Check your passports: This is how you avoid stress before your vacation!

Check your passports: This is how you avoid stress before your vacation!

With summer travel approaching, checking the validity of passports and ID cards will become even more important. As the city of Mettmann reports, travelers should definitely make sure that their documents are valid on time before their vacation to avoid unpleasant surprises when checking in. At many larger airports, situations regularly arise in which passengers have to miss their flight due to expired documents.

Marcel Neubauer, office manager in Mettmann, recommends checking the validity of the papers now, as waiting times of up to eight weeks for new ID cards or passports must be expected before the summer holidays. This is an increase compared to the usual three to four weeks that could previously be planned. Without valid documents, boarding with airlines is not possible as they are obliged to ensure the identity of passengers.

Changes to passport photos

A new regulation for passport photos has been in effect since May 1, 2025. Paper photos are no longer accepted in the citizen service. Loud daily news From the beginning of May, only digital photos will be valid for passports and ID cards. This regulation is intended to simplify the procedure and prevent misuse and forgery of identification documents. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser described the introduction of digital photography as significant progress.

The digital photos can either be taken in citizens' offices or uploaded to a secure cloud by certified photographers. This cloud has been tested by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), so there are no concerns about data security. The cost of creating a digital photo is six euros per image. Around 3,000 citizens' offices, around 50 percent of all offices in Germany, have started using the new technology since the beginning of May, and further facilities are scheduled to be retrofitted by August 2025.

However, there is a transition period until the end of July 2025 during which citizens can continue to submit paper photos if the respective office has not yet converted. This allows for gradual adaptation to the new regulation without immediately affecting citizens.

Additional information for travelers

To avoid further complications during the holiday trip, travelers should check their documents in good time. Although temporary passports can be issued at the airport, they are often stressful and hectic. Timely organization is therefore of great importance in order to guarantee a smooth trip.

In addition, the new ID cards can also be delivered by post in the future after they have been applied for in person. This innovation is intended to further improve the service for citizens. In today's digital world, it is essential to take care of the necessary documents and keep them up to date in good time so that unforgettable trips are not burdened by bureaucratic hurdles.

The citizen service offers new options for providing digital passport photos. Customers can have these taken using their smartphones for six euros, while a list of licensed photographers is also available online to make the application easier.

Overall, it can be seen that the new regulations represent a modernization in both the area of ​​travel documents and passport photos, which should bring many advantages to citizens.