Applying for an ID card for the first time

Every German citizen over the age of 16 is required to have an ID card if they are registered in Germany.

• § Section 9 Act on Identity Cards and Electronic Proof of Identity (Identity Card Act - PAuswG)

• the current identity card or valid (children's) passport or birth certificate
• for children under the age of 16, the consent (declaration) of the legal guardian
• if there is only one parent or legal guardian, additional proof of custody
• a biometric passport photo (according to the photo sample table)

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 you have brought with you or digital passport photos you have taken yourself will no longer be processed.

It may be necessary to present a birth certificate, for example, if no identity card or passport was previously available or the data on the identity card differs from the entries in the population register

• German within the meaning of Article 116 (1) of the Basic Law (GG)

Information on the new ID card
https://www.personalausweisportal.de

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• Applying for an ID card for the first time in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

  Display of performance in the source portal