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Passports for Minors (First Time Applications and Renewals)
Children require their own travel documents when traveling to other countries. All passport applications must be filed in person, this includes children.
General information
The German Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver issue passports for children.
A passport issued for a child will be valid for a maximum of 6 years.
Passport applications must be filed in person at the Consulate or certain Honorary Consuls office responsible for your consular district.
Do I need a Name Declaration for my child?
Please be aware that the surname on a non-German birth certificate is not always valid for the German jurisdiction. Please inform yourself on our website whether a name declaration is necessary before you can apply for a German passport.
Who has to apply for my child's passport?
NOTE:
Both parents / all legal guardians and the child must be present at the consulate during the passport application.
If a parent / legal guardian cannot be present, the signature on the application form has to be verified no longer than 3 months before the application by one of the following authorities ONLY: A German authority in Germany, a German diplomatic representation (embassy, consulate or honorary consulate), a German notary public (Notar) or a Canadian notary public. The consent form is available here: consent
If a parent has sole custody of the child, a court order is required as proof.
How long does it take to get my passport?
It may take 8 to 10 weeks (up to 12 weeks for first time applications) for the passport to be sent to you, as passports are printed in Berlin by the Bundesdruckerei. If you submit your passport application at one of our Honorary Consul's offices, in Montreal (consular days) or at the Embassy in Ottawa the processing time will take approx. 2 weeks longer. Please note that it is not possible first time applicants to apply for an Express passport, as the citizenship verification takes longer in those cases.
Biometric passport or child's passport (“Kinderreisepass”)?
As an alternative to the biometric passport, children can be issued a special child's passport (Kinderrreisepass) up to the age of 12. A child's passport is cheaper and can usually be issued within 2 to 3 weeks. It is also possible to update the photo in a child's passport which is not possible with a biometric passport.
However, please bear in mind that the child’s passport is not recognized by all countries. Among others entry to the U.S. is not possible with only a child's passport. Before embarking on foreign travel, you should duly inquire whether the child’s entry and transit is even possible with a child’s passport.
An application for a child's passport is only possible in person at the Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver.
What documents do I need?
All documents have to be handed in as original + one copy.
Copies certified by a notary public or a German public authority can take the place of an original for many documents. However, passports, ID Cards, Canadian PR Cards or visas and all citizenship documents (incl. naturalization/citizenship certificates and so-called “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung”) have to be presented as originals!
All birth certificates must state the names of the parents (no “short form”)!
Documents not issued in German, English or French have to be translated into German or English.
Please submit the following documents when you apply in person: |
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| 1. |
Completed application form signed by both parents / legal guardians Information regarding passport application for a minor PDF / 567 KB |
| 2. |
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3. |
Last German passport or other German ID (If applicable) |
| 4. |
Birth certificate (Canadian birth certificates have to be birth certificates with parental information, so-called “Statement of Live Birth”). |
| 5. |
If applicable: marriage certificate of parents (If married in Canada, the official certificate from the registrar’s office / Directeur de l’état civil is required. Documents issued by a church or other religious institution are not sufficient.) |
| 6. |
Birth certificate of German parent/s (Canadian birth certificates have to be birth certificates with parental information, so-called “Statement of Live Birth.) |
| 7. |
If the German parent/s was/were born outside of Germany on or after Janauary 1st, 2000: proof that the birth of the child was registered with the competent Germany authority (consulate general, embassy or registrar's Office). More information on this requirement is available here. |
| 8. |
Valid passports of both parents (for parents who are (also) German citizens, a valid German passport or “Personalausweis” is required) |
| 9. |
Valid Canadian Permanent Resident card OR valid visa OR Search of Citizenship Records (issued within the last 3 months) OR Canadian passport of parents who are (also) German citizens |
| 10. |
If the German parent/s and/or the child were naturalized in Germany and this is the child's first German passport: certificate of naturalization (“Einbürgerungsurkunde”) OR “Registrierschein” (for late repatriates) |
| 11. |
If the German parent/s and/or the child were naturalized in Canada: Canadian certificate of citizenship + “Beibehaltungsgenehmigung”, permit to retain German citizenship |
| 12. |
If the child lives in Canada as a foreigner: valid Canadian Permanent Resident card OR valid visa OR Search of Citizenship Records (issued within the last 3 months) |
| 13. |
If applicable: child's Canadian passport |
| 14. |
If applicable: a certificate of name issued by a German civil registry (to find out whether the name of the child might not yet be established according to German law, please see our website.) |
| 15. |
If the address in the last passport is still a German residence: Proof of deregistration (“Abmeldebescheinigung”) |
| 16. |
Fee: 1. biometric passport for applicants under the age of 24: approx. CAN $ 95,- (depending on the exchange rate). 2. child's passport: approx. CAN $ 45,- (depending on the exchange rate). |
| 17. |
XPresspost prepaid envelope ”standard size“ (Pick-up of passports is only available in Vancouver. Please note: Shipments within one province or between ON and QC or between BC, AB and SK can be XPresspost prepaid envelope regional, all others require XPresspost prepaid envelope national. We recommend to buy and affix the extra tsticker for delivery against signature only. |
| 18. |
Signed notice on the use of mail Services |
Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Additional content
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Information regarding passport application for a minor PDF / 567 KB / Accessible
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Antragsformular zur Beantragung eines deutschen Reisepasses für Minderjährige (unter 18 Jahren) PDF / 559 KB / File does not meet accessibility standards / 07.11.2019
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Photo requirements for children under the age of 10 PDF / 988 KB / Accessible / 29.01.2021
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Use of mail services form PDF / 99 KB / File does not meet accessibility standards
The fee is to be paid at the time of your application at the German Mission. You may pay the fee with credit card (Visa or Mastercard, the amount will be charged in Euro) or in cash in CAD. (Payments…
Please book an appointment for the consular services at the German Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver online in advance for services that require a personal appointment and cannot be done via mail.
Please use this form to contact us in consular matters
