According to the U.S. State Department, all U.S. military-affiliated personnel in Germany must apply for passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad through their local U.S. military installation passport office.

Passport services on a U.S. military installation are reserved for U.S. DoD ID card holders only. Individuals who do not possess a valid U.S. DoD ID card are not eligible for services at a DoD acceptance facility. All U.S. citizens that do not possess a valid U.S. DoD ID card must contact the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt or Munich.

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal record of a child's birth abroad, establishing their U.S. citizenship. It's issued to children born to one or both U.S. citizen parents who meet the conditions for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The CRBA is not a travel document, but it is often applied for alongside a child's first U.S. passport. 

The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) outlines the legal framework for U.S. military-affiliated personnel and their dependents stationed in Germany. The SOFA ensures that U.S. forces can operate effectively in Germany while respecting German sovereignty and legal frameworks. SOFA stamps/cards can be obtained through the garrison's Passport Office.

Passports

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

forms

PASSPORT FORMS 

  • DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport
  • DS-82: U.S. Passport Renewal Application
  • DS-5504: Name Change, Data Correction, and Limited Passport Book Replacement
  • Above forms must be filled out online for all passport applications prior to appointment at:
    U.S. Department of State Passport Applications and Forms

OTHER FORMS