Abolition of the children's passport: Higher costs for parents

Anyone who wants to travel with their baby must, since 1.1.2024 There are a few new things to bear in mind. Until the end of 2023, children were still able to travel with a child passport. However, this was only valid for one year and was abolished on 1 January 2024 when a new law came into effect. In this guide, we explain what you now need to consider if you wish to travel with a child.

How can children identify themselves now?

Children under the age of 16 do not have to carry identification in Germany. However, if they travel abroad, they do need an identity document. There is now two possibilities for children to identify themselves. There is the electronic passport and the identity card. Both documents are Valid for a maximum of 6 years. However, if the appearance of the child changes significantly within these 6 years, the ID is no longer valid. Especially with babies, their appearance usually changes so much within 6 years that one must assume that IDs for babies are never valid for the full 6 years.

Is the old child’s passport still valid?

In theory, children's passports issued in 2023 are still valid in 2024. However, in many countries, the rule applies that children's passports must be valid for at least 3 more months upon entry. It is no longer possible to extend the children's passport.

Why was the children's passport abolished?

As children's passports are not equipped with a chip they were only weakly protected. That is why they were no longer accepted as an identification document everywhere. Moreover, the effort required for parents to apply for a new passport or to have the old one renewed every year was always incredibly high. Of course, the effort remains the same for babies, as their appearance changes significantly and quickly, making a renewal necessary in the first few years.

What is the difference between a passport and an identity card for children?

Children need an identity card for travel within the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, as well as for trips to Turkey. For travel outside the EU, your child will need a passport.

Which documents are needed to apply for an identity document for children?

• A recent biometric passport photo
• Birth certificate of the child
• If available, the old identification document
• For children under 16 years of age, the original identity documents of all legal guardians must always be presented in addition. If one legal guardian is not present when the application is submitted, the other guardian will need what is known as a declaration of consent. You can obtain a template for this from your local registration office.

If your child is older than 6 years, their fingerprints will be recorded and stored exclusively on the chip of the identity document. The fingerprints will then be deleted both at the authority and by the passport manufacturer.

How long does it take for an identity card to be issued?

It takes 3 to 6 weeks after submitting the application, ...until your child has the identity card or passport. If you can't wait that long because you're going on holiday soon, that's no problem either. You can apply for a temporary identity card. This... is issued directly.

What are the costs?

It will definitely become more expensive for parents now.. Applying for an identity card for children costs 22.80 euros. A temporary identity card costs 10 euros. The electronic passport costs 37.50 euros. Previously, the children's passport incurred fees of 13 euros.

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