for a new passport due to name change
- Apply for a passport
- Apply for a passport due to change of other data
- Apply for a passport with 48 pages
- Apply for a second passport
- Apply for a temporary identity card
- Apply for a temporary passport
- Apply for an examination authorization certificate
- Apply for an express passport
- Apply for an identity card
- Apply for an identity card as a person under 16
- Apply for exemption from the identification requirement as a permanently disabled person who cannot move around in public
- Apply for identity card because of other name change
- Applying for an eID card as an EU citizen
- Applying for an ID card for the first time
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for assisted persons
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for permanently housed persons
- Blocking of information and transmission in the population register, entry, blocking of transmission of information to parties, etc.
- Budget certificate
- Certificate of voting rights
- Change of main residence
- Change of residence
- Comply with reporting obligations in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Declaration of consent for minors traveling without a legal guardian
- Deregister residence due to emigration
- Deregistering the secondary residence
- Electronic proof of identity Blocking
- Electronic proof of identity Change PIN
- Exempt from identification requirements
- Extended information from the civil register
- Fishing licence issuance
- Have a new address entered on your ID card
- Have your identity card changed
- House number assignment
- ID card Issuing information on the ID card with online ID function
- ID card storage in the chip
- ID card Storage of signature certificates in the chip
- Identity card information issue
- Identity card status query
- Information and transmission blocks in the population register Entry of information block
- Issuing information from the population register
- Life certificate for submission to the pension insurance company Issue
- Make identity card notifications
- New passport issue due to change of name on marriage or establishment of a civil partnership
- Notarization of documents or signatures
- Obligation to report in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Official registration confirmation Issue
- Passport change
- Passport issue
- Passport issue for adults for the first time
- Passport issue for minors for the first time
- Passport notification
- Passport notification due to loss
- Passport report due to find
- Passport status query
- Passport theft report
- Pick up identity card
- Place of residence - registration of the sole or main residence
- Population register information Provision of group information
- Providing information to political parties and voter groups
- Register residence
- Registering a secondary residence
- Registration information Issuing self-disclosure
- Registration register information issued to landlords
- Report the theft of your own identity card
- Reporting the loss of your own identity card
- Reporting the retrieval of your own identity card
- Residence deregistration
- Residence registration for inland navigation skippers and seafarers
- Simple information from the population register
- Submit a lost and found report
- Unblocking electronic proof of identity
Address
Ravenéstraße 61
56812 Cochem
56812 Cochem
Telephone
+49 2671 608-158
Fax
+49 2671 608-88158
Website
room
1.06
Responsible for:
- Cochem (Verbandsgemeinde):
- Apply for a new ID card due to expiry of validity
- Apply for a new ID card due to theft
- Apply for a new ID card if you lose it
- Apply for a new identity card due to change of name on marriage
- Apply for a new identity card due to name change after divorce
- Apply for a new passport due to name change
- Apply for a passport
- Apply for a passport due to change of other data
- Apply for a passport with 48 pages
- Apply for a second passport
- Apply for a temporary identity card
- Apply for a temporary passport
- Apply for an examination authorization certificate
- Apply for an express passport
- Apply for an identity card
- Apply for an identity card as a person under 16
- Apply for exemption from the identification requirement as a permanently disabled person who cannot move around in public
- Apply for identity card because of other name change
- Applying for an eID card as an EU citizen
- Applying for an ID card for the first time
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for assisted persons
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for permanently housed persons
- Blocking of information and transmission in the population register, entry, blocking of transmission of information to parties, etc.
