Identification Card, Passport, and eID Card; Requesting a Change of Address or Place of Residence

As the holder of an identity card or passport, you are required to present your document to the passport or identity card authority immediately if any entry is incorrect. This also applies to the eID card, which—like the national ID card—has a function for electronic identity verification, i.e., for online identification. On the national ID card, the address is printed on the back of the card and stored in the chip. In a passport, the place of residence is indicated; in the eID card, the address is stored only in the chip.

The address plays a crucial role in the online ID’s address verification function; therefore, it is important to ensure that the current address is stored on the chip. Without updating the address, you may not be able to use certain online services, or correspondence sent to you may not reach you.

You can update your address in person at the relevant passport, ID card, or eID card authority, or online via the Internet as part of the electronic residence registration process—a nationwide service provided by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg that is gradually being rolled out across Germany.

Information on registration and the availability of the electronic residence registration can be found under “Related Topics” and “Further Links.”

In-Person Visit

You have already registered with the appropriate registration office.

The change of address can be initiated by the document holder in person or by a person authorized to act on their behalf.

Registration via the electronic residence registration service

The authority responsible for you is connected to the “Electronic Residence Registration” online service, and the registration office has completed the registration process—that is, a digital registration confirmation is available for you in the online service.

If you visit in person

Please present your ID card and, if applicable, your passport or eID card to the passport, ID card, or eID card authority responsible for you.

The change of address can also be made by an authorized representative during a personal visit. The authorized representative must present a power of attorney and provide proof of identity with an identity document (usually an ID card or passport). The document(s) to be updated must be brought along.

When registering via electronic residence registration

As soon as you have received the registration confirmation as a PDF from your new registration authority, you can update the data on the chip of your national ID card or eID card. To do this, you must log in to the online service again using your national ID card or eID card. After entering the six-digit Card Access Number (CAN)—located on the front of your ID card or eID card to the right of the expiration date —the online service can then save the new address to the chip on your ID card or eID card.

Finally, depending on the type and number of documents you’ve updated, you’ll receive one or more address stickers by mail, which you can use to update the address on your ID card and passport. Please affix the sticker(s) to your ID card and passport as described in the enclosed instructions.

If the process is interrupted for legal or technical reasons, or if the registration authority cancels the electronic registration during the review process, you will receive a notification to that effect. In that case, please visit your new municipality in person to complete the registration and have your ID card, passport, or eID card updated.

For more information, see “Related Topics” under the service “Residence; Registration” and under “Further Links.”

It is recommended that you update your address or place of residence at the same time you register your residence.

If you deregister in person while abroad, you can update your address or place of residence as part of the deregistration process.

In-person visit: Immediately.

Electronic update: You can update the information on the chip immediately upon receiving your registration confirmation. It usually takes about a week for the address or place of residence sticker to be mailed to you.

• If you change your address or place of residence, the following documents are required in particular:
  

  When Visiting in Person

  • Identification card, passport, or eID card
  • When moving abroad:
    • When submitting an application at a German diplomatic mission abroad: Confirmation of deregistration from your last place of residence
    • When applying in Germany: Proof of residence abroad

  When registering using the electronic residence registration system

  • Identity card or eID card with activated online ID and the corresponding personal PIN
  • A compatible smartphone with an NFC interface or a card reader
  • Free federal AusweisApp for your smartphone or PC

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