Administrative services A-Z

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: Yes

Every foreigner must have a recognized and valid passport or passport substitute. If you are not in possession of a passport or passport substitute, you must therefore apply to the diplomatic mission of your country of origin for the issue of such a document.

The travel document for foreigners is a German passport substitute document that can be issued as an alternative in special exceptional cases.

You can apply for a travel document for foreigners if you come from a non-EU country, do not have a passport or passport substitute from your home country and cannot reasonably obtain such a document.

As a rule, reasonable means

• to apply for a new or renewed passport or passport substitute in your home country in good time before your passport expires and to cooperate in the official procedure, and
• pay the fees stipulated in your country of origin.

It would not be reasonable, for example, if you are granted asylum in Germany as a politically persecuted person and are therefore unable to visit the embassy of your country of origin. High costs for obtaining a passport in your country of origin do not make obtaining a passport unreasonable in principle.

When applying for a travel document for foreigners, you should be able to provide evidence of your previous efforts to obtain a passport.

If you are only temporarily without a passport, a travel document for foreigners can only be issued if there are compelling reasons for doing so.

In addition to the unreasonableness of obtaining a passport, a further requirement is that

• Your stay in Germany is legal, i.e. you are either already in possession of a residence title (residence permit, settlement permit, permanent residence permit) or should receive this together with the travel document.
• you are to be allowed to leave the federal territory permanently.
• you are in the asylum procedure and
  • there is an urgent public interest in issuing the travel document or
  • compelling reasons require the travel document to be issued or
  • the refusal to issue the travel document would constitute undue hardship

and the implementation of the asylum procedure is not jeopardized.

The immigration authority may determine that the travel document should only be valid for certain countries or parts of the world.

If the country of origin refuses to issue a passport or passport substitute for reasons that also exist in German passport law, no travel document can be issued.

• You are a citizen of a non-EU country.
• You do not have a passport or passport substitute from your country of origin.
• You can prove that it is not reasonably possible for you to obtain a passport or passport substitute from your country of origin.
• You meet one of the following requirements:
  • You are either in possession of a residence title (residence permit, settlement permit, EC permanent residence permit) or are to receive this together with the travel document.
  • The travel document should enable you to leave the federal territory permanently.

You are in the asylum procedure and there is an urgent public interest in issuing the travel document, compelling reasons require this or it would mean undue hardship if the travel document is not issued to you and your asylum procedure is not jeopardized by the issuance of the travel document.

• Current biometric photo in passport format (45 x 35 mm)
• Proof of identity and nationality (e.g. expired travel documents, certificates or affidavits)
• Current residence permit, travel document or current residence permit, if available

In individual cases, the foreigners authority may require less or further proof.

Cost amount:

• From the age of 24: 100.00
• Up to the age of 24: 97.00
• Temporary travel document for foreigners: 67.00
• Travel document without storage medium for foreigners up to the age of 12: 14.00
• Extension of a temporary travel document for foreigners: 20.00

Remark:

The issuing of travel documents is always subject to a fee (even when receiving social benefits).

The fee must be paid in full even if the application for the travel document is rejected.

• § Section 48 Residence Ordinance - Fees for passport and identity card measures

• Find out whether your foreigners authority allows you to apply online or has a special application form.
• If the application can only be submitted in person, make an appointment at the immigration office. If you apply online, the immigration office will contact you after receiving your application to arrange an appointment.
• During the appointment, your identity and documents will be checked (please bring your documents to the appointment, if possible in the original).

When the travel document for foreigners is ready, you will receive information and can collect the document from the relevant office. If your application is rejected, you will receive a notice of rejection.

Application deadline: The application should be received by the foreigners authority at least 8 weeks before the travel document is required.

Period of validity: The period of validity of the travel document for foreigners is linked to the validity of the residence document. The maximum period of validity is

• for children under the age of 12: 6 years, at the longest until their 12th birthday
• for persons aged between 12 and 24 at the time of issue: 6 years
• for persons who are 24 years or older at the time of issue: 10 years

Temporary travel documents are issued with a validity period of up to one year. In individual cases (for example, if the travel document is issued for the final departure from Germany), the validity is usually limited to a maximum of one month.

The foreigners authority responsible for the applicant's place of residence is responsible.

• § Section 4 (1) sentence 1 no. 1 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) - German passport replacement documents for foreigners
• § Section 5 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) - General requirements for issuing a travel document for foreigners
• § Section 6 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) - Issuing of travel documents for foreigners in Germany
• § Section 8 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) - Period of validity of the travel document for foreigners
• § Section 9 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) - Territorial scope of the travel document for foreigners
• § Section 11 Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) - Procedure for issuing or extending the travel document for foreigners)

• There is no entitlement to the issue of a travel document for foreigners. It is always a case-by-case decision.
• Travel documents for foreigners contain the following visible information: Issuing authority, date of issue, period of validity, serial number, personal data of the ID card holder (surname and, if applicable, maiden name, first names, doctor's degree, date and place of birth, gender, height, color of eyes, place of residence, nationality, photograph and signature).
• As a rule, travel documents for foreigners are issued with biometric features, i.e. with an electronic storage and processing medium (exception: temporary travel documents and travel documents for children up to the age of twelve).
• Once travel documents issued with biometric features expire, a new travel document must be issued. Temporary travel documents can be extended under certain conditions.
• Processing media cannot be extended.
• Recognized refugees and stateless persons can also obtain a travel document.

Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland can be issued an emergency travel document.

(Non-binding) overview of countries that recognize passport replacement documents issued in Germany (Federal Police):

https://www.bundespolizei.de/Web/DE/01Sicher-auf-Reisen/06Passrechtliche-Hinweise/01Ersatzpapiere-beantragen/Forms/Documents/staatenliste-anerkennung-von-ersatzpapieren.html?nn=5931340

Sample photo table with requirements for biometric passport photos (Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community):

https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/veroeffentlichungen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/ausweise/fotomustertafel.html

Ministry of the Interior and Municipal Affairs of the State of Brandenburg