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First Time Application for Adults

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Is this your first application for a German passport or did your last German passport expire more than 15 years ago? Please read the following information.

Is a Name Declaration required?

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.

Do I need to make a name declaration?

Who can apply for a German Passport?

If you are a German Citizen residing in Canada, you can apply for a German passport at the competent German Foreign Mission. To determine if you have German citizenship, please read the following information:

Am I German?

How long is my passport valid?

For applicants under 24 years of age the passport will be valid for 6 years; for applicants over 24 years of age the passport will be valid for 10 years.

How long does it take to get my passport?

It may take 10 to 12 weeks for the passport to be sent to you, as passports are printed in Berlin by the Bundesdruckerei. Please note that it is not possible first time applicants to apply for an Express passport since verification of citizenship and personal details may take longer in those cases.

You must submit your passport application in person at the German Foreign Mission.

What documents do I need?

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!

Documents not issued in German, English or French have to be translated into German or English.

Please submit the following documents when you apply for your passport in person:

All documents have to be handed in as original + one copy!
The original documents will be returned to you after they have been compared with the copies.

You can find downloadable checklist here: List of documents required for first time passport application for adults PDF / 271 KB

1.

Completed and signed application form (including “additional questionnaire for first time applicants (adults))”

Passport application form PDF / 614 KB

Additional questionnaire for first time applicants PDF / 29 KB

2.

One biometric passport picture, good contrast. Please do not cut the passport pictures.

Photo requirements for German passports

3.

Last German passport or other German ID (If applicable)

4.

Birth certificate

Canadian birth certificates have to be birth certificates with parental information. The “Short-Form” birth certificate is not sufficient. The following birth certificate is required depending on the province:

Province

Name of the birth certificate

ON, NB, NL, NT, NS, NU, YT

Certified Copy of Birth Registration / Statement of Live Birth

QC

Copy of an Act of Birth / Copie d’acte de naissance

MB

Certified Copy of the Registration of Birth

BC

Certified Electronic Extract of a Birth Registration (since 01.01.2000),
Certified Copy of Birth Registration (before 01.01.2000)

SK

Certified Copy of the Original Birth Registration

AB, PE

Photocopy of a Registration of Birth

5.

If applicable: marriage certificate of your 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 your German parent (Canadian birth certificates have to be birth certificates with parental information, so-called “Statement of Live Birth”.)

7. German certificate of nationality (“Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis”) OR German passports of your German parent/s issued before and after the time of your birth. If you never had a German passport before, one of your German parent’s passports has to have been issued within the last 30 years.

( If you do not have the required original German passports of your German parent(s), you will have to apply for a certificate of nationality first.
8. Valid passports or ID-cards of both parents (for Canadian citizens without a valid passport a valid driver's licence is sufficient). If one parent is deceased: last passport issued to said parent.
9.

If your parents and/or you were naturalized in Germany: German naturalization certificate OR “Registrierschein” (for late repatriates)

10.

If your parents and/or you were naturalized in Canada:

  • Before June 27, 2024: Canadian citizenship certificate and Beibehaltungsgenehmigung” (permit to retain German citizenship when applying for and receiving another citizenship)
  • On or after June 27, 2024: Canadian citizenship certificate

OR

  • Search of Citizenship Records (issued within the last 3 months)

11.

If your parents were never naturalized in Canada: current OR last Canadian Permanent Resident card of your German parent/s

12.

If you live 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 you are also a Canadian citizen: Canadian ID (e.g. passport, driver’s license)

14.

If applicable: your marriage certificate (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.)

15.

If applicable: a certificate of name issued by a German civil registry (to find out whether your name might not yet be established according to German law, please see our website.)

16.

If the address in your last passport is still a German residence: Proof of deregistration from Germany (“Abmeldebescheinigung”)

17.

​​​​​​​Fees: see Passport fees

18.

XPresspost prepaid envelope “standard size” (personal pick-up of passports is only available in Vancouver).
Please note: Shipments within one province or between QC and ON 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 sticker for delivery against signature only.

19.

Signed notice on the use of mail services

Use of mail services form PDF / 345 KB

Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Where can I apply for a German passport?

If you are not registered in Germany you may apply at the German Foreign Mission that serves your area.

If you are not registered in Germany you may apply at the German Foreign Mission that serves your area. Please visit our service overview to find the mission that serves your area.

Please note that you must book an appointment.

Additional content

The fee is to be paid at the time of your application at the German Mission. Consular fees are fixed by law in EUROS. You may pay the fee by credit card (Visa & Mastercard, the amount will be…

Passport fees

You always need an appointment for any type of service at a German foreign mission. Depeding on the mission, appointments can be booked online or by phone.

Book an appointment with the Consular Section

Please use this form to contact us in consular matters

Contact in consular matters

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