EXPLAINED: The changes to German passport and ID card photos in 2025

It's a long time coming but Germany is taking small steps forward in the digital world. 

And there's another change coming. From May next year, residents applying for a German passport or ID card will be able to submit a digital passport photo, making printed photos a thing of the past. 

The aim is to reduce bureaucracy and drive forward digitalisation in the passport and ID system. 

It will also make getting a passport and ID card quicker and less bureaucratic for foreign residents naturalising in Germany. 

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Here are the changes to German passport and ID photos at a glance:

• Biometric passport photos will be digital in future
• Photos on paper will no longer be allowed
• Passport photos can be taken in a photo studio or in special machines at the authorities

Until the end of April, it will still be mandatory in Germany to submit a biometric passport photo on paper. Under the current rules, photos need to be printed on high quality paper. Usually people use special photo booths or visit a photographer's studio.

But from May 1st, digital photos will become the norm. 

The changes, which were agreed by the government earlier in 2024, also mean that passports and ID cards will be delivered by post if the applicant is registered in Germany - so there will be no need to go to the office to collect them.

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Meanwhile, anyone who wants to can have a reminder sent to them by e-mail before an ID card expires. 

Earlier in the year, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: "We are making life simpler and more digital.

"We are saving citizens the hassle of travelling to the authorities. And we are sparing some people the rude awakening shortly before going on holiday that their passport has expired. In future, citizens will receive email reminders about the expiry of their documents on request."

Another change is that in future, people who move house will be able to put their new address on their ID card themselves with digitally created stickers. It follows a pilot project by the city of Hamburg. 

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How can I get a digital photo?

The issuing authorities are to be equipped with self-service photo booths that can also capture fingerprints and signatures, and transmit them digitally in a secure format. 

Following protest by the Central Association of German Professional Photographers, it will still be possible to have passport photos taken by a photographer in a certified photo studio. The images will be forwarded to the relevant authority electronically and no longer in physical form.

Here are the requirements for a biometric ID photo in Germany:

• The format is 35 x 45 mm, the photo must usually be in colour unless otherwise stated
• The image must be sharp, high-contrast and evenly lit
• The photo must be of good quality and have natural skin tones
• The background must be monochrome, bright and without a pattern
• The face must be centred in the picture and straight
• Eyes must be open, looking towards the camera
• A neutral facial expression and closed mouth are mandatory
• Head coverings are generally not permitted. Exceptions are permitted, however, particularly for religious reasons