Have your identity card updated

You are required to provide ID if you

• have German citizenship,
• have reached the age of 16 and
• are registered in Germany.

For the application outside of your main place of residence:

• You, or the person having custody, must be able to demonstrate an important reason why you do not apply for an identity card from the identity card authority at 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.

• Current passport photo, which must meet the photo requirements for electronic ID cards.
  The requirements for the passport photo can be found in the photo sample table (see the link “Federal Ministry of the Interior and Homeland - Photo sample table”, at the bottom of this page under “Forms, Service & Links”).
  
  A photo booth (speed capture terminal) is available. The fee for a photo on site is EUR 6.00. You will not receive a printout. Please note that the existing photo booth is not suitable for taking passport photos of infants and small children.
  
• old identity card, passport or children's passport
• if applicable, birth or marriage certificate
• If necessary, proof of the data change

There are the following hints:

• An extension or change of the identity card is not possible. A new identity card is always issued.
• In urgent cases, you can also apply for a temporary identity card (valid for a maximum of three months) at the same time. This will be given to you immediately.
• People without a permanent address or the homeless should contact the Hamburg Service Hamburg-Mitte.

You can apply for an identity card in person at the Hamburg Service or, if you have more than one place of residence, at the identity card authority at your main place of residence. You can also apply for your identity card at any other identity card authority. But you need an important reason for this. If you contact the identity card authority you have selected beforehand, you can find out whether and to what extent they will recognize 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 in Berlin.
• 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.
• If necessary, bring proof of your data change with you.

If you change your address: Contact

• the Hamburg Service at the previous place of residence
  • when moving within the municipality and
  • when moving abroad,
• the Hamburg service at the new place of residence
  • when moving to another municipality.

The data on your identity card must always be up to date. You can apply for a new identity card from the Hamburg Service if Hamburg is your main place of residence.
Applications can be submitted to any other identity card authority if an important reason is given. In this case, a non-responsibility surcharge applies, which means that the costs of the issuance increase. The approval of the identity card authority at the main place of residence is required for the issuance of the identity card; this will be obtained from the respective Hamburg Service.

If you change your address, you do not need a new identity card, but you still have to present it to a Hamburg service if Hamburg is your main place of residence. The new address is noted on a sticker on the back of the ID card. In addition, the address in the ID chip is updated.

The EU logo on the front of the ID card, introduced from August 2, 2021, does not mean that ID cards without this logo become invalid.