Pick up identity card

Source: BUS Rheinland-Pfalz

You usually pick up your ID card at the Bürgeramt where you applied for it. You can also authorize a representative to collect the ID card with a power of attorney that also contains instructions on how to obtain the PIN letter.

If you have not received a PIN letter, you can only pick it up in person and not with a proxy.

Only this Bürgeramt can tell you whether you need to make an appointment to pick up your ID card or whether you need to follow any other instructions regarding the time of pickup.

The PIN letter will be sent directly to your registration address. If you do not have a residential address in Germany, the PIN letter can also be sent to the issuing Bürgeramt. In this case, you will receive the PIN letter there on the day you pick up your new ID card.

The PIN letter contains a five-digit transport PIN, an unblocking number (PUK) and a blocking password. You can use the transport PIN to set a six-digit PIN of your own choice. You need this six-digit PIN to identify yourself online with your ID card.

You can hand in your old ID card when you pick it up, or you can have it cancelled if you want to keep it as a souvenir. If you have lost your old ID card, fill out a notice of loss.

You can also authorize another adult in writing to pick up your ID card. You can find the authorization form online via the ID card portal. To pick up your child's ID card, you only need the authorization if the child is already 16 or older.

Special information for Association-free Community Ingelheim am Rhein

The residents' registration office of the city of Ingelheim am Rhein can only be reached by booking an appointment online.

You can find the link here:

Online appointment booking

You can pick up your new ID card at the Bürgeramt where you applied for it:

Before you can pick up your new ID card, the PIN letter is usually sent to your registration address. In the PIN letter, you will find the transport PIN and a blocking password. In exceptional cases, the PIN letter can be sent directly to the Bürgeramt.
You can find out when the ID card can be picked up when you apply or ask at the Bürgeramt. If you have not received a PIN letter, you can still pick up your ID card if you assign a six-digit PIN of your own choice directly when you pick it up.
You pick up your new ID card at the Bürgeramt where you applied for it.
You will find out whether you need to make an appointment to pick it up when you apply, or you can ask at the Bürgeramt.
Upon presentation of your old ID card, the new ID card will be handed over to you. If you would like to keep the old ID card as a souvenir, the document can be returned to you invalidated.
If you have lost your old ID card in the meantime, or if it has been stolen, fill out a loss report.
Before handing over the new ID card, you must explain to the authorities whether you have received the PIN letter and confirm this with a signature.
If the PIN letter was sent directly to the Citizens' Registration Office, the PIN letter will be given to you there. You confirm receipt with a signature.
You will be informed about the online ID card function by the authority staff.
When you receive your new ID card, you have the option of assigning a six-digit PIN of your own choice and thus making the online ID card function (online ID card) immediately ready for use. You can also set the six-digit PIN yourself at any time and at home using, among other things, a suitable NFC-enabled smartphone as well as the PIN letter and the ID card app2.
If you have not received the PIN letter and it has not been sent to the ID card authority, you must - if you wish to receive the ID card - set a six-digit PIN of your own choice and you will be given the blocking password by the authority staff. Otherwise, a fee-free reclamation order will be initiated.
Finally, you confirm receipt of the new ID card with your signature.
An authorized adult person can be entrusted with the collection. This person must identify himself/herself and submit a written authorization for collection with the following additional statement: "PIN letter received". You can find a form for this authorization online on the ID card portal.