Check your passports: How to avoid stress before vacation!

Check your passports: How to avoid stress before vacation!

With the upcoming summer travel traffic, the validity of passports and identity cards becomes even more important. As the city of Mettmann reports, travelers should definitely make sure that their documents are valid in good time in order to avoid unpleasant surprises in check-in. At many larger airports there are regular situations in which passengers have to miss their flight due to expired papers.

Marcel Neubauer, head of the office in Mettmann, recommends checking the validity of the papers now, since before the summer vacation with waiting times of up to eight weeks for new ID cards or passports. This is an increase compared to the usual three to four weeks, which you could plan before. Boarding is not possible for airlines without valid documents, since they are obliged to ensure the identity of the passengers.

changes in passport photos

A new regulation for passport photos has been in effect since May 1, 2025. Paper pictures are no longer accepted in the citizen service. According to Tagesschau from the beginning of May, only digital photos for travel passes and ID cards are valid. This regulation is intended to simplify the procedure and prevent the abuse and counterfeiting of ID documents. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the introduction of digital photography as a major progress.

The digital photos can either be taken in citizens' offices or uploaded to a secured cloud by certified photographers. This cloud was checked by the Federal Office of Information Technology (BSI), so that there are no concerns about data security. The cost of creating a digital photo amounts to six euros per picture. Around 3,000 citizens' offices, around 50 percent of all offices in Germany, have started with the new technology since the beginning of May.

However, there is a transition period until the end of July 2025, in which citizens can continue to submit paper photos, provided that the respective office has not yet been converted. This enables a gradual adaptation to the new regulation without the citizens being immediately affected.

Additional information for travelers

In order to avoid further complications during the vacation trip, travelers should check their documents in good time. Preliminary passports can be exhibited at the airport, but are often associated with stress and hectic pace. The timely organization is therefore of great importance to guarantee a smooth travel course.

In addition, the new ID cards can also be sent by post in the future after they have been personally applied for. This innovation is intended to further improve the service for the citizens. In today's digital world, it is essential to take care of the necessary papers and their topicality in good time, not to burden unforgettable trips through bureaucratic hurdles.

For the provision of digital passport photos, new options are available in the citizen service. Customers can have them made with their smartphones for six euros, while a list of licensed photographers is also available online to facilitate the application.

Overall, it can be seen that the new regulations take place both in the area of ​​travel papers and passport photos, which should bring many advantages to the citizens.