Apply for an ID Card

Types of ID Cards

There are two types of ID cards: the temporary ID card (paper format) and the regular ID card (smart card format). The application procedures and required documents are the same for both. Unlike the regular ID card, the temporary ID card is issued immediately and does not need to be produced first. In addition to having a shorter validity period (maximum of 3 months), the temporary ID card also lacks an online ID function. This article provides more detailed information about the regular (standard) ID card.

Validity Period

An ID card is issued for 6 years until the holder turns 24, and for 10 years after the holder turns 24.

Features, Functionality, and Security Aspects

After submitting your application, please visit the ID Card Portal to learn about the features, how it works, security aspects, and the emergency cancellation hotline.

• Fingerprints: The ID card contains an electronic storage and processing medium on which fingerprints are stored.
• eID Function: For individuals aged 16 and older, the electronic identity verification (eID function) is activated when you pick up your ID card, in accordance with Section 10(1) and (2) of the ID Card Act (PAuswG).
• Security and Data Protection

Issuance Before the Age of 16

An ID card may be issued. To apply, the child and at least one legal guardian must be present in person. If the ID card is applied for by only one legal guardian, a written declaration of consent (including a copy of the ID card or passport for signature verification) from the other legal guardian is required. At least one parent must be present when applying for and picking up the ID card!

Furthermore, proof of custody is mandatory in cases of sole custody or for unmarried parents (family court ruling, certificate of no objection, or custody certificate from the Youth Welfare Office).

Loss, Theft

The loss or theft of a valid ID card must be reported in writing or, if necessary, in person. If the incident has already been reported to the police, please bring the replacement ID card with you.

Application Process

Applications can generally only be submitted to the passport office in the jurisdiction of your primary residence. You must appear in person to submit the application. When applying for individuals under the age of 16, the child and a parent with legal custody must be present. You will be given your personal PIN number for the online ID function (eID function) at the time of application.

Processing Time – Bundesdruckerei

It generally takes the Federal Printing Office approximately 4–6 weeks to produce an ID card.

Pickup or Direct Shipping

Pickup

As of February 17, 2025, written notification of the document’s completion is no longer sent. However, when submitting your application, you have the option to provide an email address to receive notification of completion and information on how to pick up the document.

If you are in possession of an old ID card that has not yet been invalidated, you must present it for invalidation when picking up your new ID card.

The ID card is generally issued to the applicant. Only in the case of persons under 16 years of age or persons who lack legal capacity is the ID card issued to the legal representative, legal guardian, or authorized representative. When you pick up your ID card, you will be given the lock code for the online ID function. 

The issued identity documents are handed out at the Central Registration Desk on the ground floor.

Representation at Pickup

You may have someone else pick up your documents on your behalf. The document may be issued to a person authorized by the applicant; this person must identify themselves by presenting a valid ID card (from an EU or Schengen Area country) or a valid passport (from other countries). To authorize another person to pick up your document, you must use the form available under “Downloads.”

Direct Shipping

Upon request and for a fee (see Fees), your completed document can be delivered exclusively to your primary residence in Germany. The package will be handed over exclusively to you personally.

Passports can be mailed starting on your 18th birthday. ID cards and eID cards can be mailed starting on your 16th birthday. ID documents for children or persons under guardianship, as well as express passports, can only be picked up at the government office.

For delivery to your front door or at a post office (following an unsuccessful first delivery attempt), you will need an additional valid photo ID (identity card or passport; alternatively, starting November 1, 2026, a driver’s license or electronic health card with a photo) to identify yourself when receiving the package and to avoid errors during delivery. Your old ID card will be invalidated upon application and can no longer be used.

You must select the direct mailing option when applying for the new document; the staff at the Citizen Service Center will be happy to assist you.

• Proof of identity: passport, national ID card, child ID card, child passport—if available and not yet invalidated by a government agency
• If you wish to use direct mailing, you must present a valid national ID card for validation
• Name Information: When you apply for an identity document, we will verify that your name (first name, last name, and other name components, as well as the order of your first names) is recorded correctly. To do this, please bring the following original document, depending on your marital status or in the event of a name change:
  • Single: Birth certificate
  • Married or widowed: Marriage certificate
  • In a registered domestic partnership: Domestic partnership certificate
  • Divorced: Marriage certificate (if you changed your name after the divorce, please also bring this official document)
  • Civil partnership dissolved: Civil partnership certificate and court judgment with a note of finality
  • Naturalized: Certificate of naturalization and declaration regarding the use of your name (if no such declaration was made, you must submit the relevant documents corresponding to your marital status in addition to the certificate of naturalization; see the points mentioned above)
  • If your name has been changed for other reasons, please bring the relevant document or court judgment (e.g., certificate of name change or order under the Transsexuals Act).
  • Note: If you have lost your most recent certificate from the Jena Registry Office, you can easily apply for a new one online. Certificates and court rulings in languages other than German must be submitted with a certified translation.
• Digital passport photo: You can have the digital passport photo taken either on-site at the Citizen Service Center when you submit your application or in advance at certified photo service providers or at a certified drugstore chain. Please note the information above regarding digital passport photos for children under 6 years of age. Self-taken photos, photos from photo booths, passport photos from photo apps, and printed passport photos in general are no longer permitted as of May 1, 2025.
• Proof of custody when applying for individuals under 16 years of age and, if applicable, a declaration of consent (see Downloads) from the custodial parent who is not present, including a copy of their ID card or passport for signature verification
  • Note: At least one legal guardian and the person under 16 must be present

• Federal Identity Card Act
• Thuringian Identity Card Act