Travel ID as a passport replacement

First page

The travel document as a passport substitute is an official identification document for German citizens, which, as a so-called passport substitute paper, enables them to meet the passport requirement when crossing the border with reference to the German border control. It cannot be used as extensively as a passport because it is not recognized as sufficient for entry into the country by many countries and also has a shorter period of validity than the passport and does not have space to affix visas .

It can be issued by the German border authorities - mostly the Federal Police - if the passport is no longer valid or the period of validity does not meet the entry requirements of the destination country, although not all countries allow such entry with the travel document as a passport substitute. It can still be issued if the passport or identity card is lost or forgotten due to loss or theft. However, the issue is at the discretion of the officer. The federal police can provide for the validity of the travel document for single or multiple entries or exits. The legal basis for the approval of a travel document as a passport substitute results from Section 7 (1) No. 7 of the Passport Ordinance .

German diplomatic missions abroad will issue a travel document - on a slightly different form - as a passport substitute in suitable cases to Germans if they have lost their travel document ( e.g. passport , identity card ) abroad. Depending on the occasion of the issue, such an ID is only valid for entry into Germany, but not for exits from Germany.

Since January 1, 2005, foreigners are no longer issued a travel document as a passport substitute. Since then, the emergency travel document has performed a similar function as the travel document as a passport replacement .

Travel ID as a passport replacement

Web links