FAQ – What Documents Do I Need to Have with Me?
Passport, Residence Title, Registration
1. Do I need to have my passport with me at all times?
You are not legally required to have your passport with you at all times, but you have to have one (ex. in your apartment). Should a police officer in the street ask you to identify yourself - and you can’t – the police may give you a ride home in the police car to pick up your passport. It is unlikely that they will accept your driver’s license or any other form of ID!
In some shops you may also be required to show your passport when you pay with your EC-card and when the amount is above-average – also in this case your driving license or any other ID is usually not accepted.
2. What do I need the registration for?
Confirmation of registration is (or may be) needed when you:
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hire a car
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apply for child benefit payments
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open a bank account
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get your credit report (‘Schufa’)
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buy a contract for your mobile
We advise you to keep a copy of your registration in your passport
3. Travel outside Germany (EU-citizens)
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Make sure your passport is valid for an appropriate length of time
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Obtain visas as needed
Information for Non-EU-Citizens
4. Can I carry my eAT (electronic residence card) instead of my passport?
No, your eAT is usually only valid together with your passport. However, some shops, places, or even officials in Berlin MAY recognize it as an ID on its own, but certainly not as an ID in general. Kindly bear in mind that you need to update your eAT if you renew your passport. Your eAT also needs to be updated if you move within Berlin or Germany.
Due to safety reasons your eAT is deactivated when the immigration office sends it to your home address. If you wish the electronic function of your card to be activated, an extra appointment will need to booked at the immigration office. Please let us know whether you would like to activate your card, so that we can request an appointment for you.
5. Travel outside Germany
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Your German residence permit allows you to travel to all Schengen countries without an additional visa – but you must not work in a Schengen country other than Germany.
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You may not leave Germany for more than 6 months. If you do, your residence permit expires and you will need to apply for a new one.
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Always have your valid passport with you.
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If you have an eAT / Blue Card (and not just a paper sticker in your passport), you need to have it with you in addition to the passport. Make sure it does not expire before you return to Germany!
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Most eATs / Blue Cards are issued with an additional piece of paper (greenish). It’s a supplement you also need to have with you.
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Thus eAT / Blue Card-carriers need to have three items with them: passport + eAT+supplement
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Paper-sticker carriers just one item: their passport.
Please be aware that you cannot reenter Germany without proper documentation, and it is also very advisable to have all necessary documents on you at all times, because if you cannot identify yourself satisfactorily, the police may keep you under arrest upon re-entering Germany.
