Card for EU citizens and nationals of the European Economic Area with electronic proof of identity function (eID card EU)

For nationals of a member state of the European Union or a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area who are not Germans within the meaning of Article 116 (1) of the Basic Law, a card with an electronic proof of identity function (eID card EU) will be issued upon application.

Information on the possible uses of the electronic proof of identity, the hardware and software required for it and the online functionalities are comparable to those of the German ID card. The Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community has summarised the requirements and options for you in the ID card portal.

Application

You can apply for the EU eID card at ONLINE-eID. Payment can be made using PayPal, for example, and only via the application.

The EU eID card is issued to the applicant upon application if he or she falls within the above-mentioned group of persons and has reached the age of 16. All facts necessary to establish the identity of the applicant must be stated in the application. The cardholder is the person for whom the EU eID card was issued. No person may hold more than one valid EU eID card issued in their name.

The application is made at the Citizens' Office. With regard to your name, please refer to the entries on your ID card (identity card) or passport from your home country. The fee for the EU eID card is 37 euros.

We should have received your EU eID card around 3-4 weeks after you submit your application.

Important

• The EU eID card can only be issued to the applicant in person
• cannot be issued to an authorised person or to a spouse for identity verification reasons
• identify yourself with a recognised and valid foreign passport or identity card; if there is any doubt about your identity, the EU eID card will not be issued. A refund of fees is not possible in this case.

Loss event

If you have lost or misplaced your EU eID card, call the nationwide cancellation number on 116 116 immediately. Please have your blocking password ready for the call.

You should also report the loss or theft to the issuing authority immediately.

Further information about the EU eID card

The EU eID card is issued for a period of validity of ten years. An extension of the validity period is not permitted. However, you can apply for a new card before the expiry date.

If an entry on the chip or on the eID card itself has become incorrect, you are obliged to present the card at a citizens' office. When receiving a new EU eID card, the old card must be handed in. The EU eID card is the property of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The secret code for using the online identity function may only be known to you personally. You must ensure that no other person obtains knowledge of the PIN. In particular, the PIN may not be noted on the card itself or kept together with it in any other way.