Apply for an identity card for German citizens with permanent residence abroad
As a person with German citizenship and permanent residence abroad, you are not subject to the general obligation to register and therefore also not subject to the obligation to obtain an identity card within Germany.
However, it is possible for you to apply for an identity card in person at selected German missions abroad that have been designated as identity card authorities by the Federal Foreign Office or, under certain conditions, at any citizens' registration office in Germany.
Notice:
Please inquire in advance at the foreign mission in whose district you are staying whether it can issue identity cards, since not all foreign missions are also identity card authorities.
Who should I contact?
Responsible authorities
Samtgemeinde Spelle - Fachbereich Ordnungsverwaltung/Bürgerservice
Contact
- Spelle:
- Activity as a market trader or showman Admission
- Activity exempt from a travel trade card Admission of exemptions for the implementation of certain sales events
- Activity in a municipal cemetery Admission across borders as a gardener
- Activity in municipal cemetery Permanent gardener
- Activity in the municipal cemetery Temporary admission as gardener
- Advertisement Change of person in the case of legal entities
- Advertisement of a restaurant
- Agriculture: damage caused by game
- Apply for a new ID card when it expires
- Apply for a new identity card because of theft
- Apply for a new identity card if lost
- Apply for a postal vote
- Apply for a simple certificate of good conduct
- Apply for a temporary identity card
- Apply for a travel trade license
- Apply for an identity card
- Apply for an identity card as a person under 16
- Apply for an identity card for German citizens with permanent residence abroad
- Apply for an identity card for the first time
- Apply for identity card because of name change after divorce
- Apply for identity card because of other name change
- Apply for permission to sell goods at trade fairs, festivals and special events.
- Auctioneering trade - apply for permission
- Burial place: Permit - to create/expand
- Business re-registration
- Certificate of eligibility
- Certificate of good conduct extended
- Certificate of voting rights
- Change of identity card due to change of address
- Change of residence
- Childcare services for seniors
- Children's Passport Extension
- Children's Passport Issue
- Children's Passport Status Query
- Children's passport change due to change of address
- Children's passport notification due to loss
- Children's passport notification due to relocation
- Children's passport report for theft
- Citizens' advice
- Confirmation of landlord
- Confirmation of registration issuance
- Construction site: Issuance of construction site orders under traffic law
- Day care
- Deregister trade
- Documents and copies: Certification
- EU funding
- Elections
- Employment at the municipal cemetery Permanent admission as a stonemason, sculptor or gardener
- Entitlement to a place in a day-care centre
- Event: Display
- Events in public transport areas: Permission
- Examination eligibility certificate
- Exemptions for the auctioning of perishable goods Admission to weekly markets
- Exemptions on Sundays and public holidays
- Explosive ordnance: elimination
- Express passport issue
- Findings from the background check Certificate
- Fischer test: Acceptance
- Fishing License Exhibition
- Gaming arcade license
- Have address and personal data changed
- Have your identity card brought up to date
- Helping the homeless
- Hiking Camp Display
- Holiday offers
- House number: Fixing
- Identity card issue
- Identity card notification due to retrieval
- Identity card notification due to theft
- Identity card status query
- Information blocking device
- Information from the Central Trade Register Application
- Information in the population register Granting to landlords
- Information in the population register Provision of group information
- Information on the population register Provision to parties and voter groups
- Life certificate for submission to the pension insurance: Issue
- Limited traffic zones
- Lost property
- Markets and festivals
- Measures to ensure public safety and order
- Memorials
- Naturalization: Approval - for foreigners entitled to naturalization
- New passport issue due to change of name on divorce or dissolution of civil partnership
- Organization of a trade fair, exhibition or wholesale market: fixing
- Organization of a weekly market
- Other games with the possibility of winning Permission in the traveling trade
- Other games with the possibility of winning: Permission
- Parking permit
- Passport Issuance of additional passports
- Passport change due to change of place of residence
- Passport issuance
- Passport issuance
- Passport issuance for adults for the first time
- Passport issuance for frequent travelers
- Passport issuance new due to change of name upon marriage or establishment of a civil partnership
- Passport issuance new due to change of other data
- Passport issuance new due to expiry of validity
- Passport issuance provisionally
- Passport issue for minors for the first time
- Passport message for retrieval
- Passport notification due to loss
- Passport report for theft
- Passport status query
- Pawnbroking - Apply for a permit
- Permission for the commercial display of persons
- Place of residence Deregistration of main residence
- Playground equipment with the possibility of winning Confirmation of the installation site
- Playground equipment with the possibility of winning permission
- Population register information Issue
- Population register information Provision of self-disclosure
- Population register information issuance extended
- Provision of information from the population register for commercial purposes
- Public holidays: approval - of exceptions to the general rest period
- Register a business
- Registration certificate issued
- Reporting obligation
- Reporting the loss of your own ID card
- Request simple information from the population register
- Requesting a vehicle to be taken out of service
- Residence Deregistration
- Residence Deregistration for boatmen and seafarers
- Residence Deregistration of secondary residence
- Residence Re-registration Change of status
- Residence Registration as main residence
- Residence Registration as secondary residence
- Residence Registration for boatmen and seafarers
- Restaurant operation Approval early start of operations
- Show traveling trade or activity exempt from travel trade card
- Show use of biocides
- Signatures: Certification
- Special obligation to register in accommodation establishments Registration
- Special reporting obligation in hospitals, homes and similar institutions Registration
- Store opening hours
- Tax Life Certificate: Issuance
- Temporary employment as a stonemason, sculptor or gardener at the municipal cemetery
- Traditional bonfire (Easter fire)
- Traffic space restrictions: approval
- Transmission blocks in the registration register
- Travel trade card-exempt activity Deregistration
- Travel trade card-exempt activity Re-registration
- View Gathering
- Work at the municipal cemetery Admission across borders as a stonemason, sculptor and gardener
- apply for identity card due to change of name on marriage
Requirements
An identity card can be applied for by:
- Persons with German citizenship regardless of their age
Applications / forms
- Forms: yes
- Online procedure possible: no
- Written form required: yes
- Personal appearance: yes
The application for the issuance of an identity card in Germany is informal.
