Germany’s Interior Ministry confirmed new ID card rules on August 8, 2026. Cards issued after the end of 2027 will look and work differently. The ministry may also remove the printed address completely.
Why the government is changing the ID card
Today, moving your house means a trip to the citizens’ office (Bürgeramt). A staff member swaps your old address sticker for a new one.
The Bundestag’s Petitions Committee recommended dropping this system in May 2026. Lost or stolen wallets can reveal your home address to strangers.
A ministry spokesperson called this “bureaucratic relief and digitalization.” The goal is fewer in-person visits for every relocation.
#1 Address stickers replaced by post, or removed entirely
Address updates may soon arrive by mail instead of in person. Your address sits on the card’s chip today.
Authorities could update that chip data without a new sticker. The ministry may also drop the printed address field completely.
Germany’s ministry has pointed to Belgium as a model. Belgium stores addresses only on the chip, not on paper.
Several other EU countries skip the printed address too. You would still need ways to prove your address elsewhere.
- Your registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) from the Bürgeramt
- A recent bank statement or utility bill
- The card’s online identification function (eID)
How the Anmeldung process works when you move ->
#2 Bigger photo and a data matrix code for verification
New cards will carry a larger photo on the front. This makes identity checks faster for police and banks.
Cards will also include a data matrix code. This square code looks similar to a QR code.
Scanners and apps can read your ID data instantly. This replaces slower manual checks of the chip.
The ministry also plans stronger chip encryption. A digital photo standard started this shift in May 2025.
#3 Lifetime validity for citizens aged 70 and over
German ID cards expire after ten years today. Renewal costs €37 under existing rules.
New rules would give people 70 and older a lifetime card. This card would carry no renewal fee.
This removes a repeat errand for older residents. The change is expected to start in 2027.
What this means for your current ID card
Your existing Personalausweis stays valid until it expires. The new rules apply only to cards issued after 2027.
You do not need to do anything right now. If you move before then, follow the usual sticker process.
NOTE: These changes are not yet law. The ministry says the plan is still in early drafting. No cabinet vote or Bundestag vote has happened yet. Details, including full address removal, may still change.
What is still unclear for foreign residents
This reform covers the Personalausweis for German citizens only. It is unclear if the same changes apply to residence permits.
Residence permits serve non-EU nationals in Germany. The ministry has not confirmed whether these permits will change too.
A separate EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI-Wallet) launches on January 2, 2027. This app may let some residents store ID credentials digitally.
