Procedure descriptions
Identity card – applying for a new one following a change of name due to divorce
Have you changed your name following your divorce?
If so, you must have your identity card reissued in your new name as soon as possible.
An identity card bearing your old name is invalid.
You can also fulfil your obligation to carry identification by holding a valid passport issued in your correct name. If this is not possible, you must apply for a new identity card.
Tip: You can apply for a provisional identity card at the same time. This is possible if you need a form of identification for the period until your new identity card is issued. The provisional identity card is valid for a maximum of three months. You must return it as soon as you have received your new identity card.
Responsible authority
The authorities responsible for issuing identity cards in Baden-Württemberg are:
- the local authorities, acting as local police authorities
- the administrative associations ( ) which carry out the duties of the registration authority.
There, the citizens’ offices or local government offices generally carry out the duties of an identity card authority.
The identity card authority responsible for you is the one in whose district you are registered at your place of residence; if you have more than one place of residence, this is your main place of residence.
Please note: Your application for an identity card must also be processed by an identity card authority outside your local jurisdiction if you can demonstrate a valid reason. An identity card may only be issued with the authorisation of the locally competent identity card authority . This also applies to German nationals residing abroad.
Details
Prerequisite
You changed your name after the divorce.
Procedure
- You must submit the application in person at the ID card office.
- You must provide a valid signature and complete the declaration regarding German citizenship.
- When applying, you can have your photograph taken on the spot – depending on the facilities available at the office – or have it taken in advance by a certified service provider (for example, a photographer or the photo service at a chemist’s). The service provider will give you a printout of a data matrix code (similar to a QR code), which the office can use to retrieve your photograph from the cloud.
- Since 2 August 2021, the taking of fingerprints has been mandatory for people aged 6 and over. These are stored on the ID card’s chip. If an index finger is missing, the fingerprint is of insufficient quality or there are injuries to the fingertip, an alternative fingerprint will be taken instead. Fingerprints will only be omitted if this is impossible for permanent medical reasons.
- When you apply for your identity card , you will be given a PIN letter . Children under the age of 10 do not receive a PIN letter. This contains a‘ ’ secret code (a five-digit one-off PIN) and a personal unlock code (PUK) for using the online ID function. You can use the online ID from the age of 16, as soon as you have set your own six-digit PIN. When you are issued with your new identity card, you will receive a letter containing the blocking password, which you can use to block the online ID function if necessary (for example, if you lose the document).
- The identity card is produced centrally by the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin.
- You can collect your finished identity card from the relevant authority in due course. Depending on your local authority, you will be notified as soon as your identity card is ready for collection. The notification from the identity card authority usually also includes a pre-printed form for authorising someone else to collect it on your behalf. This means you can collect your identity card yourself or have it collected by an authorised person. The authorised person must first prove their identity to the identity card office and present the collection authorisation form.
- You must hand in your old identity card when you receive the new document. If you wish, you can take your old identity card home with you, once it has been invalidated, as a keepsake.
- Since 1 May 2025, you have also been able to select the ‘direct delivery’ option (subject to a fee) during the application process, and the document will be delivered to your registered address. To be eligible, you must be at least 16 years old and submit your ID card application within Germany to the relevant authority in your place of residence. In addition, you must present yourself in person at your front door to the ‘ ’ postal delivery service with a valid identity document (e.g. a passport) and have your old identity card invalidated when applying for the new one. Residents of Büsingen (Hochrhein) and Heligoland cannot use the direct delivery service.
Deadlines
Submission of application:
as soon as possible after the name change
Validity period:
The validity period of the new identity card depends on your age:
- under 24 years of age: the identity card is valid for 6 years.
- aged 24 and over: the identity card is valid for 10 years.
Please note: It is not possible to extend the validity period of the identity card.
Required documents
- old identity card
- Certificate of change of name, certified extract from the marriage register showing your current name, or a certified extract from the birth register showing your current name
- a recent digital biometric photograph
Notes:
- Biometric photographs must comply with the relevant format requirements. Guidance is provided in the sample photograph guide for identity documents.
- Since 1 May 2025, only digital photographs have been accepted for identity card applications. Depending on the facilities available at the local authority office, you can have your photograph taken on site when you apply, or you can have it taken in advance at by a certified service provider (for example, a photographer or the photo service at a chemist’s). The photograph is then stored by the service provider in a secure cloud. You will receive a printout of a Data Matrix code (similar to a QR code), which the local authority canuse to retrieve your photograph from the cloud . Please check with your local authority in advance to find out what options are available there!
Costs
Fees effective from 7 February 2026:
- Applicants aged 24 and over: EUR 46.00
- Applicants aged under 24: EUR 27.60
- for a photograph taken at the office: EUR 6.00
- for optional direct delivery: EUR 15.00
- The following are free of charge:
- First-time activation for those aged 16 and over
- Blocking the online ID function in the event of loss
- Changing the transport PIN to a personal PIN
- Changing your address in the electronic storage and processing medium
- Subsequent activation of the online ID function
- Changing the PIN at the Citizens’ Office (for example, if you have forgotten your PIN)
- Unlocking the online ID function
- Cost of an electronic signature certificate: determined by the respective provider
Notes:
- For some of these services, a surcharge of EUR 13.00 applies if the request is processed outside normal office hours.
- You may also submit your application to an identity card authority that does not have local jurisdiction. This authority must process your application if you can demonstrate compelling reasons. This authority may also charge a surcharge of EUR 13.00 for processing the application, or EUR 30.00 for Germans living abroad.
Processing time
around three to six weeks
Miscellaneous
- You must hand in your old identity card or have it invalidated no later than when you receive your new identity card.
- If any details on your identity card are no longer correct, you must present the card to the relevant authority. If you move house or move abroad, your address will be updated (change of address on your identity card).
- You are obliged to report the loss of your identity card to the identity card authority immediately. If you use the electronic proof of identity or the signature function, you must have these functions blocked immediately. You can find further details in the text“Identity card – applying for a replacement due to loss".
Legal basis
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 28.07.2026