How long does a German passport take?
- Faster cases~24 days
- Average cases~28 days
- Slower casesUp to 2 months
A German passport is printed centrally by the Bundesdruckerei, so the production step is much the same wherever you apply: about 4–6 weeks normally, stretching to around 8 weeks before the summer holidays, when demand peaks between May and July. What actually differs by city is something most estimates leave out entirely — the wait for an appointment to apply in the first place. Your real wait is appointment time plus production time.
More details
City figures for the whole process run from roughly 3–4 weeks in Berlin and Cologne to 4–5 weeks in Munich and 3–6 weeks in Stuttgart. In Berlin the spread between offices is large: smaller district Bürgerämter often have slots within days while central ones are booked out for weeks, so checking outlying offices is the practical fix for "no appointments available".
If you need it sooner, the express procedure costs an extra €32 and delivers in about three to six working days. A provisional passport (vorläufiger Reisepass) is issued on the spot for €26 if you have to travel immediately.
By city
| Berlin | 24 days | 2 |
| Köln | 24 days | 2 |
| München | 32 days | 2 |
| Stuttgart | 32 days | 2 |
Sources
Passport ~8-10 weeks; express (Expresspass) up to ~4 weeks for a surcharge.
Information is for general knowledge only.