From 01.05.2025: Digital passport photos for ID cards and passports

Paper-based passport photos no longer permitted from 01.05.2025

From 01.05.2025, paper-based passport photos will no longer be permitted for applications for official identity documents. From this date, photo studios or photo service providers must transmit photos for identity documents to the citizen service (passport/ID card authority) exclusively in electronic form via secure electronic transmission channels (cloud).

Update 22.05.2025: Creation of digital passport photos in the Citizen Service possible

From 22.05.2025, digital passport photos can be taken at the Citizens' Service when applying for an ID card or passport. It is not possible to have digital passport photos taken in advance at the Citizens' Service; the creation of digital passport photos is linked to the application for an ID card or passport.

Changes to the application process for ID cards and passports from 01.05.2025

To apply for an ID card or passport, a digital passport photo must be taken and, if necessary, submitted. Digital passport photos can be taken by photo service providers or directly at the Citizen Service Center. In future, the digital passport photo must not be older than 3 months. Self-made photos, photos from photo booths or passport photos from photo apps are no longer permitted from 01.05.2025.

If you have digital passport photos taken by a photo service provider, you will receive a QR code from them. You must present this QR code at the Citizens' Service Office when applying for an ID card or passport to retrieve the digital passport photo. Unfortunately, at the moment you can only use the private website alfo Passbild - Fotograf für Passbilder in der Nähe to search independently for photo service providers for digital passport photos.

Information for photo service providers

The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs has summarized all important information for photo service providers in a short flyer. You can find the flyer under Downloads.