PASSPORTS

According to the 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.

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. Passport agents will make a copy of all your passports and certify that they have seen the originals. For most renewals, you retain your current passport until the new one arrives at the Passport Office. Exceptions: Expiration date is within the application month.  Lost/Stolen/Mutilated or initial applications require an original birth certificate, applications for a Diplomatic or to replace a Diplomatic with an Official/No-Fee require the passport to be sent in, and reports of birth abroad require all original documents to be sent to the Frankfurt Consulate.

  • 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

PHOTOS WITH GLASSES ON ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE DUE TO FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

Click here for photo guidelines

OFFICIAL/NO-FEE PASSPORT INSTRUCTIONS

Initial for adults and children

Renewal or secondary for adults

TOURIST PASSPORTS

Initial and renewal for adults

Initial and renewal for children

PASSPORT FORMS
  • Have to be filled out online for all passport applications prior to appointment. Click here for the  link to the Department of State: https://pptform.state.gov
  • 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
OTHER FORMS
  • DS-64–Statement Regarding Lost of Stolen Passport
  • DS-3053–Statement of Consent or Special Circumstances for minors under age 16
  • DS-5525: Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances - For Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16
  • DS-86: Statement of Non-Receipt of a U.S. Passport
  • Police or Military Police report (obtained from Police)
  • Form SS-5: Application for Social Security Card: https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/
CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH

Report of Birth Abroad Instructions

  • 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, Unit 28721 Box 6511, APO AE 09177, Is this your permanent address? Check NO and add your CMR, 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.
STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT

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. It is not transferrable to another passport and it is illegal to have both a stamp and a card.

SOFA: 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.