GERMAN IDENTITY CARD

GERMAN IDENTITY CARD FOR APPLICANTS OVER 16 YEARS OLD

Electronic identity card
Electronic identity card © Federal Ministry of the Interior
Applications for a German identity card can only be submitted in person at the embassy or consulate general responsible for your home country during opening hours after making an appointment online. The German identity card is printed at the Federal Printing Office in Berlin. Processing time is a maximum of 4–6 weeks. If a name declaration is required (see below), the processing time may vary considerably.

The validity of the German identity card is 6 years for applicants under 24 years of age and 10 years for older applicants.
From the age of 16, a German identity card can be applied for independently and without the consent of a parent or guardian.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The following documents are required for the application (original + 1 photocopy):

Completed application form
Application form PDF / 694 KB
Two identical biometric passport photos (please do not crop them yourself!)
Sample photos for passports PDF / 550 KB
Your birth certificate stating the exact place of birth (it is not sufficient if only the county is listed on the US birth certificate; a "Proof of Birth Letter" issued by the hospital with the name of the place must also be submitted)
For married, divorced or widowed persons: marriage certificate, divorce decree or death certificate of the spouse if applicable
Previous passport (data page with photo) / identity card
Valid residence permit in the USA (US Resident Alien Card, US Residence Visa, US Passport, US Certificate of Birth Abroad or US Citizenship Certificate) Holder of a Green Card without an expiration date
If the surname in your previous passport or identity card does not match your current surname, please provide additional proof of your name. A name declaration may be required. Information on the name declaration
if applicable, certificate of validity of the declaration of name
if applicable, German naturalization certificate
if applicable, US naturalization certificate with retention permit
Your US driver's license or an electricity/gas bill issued in your name as proof of residence
If applicable, deregistration certificate of your last place of residence in Germany (if entered in your last passport)
German doctoral certificate (if you wish to have your doctorate entered in your passport)
Identity card fee
Please note that your ID card application cannot be processed without complete documentation. Failure to submit all required forms and documentation may result in a postponement and delay in processing your application.

Even if you received your last passport or identity card from another German diplomatic mission in the USA, we ask you to resubmit the above-mentioned documents (except for the deregistration certificate). Please bring, in particular, birth certificates, name declarations, and marriage certificates. Without these documents, your application cannot be processed!

This information applies to the majority of cases discussed here. Due to the complexity of German passport and identity card law and the variety of possible cases, variations may occur in each application and additional documentation may be required.

FEES
A current list of fees can be found here: Fees

NAME DECLARATION
If your name has changed since your last passport application, a name declaration may be required before passport issuance. An appointment may be necessary. Further information on name law can be found here:

Name law

APPOINTMENT MAKE
Applying for a passport or identity card requires an appointment at the responsible German diplomatic mission in the USA. If you wish to apply for both a passport and an identity card, you must make two appointments, one for each application. Please refer to the information on making an appointment at the German diplomatic mission responsible for your home country: Appointments.

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