This guide shows you how to get biometric pictures or passport photos in Berlin. You need biometric pictures to apply for a residence permit, a driving licence, a German passport or a Personalausweis.
Biometric picture requirements
Since May 1 2025, the Bürgeramt, the Ausländerbehörde only accept…2
- Photos from registered photographers, sent digitally
- Photos from their own self-service photo kiosks
They do not accept…
- Printed photos
- Photos that you have taken yourself
- Photos from random photo kiosks
This applies to photos for residence permits, passports and personal IDs. So far, it does not apply to driving licence pictures.
Digital biometric pictures are valid for 6 months. You can use the same photo multiple times.3
Where to get biometric pictures
You can get biometric pictures…
- At a dm drugstore
- At the Bürgeramt
- At the Ausländerbehörde
- At a registered photographer
At a dm store
dm stores have self-service photo kiosks. Biometric pictures cost 6€.7 You get a QR code. Bring it to your Bürgeramt or Ausländerbehörde appointment.
This is the best way to get biometric pictures because you can do it in advance.6 If there is a problem, you have time to find another solution.
At the Bürgeramt
In Berlin, each Bürgeramt has self-service photo kiosks. Photos cost 6€.
If you need photos, arrive early to your appointment. The photo kiosks are new. They can be busy or unreliable. The photos are valid for 6 months, so you can use the kiosks a few days in advance.
You can also get photos from a photographer, but it’s more expensive.
At the Ausländerbehörde
In Berlin, the Ausländerbehörde has the same self-service photo kiosks as the Bürgeramt. Photos cost 6€.
You must also bring printed photos, because the new photo kiosks might not work.5 You can get printed photos from dm or from a photo booth.
From a photographer
Approved photographers can take biometric photos. They usually cost around 15€.1
The photographer takes your photo, uploads it, and gives you a QR code.4 Bring the QR code to your Bürgeramt or Ausländerbehörde appointment.
From a photo booth
Photos from a photo booths are not accepted by the Bürgeramt or the Ausländerbehörde.2
There are Fotofix photo booths everywhere in Berlin. Photos cost 10€. You get five 35 × 45 mm passport pictures printed on the same sheet.
Find a photo booth – Google Maps
List of passport photo machines – Passbilder.net
Biometric pictures for other countries
Other countries use different passport picture sizes. For example, India uses square pictures.
Passport photo requirements by country
Photography studios can take pictures and cut them to the correct size.
Sources and footnotes
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diefotografen.de (April 2025) ⤴
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Berlin Ausländerbehörde (April 2025), diefotografen.de (April 2025) ⤴
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alfo-passbild.com (April 2025) ⤴
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diefotografen.de (April 2025) ⤴
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Berlin Ausländerbehörde (April 2025) ⤴
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Elliot Herman (April 2025) ⤴