Identity card issue
You usually pick up your identity card at the citizens' registration office where you applied for it. With a power of attorney, which also contains instructions on how to receive the PIN letter, you can also authorize a representative to pick up the ID card.
If you have not received a PIN letter, you can only pick it up in person and not with a power of attorney.
Whether you have to make an appointment for the pick-up or have to observe other information at the time of pick-up, only this citizen's office can tell you.
The PIN letter will be sent directly to your registration address. If you do not have a registration address in Germany, the PIN letter can also be sent to the issuing Citizens' Registration Office. In this case, you will receive the PIN letter there on the day you pick up the new identity card.
The PIN letter contains a five-digit transport PIN, an unlock number (PUK) and a lock password. With the help of the transport PIN, you can set a six-digit PIN of your choice. You will need this six-digit PIN of your choice to identify yourself online with your ID card.
You can hand in your old identity card when you pick it up or have it validated if you want to keep it as a souvenir. If you have lost your old identity card, fill out a loss report.
You can also authorize another adult in writing to pick up your identity card. The form for authorization can be found online via the ID card portal. To pick up your child's identity card, you only need the power of attorney if the child is already 16 years of age or older.
Process flow
You can pick up your new identity card at the Citizens' Registration Office where you applied for it:
- Before you can pick up your new identity card, the PIN letter is usually sent to your registration address. In the PIN letter you will find the transport PIN and a lock password. In exceptional cases, the PIN letter can be sent directly to the Citizens' Registration Office.
- You can find out when the identity card can be picked up when you apply or ask at the Citizens' Registration Office. If you have not received a PIN letter, you can still pick up your ID card if you assign a six-digit PIN of your choice immediately when you pick it up.
- You pick up your new identity card at the Bürgeramt where you applied for it.
- You can find out whether you need to make an appointment for the pick-up when you apply or ask at the Citizens' Registration Office.
- Upon presentation of your old identity card, the new identity card will be handed over to you. If you would like to keep the old identity card as a souvenir, the document can be returned to you after it has been validated.
- If you have lost your old ID card in the meantime or it has been stolen, fill out a loss report.
- Before handing over the new identity card, you explain to the staff of the authorities whether you have received the PIN letter and confirm this with a signature.
- If the PIN letter was sent directly to the Bürgeramt, the PIN letter will be handed over to you there. You confirm receipt with a signature.
- You will be informed about the online ID function of the ID card by the official staff.
- You have the option of assigning a six-digit PIN of your choice when you hand over the new ID card and thus making the online ID function (online ID card) immediately ready for use. Among other things, you can also set the six-digit PIN yourself at home at any time with a suitable NFC-enabled smartphone as well as the PIN letter and the AusweisApp2.
- If you have not received the PIN letter and it has not been sent to the identity card authority, you must – if you want to receive the ID card – set a six-digit PIN of your choice and you will be provided with the blocking password by the authority staff. Otherwise, a free complaint order will be initiated.
- Finally, confirm receipt of the new identity card with your signature.
- An authorized adult can be commissioned with the collection. This person must identify himself and present a written power of attorney for collection with the following additional declaration: "PIN letter received". A form for this power of attorney can be found online on the ID card portal.
Who should I contact?
The responsibility lies with the municipality, the joint municipality and the city in which the issuance was requested.
Requirements
The new identity card is ready for collection at the citizens' registration office where the identity card was applied for.
Which documents are required?
- Your old identity card document (exception: old identity card is no longer available due to loss/theft)
- In case of representation: Power of attorney to pick up an identity card
What are the fees?
There are no costs.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
There is no deadline.
Legal basis
What else should I know?
There are no clues or peculiarities.
Technically approved by
Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior and Sport
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
