Apply for an eID Card for EU/EEA Citizens
As an EU/EWR citizen, you can use your eID card to securely verify your identity online and complete official procedures digitally.
At a glance
How do you prove your identity online as an EU/EEA citizen in Germany?
Are you a citizen of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA)? Then you can apply for the eID card. In addition to the EU, the EEA also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. With the eID card, you can prove your identity securely online. You can use it to handle official and business matters digitally.
The eID card is valid for 10 years. It offers you the same options as the German national identity card or the electronic residence title (eAT). Each time, you decide yourself whether to share your personal data digitally, and with whom.
Important: The eID card is not an identity document and not a travel document. You must not hold more than one valid eID card in your name. This applies even if you hold multiple European nationalities. You must also not at the same time be a German national within the meaning of the Basic Law (Article 116, paragraph 1).
You can apply for the eID card regardless of whether you live in Germany or not. However, you must be at least 16 years old. You must submit the application in person. In Berlin, you must be registered here. If you are not required to register and you live in Berlin or abroad, you can still submit the application.
After submitting your application, you will receive a PIN letter. It contains a transport PIN. You use this transport PIN to set your own six-digit PIN. Only then will the online identity function work. The letter also contains an unblocking number (PUK) and a blocking password, which can be used to disable the online identity function.
Requirements
Who qualifies?
- You are a citizen of the EU or the EEA, you are at least 16 years old, and you are not a German national within the meaning of the Basic Law (Article 116, paragraph 1).
Additional requirements
- You must be registered in Berlin — unless you are not required to register and you live in Berlin or abroad (for example as a tourist).
- You must submit the application in person at the office.
How to apply
Check whether you meet the requirements: You are at least 16 years old, a citizen of the EU or the EEA, and not a German national within the meaning of the Basic Law (Article 116, paragraph 1).
Gather all the required documents: a valid identity document from your home country (for example, a passport or national identity card) and — if you do not have a registered address in Germany — proof of your address in your home country.
Make an appointment with the responsible authority in Berlin and attend in person — you can only submit the application on-site.
Submit your application for the eID card and bring all documents with you.
Wait for your PIN letter: it contains a transport PIN, an unblocking number (PUK), and a blocking password.
Done! Use the transport PIN to set your own six-digit PIN — only then will your online identification function be active, and you will be able to handle official and business matters securely in digital form.
Apply for an eID card for EU/EEA citizens
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Apply for an eID Card for EU/EEA Citizens
Approximately 3 to 4 weeks. In individual cases, the production of the eID card may take significantly longer. Please ask when you submit your application.