- Budget certificate
- Certificate of voting rights
- Change of main residence
- Change of residence
- Comply with reporting obligations in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Declaration of consent for minors traveling without a legal guardian
- Deregister residence due to emigration
- Deregistering the secondary residence
- Electronic proof of identity Blocking
- Electronic proof of identity Change PIN
- Exempt from identification requirements
- Extended information from the civil register
- Fishing licence issuance
- Have a new address entered on your ID card
- Have your identity card changed
- House number assignment
- ID card Issuing information on the ID card with online ID function
- ID card storage in the chip
- ID card Storage of signature certificates in the chip
- Identity card information issue
- Identity card status query
- Information and transmission blocks in the population register Entry of information block
- Issuing information from the population register
- Life certificate for submission to the pension insurance company Issue
- Make identity card notifications
- New passport issue due to change of name on marriage or establishment of a civil partnership
- Notarization of documents or signatures
- Obligation to report in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Official registration confirmation Issue
- Passport change
- Passport issue
- Passport issue for adults for the first time
- Passport issue for minors for the first time
- Passport notification
- Passport notification due to loss
- Passport report due to find
- Passport status query
- Passport theft report
- Pick up identity card
- Place of residence - registration of the sole or main residence
- Population register information Provision of group information
- Providing information to political parties and voter groups
- Register residence
- Registering a secondary residence
- Registration information Issuing self-disclosure
- Registration register information issued to landlords
- Report the theft of your own identity card
- Reporting the loss of your own identity card
- Reporting the retrieval of your own identity card
- Residence deregistration
- Residence registration for inland navigation skippers and seafarers
- Simple information from the population register
- Submit a lost and found report
- Unblocking electronic proof of identity
Visitor address
Ravenéstraße 61
56812 Cochem
56812 Cochem
Telephone
+49 2671 608-142
Fax
+49 2671 608-88142
Website
room
1.07
Responsible for:
- Cochem (Verbandsgemeinde):
- Apply for a change of residence in your passport
- Apply for a new ID card due to expiry of validity
- Apply for a new ID card due to theft
- Apply for a new ID card if you lose it
- Apply for a new identity card due to change of name on marriage
- Apply for a new identity card due to name change after divorce
- Apply for a new passport due to name change
- Apply for a passport
- Apply for a passport due to change of other data
- Apply for a passport with 48 pages
- Apply for a second passport
- Apply for a temporary identity card
- Apply for a temporary passport
- Apply for an emergency travel document for foreigners
- Apply for an examination authorization certificate
- Apply for an express passport
- Apply for an identity card
- Apply for an identity card as a person under 16
- Apply for exemption from the identification requirement as a permanently disabled person who cannot move around in public
- Apply for identity card because of other name change
- Applying for an eID card as an EU citizen
- Applying for an ID card for the first time
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for assisted persons
- Applying for exemption from the identification requirement for permanently housed persons
- Budget certificate
- Change of main residence
- Change of residence
- Comply with reporting obligations in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Declaration of consent for minors traveling without a legal guardian
- Deregister residence due to emigration
- Deregistering the secondary residence
- Electronic proof of identity Change PIN
- Exempt from identification requirements
- Extended information from the civil register
- Fishing licence issuance
- Have a new address entered on your ID card
- Have your identity card changed
- Homelessness Help with imminent loss of housing
- ID card Issuing information on the ID card with online ID function
- ID card storage in the chip
- ID card Storage of signature certificates in the chip
- Identity card information issue
- Identity card status query
- Information and transmission blocks in the population register Entry of information block
- Issuing information from the population register
- Life certificate for submission to the pension insurance company Issue
- Make identity card notifications
- New passport issue due to change of name on marriage or establishment of a civil partnership
- Notarization of documents or signatures
- Obligation to report in hospitals, homes and similar institutions
- Official registration confirmation Issue
- Passport change
- Passport issue
- Passport issue for adults for the first time
- Passport issue for minors for the first time
- Passport notification
- Passport notification due to loss
- Passport report due to find
- Passport status query
- Passport theft report
- Pick up identity card
- Population register information Provision of group information
- Providing information to political parties and voter groups
- Register residence
- Registering a secondary residence
- Registration information Issuing self-disclosure
- Registration register information issued to landlords
- Report the theft of your own identity card
- Reporting the loss of your own identity card
- Reporting the retrieval of your own identity card
- Residence deregistration
- Residence registration for inland navigation skippers and seafarers
- Simple information from the population register
- Submit a lost and found report