Overview
- New rates apply to applications filed from 7 February 2026, with adults 24 and over paying €46 and those under 24 paying €27.60, while earlier applications keep the old fees.
- Emergency travel documents issued by the federal police now cost €32, up from €8, marking a fourfold rise.
- The Interior Ministry says the higher charges restore cost recovery after increased casework and training tied to introducing digital passport photos.
- Coverage notes the state printer Bundesdruckerei reported a 2023 profit of €160.4 million, prompting scrutiny of the timing and justification.
- As part of wider modernization, IDs for people over 70 are planned to become permanent by end-2026, and applicants can now opt in to email reminders before their documents expire.