The German passport allows you to enter over 160 countries worldwide for tourism purposes without a visa. You need a passport above all if you want to travel to countries outside the European Union (EU). If you have German citizenship, you can apply for a German passport.

Passport for children

Passports can be issued for children from the age of 0. If you are planning to travel to other EU countries with your child, you should apply for a biometric passport instead of a children's passport. This is because some countries, such as the USA, do not recognize children's passports or ID cards for visa-free tourist entry.

Application

You must be present in person when applying for a passport so that your identity can be verified. If you wish to apply for a passport for your child, the child must be present in person.

If you cannot be present in person, only a temporary passport can be issued. The passport must then be collected in person.

You can apply for a passport at the Citizens' Office at your place of residence. If you have more than one place of residence, the citizens' office at your main place of residence is responsible.

It is also possible to apply at another passport authority if you can provide an important reason. Due to the increased administrative effort of the passport authority without jurisdiction - it must obtain an authorization from the locally competent passport authority - a surcharge must be paid in addition to the fee for the passport you have applied for.

If you live abroad, the German representation abroad is responsible for passport applications. If you have lost your passport abroad due to loss or theft, apply for a new passport at the German representation abroad.

If the regular processing time is too long for you, you have the option of applying for your passport using the express procedure. If you need the travel document at very short notice and cannot wait for delivery of the passport using the express procedure, you will be issued with a temporary passport.