Apply for a passport due to change of name on marriage/divorce or establishment/cancellation of a civil partnership

• Section 11 of the Passport Act (PassG)
• § Section 15 Passport Act (PassG)
• Section 25 of the Passport Act (PassG)
• Section 5 of the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Passport Act (Passport Ordinance – PassV)
• Section 27(1)(1)(g) of the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Passport Act
• § Section 17 Ordinance on the Implementation of the Passport Act (Passport Ordinance - PassV)

• Biometric digital passport photo: taken on site at the authority or by a registered domestic photo service provider (photographer)
• • When applying at German diplomatic missions abroad, exceptions may apply and a paper passport photograph may be required
• on marriage: marriage certificate
• Following divorce: a certified copy of the change of name or a civil status certificate
• Registration of a civil partnership: civil status certificate
• Dissolution of a civil partnership: certified copy of the change of name or civil status certificate
• where applicable, other civil status documents, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate

From 1 May 2025, only digitally created biometric photographs will be accepted in the application process.
The photograph can be taken by external service providers (e.g. photographers) who make it available to the passport or ID card authority in a cloud for retrieval.
Alternatively, digital photographs can usually also be taken at the passport or ID card authority.
If necessary, find out before your appointment whether the photo can be taken at the authority.
Printed passport photos that you have brought with you can only be processed in exceptional cases.

• Her name has changed.
• You must not have any reasons for refusal, such as
  • Failure to fulfil a statutory maintenance obligation
  • Endangering the internal or external security of the Federal Republic of Germany
  • Assumption that you wish to avoid prosecution, execution of a sentence or a statutory maintenance obligation by leaving the country

You must apply for a passport in person:

• Make an appointment at your local council office. The relevant authority is the one in the municipality or town where your main residence is located.
  • For valid reasons, you may also apply for the document at another local authority, or at a German diplomatic mission abroad.
• Bring all the necessary documents with you to the agreed appointment.
• The application is filled out by the authority staff with you on site. All you have to do is sign it.
• The law requires applicants to provide fingerprints for storage in the document
  • A flat impression is usually taken of the left and right index finger.
  • Children under the age of 6 do not have to give a fingerprint.
• If you have already applied for your passport before the wedding: Once you are married, you can collect your passport by presenting your marriage certificate.
• You will receive information from your Citizens' Registration Office as to when you can collect your passport.
• You can arrange a collection appointment online, by e-mail or by telephone at many citizens' registration offices. Alternatively, in many cases you can have the ID document sent to your home address by post and handed over in person at the front door.
• You may authorise another adult in writing to collect the item on your behalf from the local authority.

• Information on passports and identity cards on the website of the Federal Foreign Office (AA)
• Information on the security of the destination country or transit country and on the required documents on the website of the Federal Foreign Office (AA)
• Sample photo display on the Bundesdruckerei website
• Information on the German passport on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI)

• Do you find the standard processing time for your travel plans too long? If so, your passport office can issue your passport via the express service. You will then receive your passport within 3 to 4 working days.
• A provisional passport will only be issued to you if you are unable to obtain your passport in time for your planned departure, even via the express procedure, and if the country you are travelling to accepts a provisional passport as a valid entry document. You will receive this immediately upon applying, so you do not have to wait for it.
• You are allowed to keep an old passport that is no longer valid, for example as a keepsake. To do so, the passport office must invalidate the passport.

• Apply for a passport due to change of name on marriage/divorce or establishment/cancellation of a civil partnership

  Display of performance in the source portal

• New passport issue due to change of name on divorce or dissolution of civil partnership in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

  Display of performance in the source portal

In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the competent authorities are the passport authorities in the independent towns, large towns belonging to districts, public authorities and independent municipalities.