You must submit the following with your application

• biometric passport photo
• if you have moved away from Germany (also: non-residents, world travelers):
  • Certificate of deregistration from the last German place of residence if a German place of residence is still entered in the most recent identity document;
• If your address abroad is to be entered in the ID card: additional proof of your habitual residence abroad, e.g. foreigner's identity card, registration certificate from your host country, rental agreement, telephone, electricity or gas bills.

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,
• if you have lost the old document: additionally a police report of loss;

For first-time applications or changes that have occurred

• Birth/parentage certificate, alternatively German marriage/partnership certificate, German family register;
• If you are or were married/partnered:
• Marriage/partnership certificate with note on the name or extract from the family register with note on the name if married abroad, name certificate under German law if applicable;
• If applicable, certificate of acquisition of German citizenship (naturalization certificate for first 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 cannot be derived from a previous passport/ID card and the entry in the new passport/ID card is desired;

additionally for children under the age of 16:

• if born in Germany after 01.01.2000, if at least one parent did not have German citizenship at that time: extract from the birth register;
• 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 order or divorce decree; if applicable, recognition of a foreign divorce decree for the German legal area;
• for children of unmarried parents 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 it may be necessary to submit further certificates and documents.