Taking photography for digital passports is now an option in Greifswald
Greifswald City Administration Introduces New Photo Service for ID Cards and Passports
In a significant move towards digitalisation, the Greifswald city administration has set up necessary equipment from the Federal Printing Office in its registration office. This equipment will be used to take digital photos for new personal documents, especially ID cards and passports.
Since May 2025, digital photos have become the only acceptable photos for these documents. However, it's important to note that paper photos are still required for some personal documents, such as driver's licenses.
For better results with infants and young children, it is recommended to visit a professional photographer. But, the Greifswald city administration office also offers on-site photo taking for ID cards and passports. Employees at the office now take the photos directly at their workstations.
The cost for a photo at the Greifswald city administration office is 6 euros, but this applies only to ID cards and passports. Infants and young children can also be photographed at the office.
The authority responsible for taking digital photo captures for new personal documents since May 2025 is the citizen services department (Fachbereich Bürgerservice) at authorized locations, such as municipal offices with self-service terminals, or certified photography studios that securely transmit the images directly to the issuing authority, typically the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei) in Germany.
This system was introduced to ensure secure, digitally certified biometric photos for identity documents. If a professional photographer is used, they securely upload the photo to a cloud using encryption. The Greifswald city administration office can subsequently access the photo using a QR code and use it for the application process.
It's worth noting that digital photos are not acceptable for all personal documents. Paper photos are still needed for some. The new requirements for ID cards and passports only apply to digital photos. It's recommended to take photos of infants and young children at a professional studio due to their tendency to move or close their eyes.
The Greifswald city administration office continues to provide this service, making it more convenient for residents to get their ID cards and passports updated. This move is part of a larger trend towards digitalisation in public services across Germany.
