Apply for a passport

You must apply for a passport in person on site:

• Make an appointment at your local citizens' office.
• Bring all the necessary documents with you to the appointment.
• The official staff will fill out the application with you on site. All you have to do is sign the application.
• Your fingerprints will be taken. These are usually the prints of your two index fingers.
  • Your fingerprints are only taken for storage in the passport chip and are stored until you collect your passport from the Citizens' Registration Office. After that, your fingerprints are deleted and are only stored on the chip in your passport.
  • Children under the age of 6 do not have to provide a fingerprint or signature.
• Your Citizens' Registration Office will inform you when you can collect your passport. You can authorize another person of legal age in writing to collect your passport from the authority.
• Alternatively, you can pay a fee to have the ID document sent by post to your home address in Germany and handed over in person at the front door.

You must apply for a passport in person on site:

• Make an appointment at your local citizens' office.
• Bring all the necessary documents with you to the appointment.
• The official staff will fill out the application with you on site. All you have to do is sign the application.
• Your fingerprints will be taken. As a rule, these are the prints of your two index fingers.
  • Your fingerprints are only taken for storage in the passport chip and are stored until you collect your passport from the Citizens' Registration Office. After that, your fingerprints are deleted and are only stored on the chip in your passport.
  • Children under the age of 6 do not have to provide a fingerprint or signature.
• Your Citizens' Registration Office will inform you when you can collect your passport. You can authorize another person of legal age in writing to collect your passport from the authority.
• Alternatively, you can pay a fee to have the ID document sent by post to your home address in Germany and handed over in person at the front door.

Please contact your local citizens' office.

• You have German citizenship.
• You are present in person when you apply for your passport.
  • If you are applying for a passport for your child or someone you look after, they must also be present when you apply.
• for children under the age of 18:
  • You have custodial rights.
• There must be no grounds for refusing a passport. This includes, for example, the assumption that you are in danger of losing your passport by leaving the country.
  • criminal prosecution,
  • enforcement of a sentence or
  • to evade a statutory maintenance obligation.

• Biometric digital passport photo: taken on site at the authority or by a registered domestic photo service provider (photographer). Different regulations may apply abroad and a paper passport photo may still be accepted.
• if available and not yet validated: Your previous
  • passport
  • temporary passport
  • identity card
  • Temporary identity card
  • Children's passport
• your birth certificate, if applicable
• if applying for a child under 16 years of age:
  • Identity documents of the custodial persons present
  • if applicable, declaration of consent and a copy of the identity card of the custodial person not present
  • If applicable, proof of custody if only one person has custody of the child
• If applicable, document with current name, for example
  • birth certificate, marriage certificate, marriage certificate
  • family register
  • Declaration on the use of the name
• Further documents may be required, for example
  • in the event of loss due to theft: police report

• biometric digital passport photo: taken on site at the authority or by a registered domestic photo service provider (photographer)
• if available and not yet validated: Your previous
  • passport
  • temporary passport
  • identity card
  • Temporary identity card
  • Children's passport
• your birth certificate, if applicable
• if applying for a child under 16 years of age:
  • Identity documents of the custodial persons present
  • if applicable, declaration of consent and a copy of the identity card of the custodial person not present
  • If applicable, proof of custody if only one person has custody of the child
• If applicable, document with current name, for example
  • birth certificate, marriage certificate, marriage certificate
  • family register
  • Declaration on the use of the name
• Further documents may be required, for example
  • in the event of loss due to theft: police report

Your passport will lose its validity before the expiry date entered if

• the personal details entered no longer apply to you or
• your photograph is no longer clearly suitable for identification purposes. This may be the case in particular with passports for babies or very young children.

• § Section 6 (1) Passport Act (PassG)
• § Section 1 Ordinance on the Implementation of the Passport Act (Passport Ordinance - PassV)
• § Section 15 Ordinance on the Implementation of the Passport Act (Passport Ordinance - PassV)

As a rule, you can only have one valid passport issued. Under certain circumstances, however, you can also apply for a second passport. You must provide evidence of a reason for this.

• General information on passports and identity cards on the website of the Federal Foreign Office
• Travel and safety information about your destination country or transit country on the website of the Federal Foreign Office (AA)
• All important information about the German passport on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI)
• Questions and answers on the subject of "biometrics" and passport photos on the ID card portal

25.06.2025