Apply for an eID card as a European citizen

Prerequisites

They are

• at least 16 years old,
• registered in Hamburg with sole or main residence and
• Citizen of another country of the European Union or
• Citizens of another country in the European Economic Area

Documents required

• ID card (national identity card), passport or other valid identification document issued by your home country
• If you do not have a place of residence in Germany, another proof of your place of residence is required. You can ask the responsible diplomatic mission for the necessary documents.
• If you have moved to Germany and have not yet registered, you must first register. You can ask your Hamburg Service what documents are required for registration

Please note

• An extension or change is not possible. A new eID card is always issued.
• The eID card is designed exclusively for online use and does not serve as an identity document or travel document. It does not contain a photo, signature or information about height and eye color.

Deadlines

• Validity of the eID card: 10 years

Procedure

• You can apply for the eID card in person at the Hamburg Service - Office for Resident Affairs.
  • Make an appointment online for this.
• If you want to apply for your eID card outside of Germany, contact the Federal Foreign Office and the diplomatic mission in the district in which you live.

Processing time

• Application takes about 15 minutes.


• Processing time approx. 4 weeks.

Fees

• Issue of the eID card: EUR 37.00
  
  
  
  • for shipping abroad: respective shipping costs
  
  

Legal remedies

• contradiction
  
  Detailed information on how to file an objection can be found in the notification of your application for the issuance of the eID card.


• Complaint before the Administrative Court

Legal basis

• § 8 Act on a card for citizens of the Union and members of the European Economic Area with an electronic proof of identity function (eIDKG)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/eidkg/__8.html


• §§ 2 to 2a Ordinance on Fees for ID Cards and Electronic Proof of Identity (PAuswGebV)
  https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/pauswgebv/__2.html

The eID card is a chip card with which you can electronically prove your identity. With the eID card, you can identify yourself online and, for example, deal with administrative procedures or business digitally.

You can get the German eID card as a citizen of another member state of the European Union as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway (European Economic Area) - regardless of whether you live in Germany or not.
The online ID function of the eID card offers you, as a citizen of these countries, the same electronic function as the German electronic ID card or the electronic residence permit in Germany. You can apply for the eID card regardless of whether your home country has an eID system or not.

If you use the eID card, you can decide and control yourself whether and to whom you transmit personal data digitally.