General Information

The following pages contain only the most important information about German passports and are meant for German citizens who do not speak German. Please check the German version of this webpage for complete information about German passports.

For children under the age of 12 holding German citzenship a “child's passport” may be issued instead of a regular passport.

A new passport law has come into effect in Nov. 2007. Under this law it is obligatory to store fingerprints on a microchip imbedded in German passports. This is applicable for all passport applicants from the age of six years and older.

Therefore, all applicants have to come in person to apply for a passport.

Passport application for adults

Please note that only completed applications will be accepted. In order to ensure that your application may be processed without delay, please submit the following original documents plus one copy (no certification needed).

All applicants must check the categories listed below!

Required documents:

• A duly completed passport application form (please ensure that you sign the form)
• One recent passport photograph according to biometric specifications
• Current passport
• Qatar ID
• Birth Certificate (possibly legalized or affixed with an Apostille)
• Marriage Certificate (if your name changed through marriage or if you wish to change it, possibly legalized or affixed with an Apostille)
• if applicable, a Name Declaration
• Deregistration certificate from the German registration office (“Abmeldebescheinigung” vom Einwohnermeldeamt), if German residency is registered in the previous passport
• if applicable, German Certificate of Naturalisation (“Einbürgerungsurkunde”)
• If you possess a citizenship certificate (even if expired), please submit it with your application
• further documents as per your category listed below

Processing a passport can be facilitated if you possess any of the following documents which prove the citizenship of family members or ancestors, from whom you derive your German citizenship:

• Citizenship certificates (even if expired)
• previous German passports or IDs
• “Vertriebenenausweise” according to §15 of the Bundesvertriebenengesetz (old version untill December 31, 1992) or
  “Spätaussiedlerbescheinigung” according to §15 of the Bundesvertriebenengesetz (newest Version)
• Naturalisation certificate

Processing a passport can take from six to eight weeks. Please submit your application approximately three months before your current passport expires. If there are compelling reasons (valid proof needed, eg. flight tickets, medical certificate) for you to receive a passport on short notice, a temporary passport can be issued when you apply for a new passport.

In order to apply for your passport, please book an appointment in the category ‘Passports’ through the .

Note: Please check the applicable category to ascertain which additional documents you must submit. In individual cases you may be asked to submit further documentation.

Passport application for minors

Passports for applicants under the age of 24 are valid for six years. In general, biometric passports are issued for children. From the age of six, children must submit their fingerprints.

All minors must be present.

Please note that we can only accept complete applications. In order to ensure that your application can be processed without delay, please submit the following documents in original and one copy (no certification needed).

Required Documents:

• A duly completed application form. The application form must be signed by both parents. If you have sole guardianship, please submit the applicable court order. If one parent cannot be present, a signed consent form (parent or legal guardian) for the application of a German travel document for the child is required. The signature must be certified by a German authority.
• One recent passport photograph according to biometric specifications
• Birth certificate of the child. Please note that non-German certificates might have to be legalized or affixed with an Apostille. Certificates issued in Qatar must also be legalized,
• Previous passport/children's passport
• German passports of parents
• Parents' Qatar ID-cards
• Parents' Marriage Certificate (legalized or affixed with an Apostille if foreign document)
• if applicable, Name Declaration
• Deregistration certificate from the German registration office (“Abmeldebescheinigung” vom Einwohnermeldeamt), if German residency is registered in the previous passport
• if applicable, a German Certificate of Naturalisation (“Einbürgerungsurkunde Naturalisation Certificate” or German “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung”

Processing a passport can take from six to eight weeks. Please submit the application approximately three months before the current passport expires. If there are compelling reasons (valid proof needed, eg. flight tickets, medical certificate) to receive a passport on short notice, a temporary passport can be issued when applying for a new passport.

Passport fees

The following fees must be paid in Qatari Riyals (according to current exchange rate) when submitting an application. Credit cards are also accepted (Master and Visa Cards only). The applicable amount will be deducted from your credit card account.

1. Normal fees:

2. If you are still registered in Germany an additional fee (“Unzuständigkeitszuschlag”) will be charged. The fees are:

3. A biometric passport containing 48 instead of 32 pages may also be issued (recommended for frequent travellers) and/or an express passport (processing time approx. 3 weeks instead of approx. 8 weeks). The following additional fees will be charged for this service: