apply for an ID card

Prerequisites

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 must be able to demonstrate an important reason why you are not applying 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.

Documents required

• previous identity card, valid passport or children's passport or birth certificate
• For children under 16 years: declaration of consent and identification document from the legal guardian
  If there is only one legal guardian, additional proof of custody
• The presence of the legal guardian with whom the unmarried minor child usually stays is mandatory.
• 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 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.

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.
• Young people from the age of 16 can pick up their identity card without the presence of the person having custody.
• People without a permanent address or the homeless should contact the Hamburg Service Hamburg-Mitte.

Deadlines

When you turn 16 at the latest, you must apply for an identity card. Exception: You have a valid passport document.




If you are over 16 years old, you must apply for a new ID card at the latest when the old ID card expires.


Exception: You have a valid passport document.




The period of validity is

• 6 years for applicants under the age of 24


• 10 years for applicants aged 24 and over

Procedure

You can apply for an ID card in person at one of the Hamburg Service's resident affairs offices, or if you have multiple residences, at the ID card office at your main residence. You can also apply for your ID card at any other ID card authority. But you need an important reason for this. If you contact your chosen ID card authority beforehand, you can find out whether and to what extent they recognize your reason.

• You can make an appointment online or by phone.
• You will be informed directly when you can collect your ID card.
• Your ID card is produced centrally by Bundesdruckerei GmbH in Berlin.
• A personal appointment is required.
• When applying, fingerprints will be 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. An application must be made. The Hamburg Service decides on the application.

Legal remedies

no

Legal basis

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

Any person of any age with German citizenship can apply for an identity card.
The identity card becomes invalid before the expiry of the entered period of validity if

• Entries become incorrect or
• the photo is no longer clearly suitable for identification. This can be the case in particular with ID cards for infants or young children.

There is one exception: changing the address does not invalidate it.
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.
The period of validity depends on your age when you apply:

• Application under the age of 24: ID card is valid for 6 years.
• Application from the age of 24: ID card is valid for 10 years.

A provisional identity card is valid for a maximum of 3 months.
You can submit the application to your identity card authority at your main place of residence, which is usually any Hamburg Service location. 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.