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 agreed appointment.
• The application is filled out by the authority staff 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 will only be taken for storage in the passport chip and stored until you collect your passport from the Citizens' Registration Office. After that, your fingerprints will be deleted and will only be stored on the chip in your passport.
  • Children under the age of 6 do not have to give a fingerprint
• A signature must be provided by children aged 10 and over; younger children are permitted to sign if they are able to write.
• 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.

Citizens' office

• Passport office (usually citizens' office) at the main place of residence
• any other passport authority in Germany (additional costs may apply)
• German representation abroad (additional costs will be incurred)

• 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 care for, they must also be present at the application.
• for children under the age of 18:
  • You are entitled to custody.
• There must be no grounds for refusing a passport. This includes, for example, the assumption that you will be able to obtain a passport by leaving the country.
  • a criminal prosecution,
  • the execution of a sentence or
  • want 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)
  • When applying at German diplomatic missions abroad, exceptions may apply and a paper passport photo may be required
• if available and not yet validated: Your previous
  • Passport
  • temporary passport
  • Identity card
  • temporary identity card
  • Children's passport
• your birth certificate, if applicable
• in children or adolescents under the age of 18:
  • Identification documents of the custodial persons present
  • If applicable, a declaration of consent and a copy of the identity card of the person with custody who is not present
  • Proof of custody if only one person has custody of the child
• Certificate with current name, if applicable, for example
  • Birth, marriage and marriage certificate
  • Family book
  • Declaration on the use of the name
• Further documents may be required, for example
  • In case of loss or theft: file a police report

• § Section 6 of the Passport Act (PaßG)
• § 1 Passport Regulation (PassV)
• § 27 Regulation on the Implementation of the Passport Act (Passport Regulation—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.

• Notification of the loss/retrieval of an identity card, passport, child ID card, temporary identity card or temporary passport
• Declaration of consent to the application for the issue of an identity document for a child