Reiseausweis Ausstellung für Ausländer

If you do not have a passport from your country of origin and it is not reasonably possible for you to obtain one, you may be issued with a travel document for foreigners in exceptional cases.

Every foreigner must have a recognized and valid passport or passport substitute. If you are not in possession of a passport or a substitute for a passport, you must therefore apply to the diplomatic mission of your country of origin to obtain such a document.

The travel document for foreigners is a German passport substitute document that can be issued alternatively in special exceptional cases.

You can apply for a travel document for foreigners if you come from a non-EU country, do not have a passport or passport substitute from your home country and cannot reasonably obtain such a document.

As a rule, it is considered reasonable to:

• apply for a new or renewal of a passport or passport replacement in good time before the expiry of your passport in your home country and to cooperate with the official procedure,
• the fulfilment of compulsory military service or other civic duties required for the issuance of the national passport, and
• pay the fees set for it in the country of origin.

It would not be reasonable, for example, for you to enjoy asylum in Germany as a politically persecuted person and therefore not be able to visit the embassy of your country of origin. High costs for obtaining a passport in the country of origin do not make it fundamentally unreasonable to obtain a passport.

When applying for a travel document for foreigners, you should be able to provide proof of your previous efforts to obtain a passport.

In the case of only temporary passportlessness, the issuance of a travel document for foreigners can only be considered if compelling reasons require it.

In addition to the unreasonableness of obtaining a passport, another prerequisite is that

• Your stay in Germany is lawful, i.e. You are either already in possession of a residence permit (residence permit, settlement permit, permanent residence permit) or should receive it together with your travel document.
• They should be able to leave the federal territory permanently.
• you are in the asylum procedure and
  • there is an urgent public interest in the issuance of the travel document, or
  • compelling reasons require the issuance of the travel document, or
  • the refusal of the travel document would constitute undue hardship

and the implementation of the asylum procedure is not jeopardised.

The Foreigners' Registration Office may determine that the travel document should only be valid for certain countries or continents.

If the country of origin refuses to issue a passport or passport substitute for reasons that also exist in German passport law, no travel document can be issued.

• Recent biometric photo in passport format (45 x 35 mm)
• Proof of identity and nationality (e.g. expired travel documents or certificates)
• Current residence permit, travel document or current residence permit, if available

In individual cases, the Foreigners' Registration Office may require less or more proof.

• You are a citizen of a non-EU country.
• You do not have a passport or passport substitute from your country of origin.
• You can prove that it is not reasonably possible for you to obtain a passport or passport substitute from your country of origin.
• You meet one of the following requirements:
  • You are either in possession of a residence title (residence permit, settlement permit, EC permanent residence permit) or are to receive this together with the travel document.
  • The travel document should enable you to leave the federal territory permanently.

You are in the asylum procedure and there is an urgent public interest in issuing the travel document, compelling reasons require this or it would mean undue hardship if the travel document is not issued to you and your asylum procedure is not jeopardized by the issuance of the travel document.

Cost amount:

• From the age of 24: 100.00
• Up to the age of 24: 97.00
• Temporary travel document for foreigners: 67.00
• Travel document without storage medium for foreigners up to the age of 12: 14.00
• Extension of a temporary travel document for foreigners: 20.00

Remark:

The issuing of travel documents is always subject to a fee (even when receiving social benefits).

The fee must be paid in full even if the application for the travel document is rejected.

• Find out whether your foreigners authority allows you to apply online or has a special application form.
• If the application can only be submitted in person, make an appointment at the immigration office. If you apply online, the immigration office will contact you after receiving your application to arrange an appointment.
• During the appointment, your identity and documents will be checked (please bring your documents to the appointment, if possible in the original).

When the travel document for foreigners is ready, you will receive information and can collect the document from the relevant office. If your application is rejected, you will receive a notice of rejection.

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Further information on the processing time:

It takes about 4 to 6 weeks for Bundesdruckerei to produce the travel document.

Application deadline: The application should be received by the foreigners authority at least 8 weeks before the travel document is required.

Period of validity: The period of validity of the travel document for foreigners is linked to the validity of the residence document. The maximum period of validity is

• for children under the age of 12: 6 years, at the longest until their 12th birthday
• for persons aged between 12 and 24 at the time of issue: 6 years
• for persons who are 24 years or older at the time of issue: 10 years

Temporary travel documents are issued with a validity period of up to one year. In individual cases (for example, if the travel document is issued for the final departure from Germany), the validity is usually limited to a maximum of one month.

• There is no entitlement to the issuance of a travel document for foreigners. It is always a case-by-case decision.
• Travel documents for foreigners contain the following visible information: issuing authority, date of issue, period of validity, serial number, personal data of the holder of the passport (surname and, if applicable, maiden name, first names, doctoral degree, date and place of birth, gender, height, color of eyes, place of residence, nationality, photograph and signature).
• Travel documents for foreigners are usually issued with biometric features, i.e. with an electronic storage and processing medium (exception: temporary travel documents and travel documents for children up to the age of twelve).
• After the expiry of travel documents issued with biometric features, a new travel document must be issued. Temporary travel documents can be extended under certain conditions.
• processing medium are not extendable.
• Recognised refugees and stateless persons can also obtain a travel document (travel document for refugees or travel document for stateless persons).

An emergency travel document can be issued to nationals of the states of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) as well as Switzerland.

• Appeal against the decision of the immigration authority
• Legal action before the court named in the notice of objection if the objection is not upheld

• Issuing travel documents for foreigners
• Foreigners must have a recognized and valid passport or passport substitute or apply to the diplomatic mission of their home country for the issue of a passport or passport substitute.
• Foreigners who do not have a passport or passport substitute and who cannot prove that they can obtain one in a reasonable manner may be issued a travel document for foreigners (German passport substitute) in special exceptional cases.
• Further requirement:
  • Residence in Germany is legal, i.e. the foreigner is either already in possession of a residence permit or is to receive this together with the travel document, or
  • The foreigner is to be allowed to leave the federal territory permanently.
  • The foreigner is in the asylum procedure and there is an urgent public interest in issuing the travel document, compelling reasons require the issuance or the refusal would constitute an undue hardship and the asylum procedure is not jeopardized.
• The validity of the travel document may be restricted to certain countries or parts of the world.
• If the country of origin refuses to issue a passport or passport substitute for reasons that also exist in German passport law, no travel document can be issued.
• Responsible for issuing the travel document
  • in Germany: the foreigners authority responsible for the applicant's place of residence
  • abroad: the diplomatic missions abroad

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: Yes