Apply for a new identity card when it expires

Prerequisites

The obligation to apply for an identity card applies to you if you

• have German citizenship,
• have reached the age of 16,
• are registered in Germany and
• do not have a valid passport document, i.e. passport or provisional passport.

For the application outside of your main place of residence:

• You must be able to demonstrate an important reason why you are not applying for an identity card from the identity card authority responsible for your main place of residence.
• If you are registered in Hamburg with a secondary residence, the approval of the identity card authority at the place of your main residence is required for the issuance of the ID document. When applying, a non-responsibility surcharge applies, which means that the costs of the issuance increase.

Documents required

• Biometric passport photo: The photo must
  • be up to date and
  • meet the photo requirements for electronic ID cards.
• old identity card or passport
• if no passport or identity card is available: birth certificate, marriage certificate (marriage certificate)
• for children under the age of 16: if necessary, a declaration of consent from the parent who is not present and who has custody
  • if there is only one legal guardian, proof of custody is also required

Please note

• An ID card cannot be extended or changed. Therefore, a new identity card is always issued. Exception: change of address (in the chip and sticker with the new address)
• In urgent cases, you can also apply for a temporary identity card (valid for a maximum of 3 months) at the same time. This will be given to you immediately.
• Persons without a permanent address should contact the Hamburg Service Hamburg-Mitte.

Deadlines

Note: If your old ID card has expired, you must apply for a new ID card immediately.




Validity period:

• 6 years for applicants under the age of 24


• 10 years for applicants aged 24 and over

Procedure

You must apply for the identity card in person at the Hamburg Service. If you do not apply for your identity card at your main place of residence, you need an important reason and a surcharge will be added to the fee. If you contact the Hamburg Service you have selected beforehand, you can find out whether and to what extent Hamburg Service recognizes your reason.

• You can make an appointment online or by phone.
• When you apply, your Hamburg Service will inform you when you can pick up your identity card.
• Your identity card is produced centrally by Bundesdruckerei GmbH.
• You can arrange a pick-up appointment online or by telephone with Hamburg Service. You can find out what options your Hamburg Service offers on its website, for example.
• A personal appointment is required
• When applying, fingerprints are taken for storage in the document.

Processing time

The application usually takes about 15 minutes


The processing time is usually around 3-4 weeks.

Fees

• EUR 37.00 for applicants aged 24 and over


• EUR 22.80 for applicants under the age of 24


• EUR 10.00 for the provisional identity card


• EUR 13.00 surcharge when applying outside of working hours or to an authority that is not responsible


• EUR 30.00 surcharge for issue by consular or diplomatic representation abroad

Fee reductions or waivers are available for those in need. This is at the discretion of Hamburg Service.

Legal remedies

no

Legal basis

• § 9 paragraph 2 sentence 3 Personal Identity Card Act
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswg/__9.html

In Germany, identification is required for persons over the age of 16. From the age of 16 you must therefore apply for a new identity card in good time before your old one expires. This applies if you are over 16 years old and do not have a valid passport document, i.e. passport, temporary passport.

You can submit the application to your identity card authority at your main place of residence, which is usually any location for residents' affairs. Applications can be submitted to any other identity card authority outside of Hamburg if an important reason is given. In this case, a non-responsibility surcharge applies, which means that the costs of the issuance increase.

The period of validity depends on your age:

• under 24 years: identity card is valid for 6 years.
• 24 years and older: ID card is valid for 10 years.

It may happen that the new ID card cannot be issued within the remaining period of validity. In this case, it may also be necessary to apply for a temporary identity card for the transitional period. A provisional identity card is valid for a maximum of 3 months.