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Apply for a passport replacement for foreigners from non-EU countries (travel document for foreigners)

All foreigners must have a recognised and valid passport or passport replacement.

Only in exceptional cases may German passport substitutes be issued to non-German nationals, as this interferes with the passport sovereignty of another state.

The travel document for foreigners is such a passport replacement document. It may only be issued to you under certain conditions if you, as a national or citizen of a non-EU state, demonstrably do not possess a passport or passport substitute and cannot reasonably obtain one.

If you are not in possession of a passport or passport replacement, you must therefore first apply to the diplomatic mission or consular post of your country of origin for the issue of a passport or passport replacement. When applying for a travel document for foreigners, you should, if possible, present evidence of corresponding efforts.

There is no entitlement to the issuance of a travel document for foreigners. It is always a case-by-case decision that is only made in special exceptional cases. Only the formal framework conditions are listed here.

Note: You will not receive a travel document if the state you come from does not issue you a passport or passport replacement for reasons that also exist in German passport law.

Hint: You can also obtain a travel document as

  • Refugee on the basis of the Geneva Refugee Convention or
  • Stateless person or a stateless person on the basis of the Convention on Stateless Persons

Notice: As a national or national of the states listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, you can obtain an emergency travel document under certain conditions. You can find detailed information on this in the text "Applying for a passport replacement for foreigners (emergency travel document)".

Responsible department

The foreigners authority in whose district you usually reside. Depending on where you live, the foreigners authority is the city administration or the district office.

Details

Prerequisite

  • You are a national or a citizen of a non-EU state
  • You do not have a passport or passport substitute and
  • it is not possible for you to obtain one with reasonable effort. Reasonable effort is deemed to be ,
    • apply for a new passport or renewal in good time before the expiry of the validity of your passport and cooperate in the official procedure in your country of origin,
    • pay the fees generally fixed by the country of origin, or
    • to fulfil your compulsory military service, unless this is unreasonable for compelling reasons, and other reasonable civic duties.

A further requirement is that you

  • have a residence permit, settlement permit or EU permanent residence permit, or
  • You are to receive a residence permit, settlement permit or permit for permanent residence in the EU together with the travel document, or
  • You are to be enabled to leave the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany permanently, or
  • if you are an asylum seeker, there is an urgent public interest in issuing the travel document, compelling reasons require it or there would be undue hardship if the travel document were not issued to you and your asylum proceedings were not jeopardised as a result.

Procedure

You must apply for the travel document in person at the competent office. You will also receive the necessary application form there.

As soon as the identity card is ready, you will receive

  • information and can collect the pass from the competent office, or
  • a rejection notice.

The period of validity of your travel document is linked to the validity of your residence title or residence permit. The maximum period of validity is:

  • for children under 12 years of age (in the case of passport substitutes without electronic storage and processing media): one year, up to the age of 12 at the most
  • for persons who have not yet reached the age of 24 at the time of issue: six years
  • for persons who are 24 years of age or older at the time of issue: ten years
  • in individual cases, e.g. if the travel document is issued for permanent departure from Germany: one month at the most

You can also apply for the travel document as a temporary travel document. It is then valid for a maximum of one year.

The competent authority may determine that the travel document should only be valid for certain states or parts of the world.

Deadlines

none

Required documents

  • a biometric passport photo in passport format 45 x 35 mm
  • Proof of identity and nationality: for example by means of expired travel documents, certificates or affidavits

Costs

  • Travel document for foreigners aged 24 and over: EUR 100.00
  • Travel document for foreigners under 24 years of age: EUR 97.00
  • Travel document for refugees, stateless persons, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees aged 24 and over: EUR 60.00
  • Travel document for refugees, stateless persons, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees up to 24 years of age: EUR 38.00
  • temporary travel document for foreigners: EUR 67.00
  • temporary travel document for refugees, stateless persons, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees: EUR 26.00
  • Travel document without storage medium for foreigners, refugees, stateless persons, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees up to 12 years of age: EUR 14.00
  • Extension of a temporary travel document for foreigners, refugees or stateless persons: EUR 20.00

Processing time

four to six weeks

Miscellaneous

none

 

Release note

16.08.2023 Ministry of Justice Baden-Wuerttemberg