Passports & SOFA Services

Passports

• OFFICIAL/NO-FEE PASSPORT INSTRUCTIONS
  • Initial for adults and children
    • Official passport application instructions - Adult
    • Official passport application instructions - CHILDREN
  • Renewal or secondary for adults
    • Official passport renewal application instructions - ADULT
       
• TOURIST PASSPORT INSTRUCTIONS
  • Initial and renewal for adults
    • Initial passport application instructions - ADULT
    • Renewal / secondary passport application instructions - ADULT
  • Initial and renewal for children
    • Initial and renewal passport application instructions - CHILDREN ​​​​​
       
• Important Passport information
  • Average return time for Tourist Passports is 4-8 weeks
  • Average return time for Official/No-Fee/Diplomatic Passports is 8-12 weeks
  • Average return time for Reports of Birth Abroad/Passport for newborns is 8-12 weeks
  • Passports are renewable one year prior to the expiration date.
  • European countries require 6 months remaining on the passport to make entry, plan accordingly.
  • Make your appointment to renew your passport 8-9 months before expiration.
  • Lost/Stolen/Mutilated or initial applications require an original birth certificate, 
  • Applications for a Diplomatic passport, or to replace a Diplomatic with an Official/No-Fee passport, require the passport and  all original documents to be sent to the Frankfurt Consulate.

  • Photos with glasses on are no longer acceptable due to facial recognition technology
    PHOTO GUIDELINES

• Schedule your appointment with the Passport Office

CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH

REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD INSTRUCTIONS

• Average return time for Reports of Birth Abroad/Passport for newborns is 8-12 weeks
• Use the application wizard to complete passport application, 2D Barcode is required in upper left hand of application Use German Telephone number
• “Mail to” (Block 8) use USAG Ansbach Passport Office, OPC 454 BOX 36 APO, AE 09250-9001. 
• "Is this your permanent address?" Check NO and add your PSC, Rotational, or German address.
• Parents name at birth should be used.
• Select the normal fees, you will not pay online, but you cannot get through the application without selecting a payment price.
• Must check box above “Create Form” or it will go back to the beginning.
• Expedite fees are not available overseas.
• Applications must be printed only on one side of the paper.
• Bring in application pages 5 & 6.  No need to print the instruction pages.
• Reports of Birth Abroad require all original documents to be sent to the Frankfurt Consulate.
• Schedule your appointment with the Passport Office

status of forces agreement

• Active duty proof of SOFA is ID Card and orders.
• Dependents and Civilians have 90 days to obtain proof of SOFA after arrival.
• If SOFA expires, you revert to tourist status and again have up to 90 days to obtain a new proof of SOFA.
• SOFA STAMPS in No-Fee/Official Passports are the approved solution for dependents and civilians and expire when the passport does.
• SOFA CARDS are the work-around, if there is no stamp. 
  • The SOFA Card is issued to the highest held passport and expires the earliest of: end-of-tour, ID card expiration, or passport expiration.
  • The SOFA Card is not transferrable to another passport, and it is illegal to have both a SOFA stamp and a SOFA card.
• Schedule your appointment with the Passport Office

AE FORM 600-77A, (FEB 11): Request for Issuance of SOFA Identification

Entry / Exit System

The European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) will electronically record the entry and exit of non-EU citizens at the Schengen Area's external borders. Replacing manual passport stamps, the system captures biometric data, passport details, and border crossing times to track travel and identify overstayers. It applies to short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period and is designed to enhance security and improve efficiency at the border. 

• FAQs - EU Entry/Exit System (EES)

forms