To apply for some services, you will need, among other things, a biometric passport photo. From 1 May 2025, only digital photos will be accepted. You can have these taken at photo stores. However, there are also self-capture devices (speed capture stations) in the waiting area of the Citizens Service Center and in the three branch offices in Bad Godesberg, Beuel and Hardtberg for capturing biometric data and the passport photo. This gives you the opportunity to have your fingerprints and signature digitized and a passport photo taken 15 minutes before your appointment at the self-service terminals.

Using the data recorded, you can apply for a new ID card, temporary ID card, electronic passport and driving license. The devices guide users through the registration process in German, English, Spanish, French, Russian, Ukrainian or Turkish.

Employees have access to this information from their workstations and can process it directly. The fee for data entry of 4.50 euros (from 01 May 2025 the fee will be 6.00 euros) will be charged together with the administrative fees for the new ID document or driving license. Payment can be made in cash or cashless.

The self-registration devices are certified by the Federal Office for Information Security. The data is recorded anonymously and without any link to personal details under an ID number and is stored and transmitted in encrypted form. The information is deleted after 24 hours once it has been retrieved by municipal employees. You will not receive a paper printout of the passport photo.

Please note that the photocopying of infants is only possible to a limited extent. We recommend that you take the photos elsewhere in advance of your appointment.