General information

Biometric passports can be issued from birth onwards and can only be applied for in person (parents and child) upon appointment. Since 26. June 2012, entering the name(s) of the child(ren) in the passport of the parents has become invalid and does not entitle the child to cross the border. Every child needs their own German travel document.

Please note that you can keep a valid children’s passport during processing time for urgent journeys.

Important information for your child’s first time passport application: In some cases it might be necessary to do a name declaration before you can apply for the first passport for your child. Please read the information provided further down on this page.

If your child was adopted outside of Germany or in cases involving surrogacy, please contact us before booking a passport appointment: Contact consular section.

Please note that your application can only be accepted if the documents below are complete. If the documentation is incomplete you might have to make a new appointment.

Documents required

The following original documents are required for an application:

• Checklist Please print out the checklist and organise all documents according to the list. Checklist
• Application form (please fill in as block letters) Passport-application-minor

For the application signatures are required as follows:

• Children born to married parents: both parents
• Children born out of marriage, if both parents have custody: both parents
• Children of separated parents: the parent who has custody. Please provide the court custody order.
• Children for whom a guardian has been appointed: the guardian.
• If one parent cannot be present, the application can still proceed with just one parent attending, provided the absent parent submits their original passport or a certified passport copy and gives consent using the declaration of consent form. IMPORTANT: In this case, the passport copy and the consent form filled in and signed by the absent parent must be certified by either an Irish notary or An Garda Síochána.
• If the absent parent is abroad the signature on the consent form and passport copy should be certified by a German Embassy or Consulate or, if in Germany, by an official local authority.
• The current children’s passport, travel passport or ID card, if applicable.
  • In case of loss or theft of the above passport documents, please obtain a “report of loss” from the Irish police.
• Child’s birth certificate containing the details of parents. In case it is issued in another language than German or English, please also provide a sworn translation into German or English.
• Valid passports/ identity cards of both parents
• Marriage certificate if applicable (if in another language than German or English, please provide a German or English sworn translation of the certificate)
• If applicable: child’s German naturalisation certificate or parent’s naturalisation certificate
• If the child or one of the parents has made a name declaration, please bring the confirmation of name declaration
• Most recent German local authority de-registration form (‘Abmeldebestätigung’) – only if the last place of residence was in Germany or if a German place of residence is shown in the passport. Not applicable if the child was born abroad.
• Recent proof of address in Ireland (e.g. utility bill or bank statement)
• Two recent, identical, passport photos with a bright background. Passport Photos
• Self-addressed, prepaid large envelope (9.50 Euro for registered post). Envelopes and stamps can be purchased for 12 Euro at the Embassy.
• Fingerprints (for European passports of children aged 6 and over), to be provided at the time of application at the Embassy.
• Full signature of the child (from age 10 onwards)

Processing time

Biometric passports are printed at the Federal Printing Office in Berlin. You can keep your existing passport during the processing time, if you need to travel and the passport is still valid. The processing time is 8-10 weeks. An express option reduces the processing time to 3-4 weeks for an additional fee of €32.

Fees

Fees can be paid in cash or with credit card (Master-/ Visa card). We cannot accept Maestro- or American Express cards. Payment with mobile phone, smart watch or through an online payment provider is not possible. For security reasons, mobile phones have to be switched off before entering the premises and locked into our onsite storage lockers.

Biometric Passport

Appointment booking

To apply for a German passport or ID card in the German Embassy, you need to make one appointment per applicant. If you would like to apply for both a passport and an identification card, you can book only one appointment but please prepare two application forms.

You can book an appointment online via our online booking system.
Our appointment booking system is active for up to 6 weeks in advance, new slots are therefore released daily. When a cancellation occurs, the slot is released automatically.
Please note that the appointments shown online are the only and earliest appointments available.
The Embassy is not able to offer earlier appointments than the ones given on the appointment schedule (not even via telephone or email due to data protection).

For the protection of your privacy, please note that the Embassy only allows entry to the passport section five minutes before your scheduled appointment. For safety reasons, please refrain from bringing larger pieces of luggage such as suitcases of any kind or backpacks.

If you live in the administrative district of our Honorary Consul in Galway,Contact the Honorary Consul in Galway

Please note that he can offer the following service:

• applications for biometric passports for children up to the age of six

> The Honorary Consul charges an additional service fee.

The Embassy is solely responsible for issuing visas, passports and ID cards (exception: children's passports). Please refrain from making inquiries on those matters to the Honorary Consul in Galway.

Passport applications of applicants living in Northern Ireland can be lodged with Honorary Consul, Marion Lübbeke. Please contact her via email to schedule an appointment. More information: German Missions in the U.K. - Consulate Finder

Name declaration

A name declaration is most likely necessary if any of the following statements apply to you. Please note that the name declaration has to take place before you apply for a new passport document.

• You are married, but you both do not bear the same married name in your passports and want to apply for a passport for your child.
• You are not married and want to apply for a passport for your child.
• You and your spouse would like your new married name to be passed on to your child from a previous marriage.

Click here for more information on name declarations