Travel documents for children; notification of loss and recovery

If the German children's passport cannot be found or has been lost, you must report the loss. If you find the document again later, you must also report this.

If your child's identity document (e.g. children's passport, passport, identity card) is lost, you as the child's legal representative are obliged to inform the passport office of your (local) authority immediately. An identity check is required there.

The passport authority must also be notified if the document is found again. As a new document is usually issued, this is essential, also to prevent problems when using these identity documents.

If a criminal offense is involved, contact the local police station (see "Reporting a criminal offense to the police" under "Related topics").

If a report is not made to the passport authority or not made in time, an administrative offense is committed which can be punished with a fine.

With the Act on the Modernization of the Passport, ID and Alien Law Document System, which was published on 12.10.2023 the children's passport was abolished on 01.01.2024. Children's passports were therefore only issued, extended or updated until 31.12.2023. The validity of children's passports that have already been issued remains unaffected.

German nationals - regardless of age - can continue to apply for passports or ID cards that are valid for several years. Identity cards are recognized as travel documents in the EU and are sufficient for both adults and children. The passport allows visa-free travel for tourist purposes to 190 countries worldwide and is one of the most widely used internationally.

Answers to the following questions can be found in the FAQ section of the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI):

- Which identity document can I have issued for my child with German citizenship?

- Why should the children's passport be abolished?

- What do I need to know about travel documents for babies/infants?

Link: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/DE/themen/moderne-verwaltung/reisepass/reisepass-faq.html;jsessionid=A489678D680A51F3181F3EF0DF1F72BA.1_cid504#doc16125526bodyText2

With the law on the modernization of the passport, ID and foreigner document system, which was published on 12.10.2023, the children's passport was abolished on 01.01.2024. Children's passports were therefore only issued, extended or updated until 31.12.2023. The validity of children's passports already issued remains unaffected.

German nationals - regardless of age - can continue to apply for passports or ID cards that are valid for several years. Identity cards are recognized as travel documents in the EU and are sufficient for both adults and children. The passport allows visa-free travel for tourist purposes to 190 countries worldwide and is one of the most widely used internationally.

Answers to the following questions can be found in the FAQ section of the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI):

- Which identity document can I have issued for my child with German citizenship?

- Why should the children's passport be abolished?

- What should I bear in mind with regard to travel documents for babies/infants?

Link: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/DE/themen/moderne-verwaltung/reisepass/reisepass-faq.html;jsessionid=A489678D680A51F3181F3EF0DF1F72BA.1_cid504#doc16125526bodyText2

If a report is not made to the passport/ID card authority or not made in time, an administrative offense is committed which can be punished with a fine.

Despite a report on the recovery of the passport, foreign authorities may not recognize a passport reported as recovered for use in their country or may confiscate it. It is therefore recommended that you apply for a new passport if your passport is lost or stolen.

If the identity card is also to be used as a travel document, a new application is recommended. This is because even after notification of recovery, the use of recovered documents can lead to travel difficulties because other countries do not recognize or confiscate the documents.