Please use the application forms provided by the German mission abroad responsible for you
Which documents are required?
When applying, you must submit:
- biometric passport photo
- if you have moved away from Germany (also: non-residents, world travelers):
- De-registration certificate from the last German place of residence, if a German place of residence is still entered in the most recent identification document;
- If your address abroad is to be entered in the ID card: additionally proof of your habitual residence abroad, e.g. foreigner's ID card, registration certificate of your host country, rental contract, telephone, electricity or gas bills.
In this respect, please note that the online function of an ID card can only be used if a foreign address is recorded.
- Your previous identity card or passport or children's passport,
- in case of loss of the old document: additionally a police report of loss;
in the case of a first-time application or changes that have occurred
- Birth/parentage certificate, alternatively German marriage/partnership certificate, German family book;
- If you are or were married/partnered:
- Marriage/partnership certificate with note on name keeping or excerpt from the family register with note on name keeping if married abroad, if applicable, name certificate according to German law;
- If applicable, certificate of acquisition of German citizenship (naturalization certificate in case of initial application);
- if applicable, certificate of acquisition of a foreign nationality;
- If applicable, doctoral degree certificate (in German or English, with name and date of birth), if the doctoral degree is not evident from a previous passport/identity card and the entry in the new passport/identity card is desired;
for children under 16 years additionally:
- for birth in Germany after 01.01.2000, if at least one parent did not have German citizenship at that time: birth register extract;
- for children of married parents: Marriage certificate of the parents;
- for children of divorced parents and sole custody of one parent: Proof of sole custody by custody decree or divorce decree; if applicable, recognition of a foreign divorce decree for the German legal sphere;
- for children born to parents who were not married at the time of birth: acknowledgement of paternity and custody agreement in accordance with the law of the child's country of residence;
- if applicable, certificate of acquisition of German citizenship;
Please bring all documents with you in the original and with a copy. Please note that in individual cases the presentation of further certificates and documents may be necessary.
What are the fees?
- for applicants under 24 years of age: EUR 52.80
- for applicants over 24 years of age: EUR 67.00
Note
Fees may be waived or reduced for those in need.
Process flow
You must apply for your ID card in person at the mission abroad responsible for you or at a citizens' registration office.
Details on how to apply abroad as well as the application form can be found on the websites of the respective mission abroad.
Overview of German missions abroad.
- Please compile the necessary documents and make an appointment by telephone, e-mail or online via the appointment booking system at the mission abroad or citizens' registration office responsible for you.
- When you apply in person, you must pay the fee - please inquire in advance about payment options (cash, giro or credit card).
- Pick up your identity card at your local diplomatic mission or citizens' registration office, or clarify the procedure for handing over documents when you submit your application.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
none
Processing duration
- for processing the application: usually 4 weeks
- Informationen zur Beantragung des Personalausweises für Deutsche mit ständigem Wohnsitz im Ausland auf der Internetseite des Auswärtigen Amts
- Übersicht der Pass- und Personalausweisstellen im Ausland auf der Internetseite des Auswärtigen Amts
- Übersicht über die Gebühren bei der Ausstellung von Personalausweisen auf einer Internetseite des Bundesministeriums des Innern, für Bau und Heimat
Legal basis
§ Section 1(4)(2) of the German Identity Card Act (PAuswG);
§ Section 8 (8) of the German Identity Card Act (PAuswG);
§ Section 35 of the German Identity Card Act (PAuswG);
§ Section 2 KonsG
- § 1 Absatz 4 Nummer 2 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG)
- § 5 Absatz 2 Nummer 9 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG)
- § 7 Absatz 2 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG)
- § 8 Absatz 2 und 4 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG)
- § 23 Absatz 4 Satz 2 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG)
- § 35 Personalausweisgesetz (PAuswG)
- § 2 Konsulargesetz (KonsG)
- G.5.2.1 und G.5.2.2 Personalausweisverwaltungsvorschrift (PAuswVwV)
Appeal
If your application for an identity card is rejected:
- File a complaint with the Berlin Administrative Court