Administrative services A-Z

Forms available: No.
Written form required: Yes.
Informal application possible: Yes.
Personal appearance required: Yes.
Online services available: No.

As a person with German citizenship, you can have an identity card issued. If you have reached the age of 16 and do not have a valid passport, you must apply for an ID card.
The period of validity of your ID card depends on your age at the time of application:

• Application under the age of 24: ID card is valid for 6 years.
• Application from the age of 24: ID card is valid for 10 years.

Your ID card loses its validity before the expiry date entered on it if

• Entries no longer apply or
• your photo is no longer clearly suitable for identification purposes. This may be the case in particular with ID cards for infants or very young children.

There is one exception: a change of address or height will not invalidate your ID card.
You also have the option of applying for a temporary ID card. This is valid for a maximum of 3 months.
You can submit the application to your identity card authority at your main place of residence, which is usually the Citizens' Registration Office.
If there is an important reason, you can also apply for an ID card at an authority outside the jurisdiction of your place of residence. This may result in additional costs.

• You have German citizenship

For applications outside your main place of residence:

• You must be able to provide an important reason why you are not applying for the ID card at the ID card authority at your main place of residence.

• Proof of identity, for example
  • old identity card,
  • valid passport or children's passport
• current biometric photograph
• birth certificate, if applicable
• If applicable: certificate with current name, for example
  • birth certificate, marriage certificate, marriage certificate,
  • family register
  • Declaration on the use of the name
• for children under the age of 16: Declaration of consent by the legal guardian
  • if there is only one parent or legal guardian, additional proof of custody

If the validity of your old ID card has expired and you are over 16 years old, you must apply for a new ID card immediately if you do not have a valid passport document.

local identity card authority

Service hotline for the ID card and the online ID function

Phone +49 1801 333333

E-mail eID_buergerservice@bmi.bund.de

Opening hours

Mon 08:00 - 17:00

Tue 08:00 - 17:00

Wed 08:00 - 17:00

Thu 08:00 - 17:00

Fri 08:00 - 17:00

• § Section 9 of the Identity Card Act (PAuswG)

The EU logo on the front of the ID card introduced on August 2, 2021 will not invalidate ID cards without this logo.

• Information on the ID card on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs

Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs (BMI)