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Starting in May 2025, Germany will mandate that its citizens provide photographs adhering to biometric standards when applying for identification documents.
This initiative aims to enhance convenience for German citizens, particularly when traveling across borders, while simultaneously reducing the risks associated with fraud and the misuse of identity documents. The provided photos must adhere to international biometric matching standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as outlined in the government’s recent announcement.
In September, Germany also announced the replacement of paper passports for children with electronic chip-equipped cards containing biometric data. These new documents are slated for introduction at the beginning of the upcoming year.
Previous efforts to introduce biometrics into identity documents faced some opposition in Germany, including a lawsuit that has reached the European Union’s highest court.
Since 2021, German ID cards have been required to include biometric fingerprint data, aligning with the regulations of the European Union. However, when a German citizen refused to provide fingerprint data, the case was brought before the European Court of Justice by the campaign group Digitalcourage.
At present, the court is deliberating whether the obligation to collect fingerprint biometrics and store them in ID cards complies with other EU laws, including the bloc’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and its data privacy legislation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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