A German passport allows you to enter over 170 countries worldwide as a tourist without a visa. You need a passport if you want to travel to countries outside the European Union (EU). If you have German citizenship, you can apply for a German passport.

The passport

• is recognized both within and outside the EU,
• has a chip, and
• can be applied for by persons of any age from birth.

Passport for children

Your child also needs a passport if you are planning a trip outside the EU.

Since January 1, 2024, child passports are no longer issued. You can apply for a regular passport for your child.

Does your child still have a valid child passport?

You can continue to use it until

• it expires
• the information is no longer correct
• the photo is no longer sufficient to clearly identify your child

Note: The child passport is no longer recognized by all countries. Please check before your trip where your child passport is recognized. Use the travel and safety information provided by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) for this purpose.

Responsibilities

You can apply for a passport at the citizens' office in your place of residence. If you have several places of residence, the citizens' office at your main place of residence is responsible.

If there is an important reason, you may also apply for your passport at an authority outside your place of residence. This may result in additional costs for you.

If you live abroad or your passport has been lost abroad, you can apply for a passport at the German representation abroad.

• You have German citizenship.
• You are present in person when applying for your passport.
  • If you are applying for a passport for your child or a person in your care, they must also be present when you submit the application.
• For children under the age of 18: 
  • You have legal custody.
• There must be no reasons for refusing a passport. This includes, for example, the assumption that you would be subject to criminal prosecution
  • criminal prosecution,
  • enforcement of a sentence, or
  • a legal maintenance obligation.

You must apply for a passport in person at your local office:

• Make an appointment at your local citizens' office.
• Bring all the necessary documents with you to the appointment.
• The application will be filled out by the office staff with you on site. All you have to do is sign the application.
• Your fingerprints will be taken. These are usually the prints of both your index fingers.
  • Your fingerprints will be taken solely for storage in the passport's chip and will be stored at the local government office until you collect your passport. Your fingerprints will then be deleted and will only be stored on your passport's chip.
  • Children under the age of 6 do not have to provide fingerprints or signatures. 
• Your local government office will inform you when you can collect your passport. You can authorize another adult in writing to collect your passport from the office.
• Alternatively, you can have the identity document sent to your domestic address by mail for a fee and have it handed over to you personally at your front door.

As a rule, you can only have one valid passport issued. However, under certain circumstances, you can also apply for a second passport. To do so, you must provide evidence of a valid reason.

Your passport will lose its validity before the registered expiry date 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 for passports for infants or young children.

• Validity period: 10 years
  For applicants aged 24 and over
• Period of validity 6 years
  For applicants under 24 years of age

• 2 weeks
  Processing usually takes at least 2 weeks.

You must bring your old passport, an identity card, or a birth certificate to prove your identity.

If you do not have a current digital photo from a certified studio or photo shop, you can use the self-service terminal at the Citizen Service Center and the local government offices in Altstadt, Hartenberg-Münchfeld, and Lerchenberg to take a photo on site. This costs €6. Simply
follow the blue arrows in the entrance area of the Citizens' Service Center.
The photo taken at the Citizens' Service Center and the local government offices in Altstadt, Hartenberg-Münchfeld, and Lerchenberg can also be accessed at the local government offices within 14 days.

For minors, additionally

• Passport or identity card of the parent present

If the parents are registered in a shared apartment (regardless of whether they are married, divorced, or separated)

• Identification documents if both parents are present when the application is submitted
• Declaration of consent and copy of the identity document of the parent who is not present

If there is only one legal guardian

• Proof of custody

• Fee: EUR 31.
  00 surcharge if you apply for a passport at a German diplomatic mission abroad (embassy or consulate).
• Fee: EUR 32.
  00 surcharge for express passport applications.
• Fee: EUR 22.
  00 surcharge for a passport with 48 pages instead of 32 pages
• Fee: EUR 70.
  00 The costs apply from the age of 24. The fee (without surcharges) doubles if: - the passport has to be issued outside of official office hours, or - the application is not submitted to the local passport authority responsible for your main place of residence.
• Fee: EUR 6.
  00 Fee for passport photo if taken by the authority.
• Fee: EUR 37.
  50 The costs apply if you are under 24 years of age. The fee (without surcharges) doubles if: - the passport must be issued outside of official office hours, or - the passport is not applied for at the local passport office responsible for your main place of residence.
• Fee: EUR 15.
  00 Fee for shipping to your domestic residential address

Cash / EC