Biometric photos for your residence permit: the digital photo code

Since 1 May 2025, foreigners’ offices only accept digital biometric photos for residence permits. Printed passport photos are no longer accepted. This applies in Ulm, Neu-Ulm and Heilbronn.

What a “biometric photo” is

A biometric photo is a passport-style photo that follows strict rules: neutral face, eyes open, plain light background, no shadows. Officials use it for the photo on your residence permit card (eAT).

How the digital photo code works

You have your photo taken by a certified service, for example a photographer or a photo station in a drugstore.
The photo is uploaded to a secure cloud. You get a code, usually as a QR code on a slip of paper.
At your appointment, the foreigners’ office scans the code and downloads your photo directly.

You do not need to bring a printed photo.

We get our photo code at dm (drugstore), at the branch in Ulm’s city centre: Frauenstraße 1, in the same building as Woolworth, near the town hall. Three tips:

Ask for the QR code only, no printed photos. You don’t need prints for the foreigners’ office. With printed passport photos it cost about €9; the code alone saves you €2–3.
Ask for a good photo. Look at it before you pay.
Ask for a retake if you’re not happy. Staff were happy to take it again.

Prices from our own visit in June 2026; they may change.

Photo machines at the offices

Heilbronn: a self-service photo terminal in room 213A of the town hall (Rathaus Heilbronn). It costs €6.
Neu-Ulm district office (Landratsamt): two photo machines for the foreigners’ office. A photo costs €6.
Ulm: photo stations at the Bürgerdienste, Olgastraße 66, for both ID and foreigners’ office matters. A photo costs €6. We have seen the photo station there ourselves.

dm stores near the offices

Not every dm branch takes passport photos. Check dm’s store finder before you go.

Ulm

Albert-Einstein-Platz 3/10, 89073 Ulm – About 120 m from Bürgerdienste Ulm (Olgastraße 66)
Frauenstraße 1, 89073 Ulm – City centre, same building as Woolworth, near the town hall. We got our photo codes here.

Neu-Ulm

At the central bus interchange (Zentraler Umsteigepunkt), 89231 Neu-Ulm – About 300 m from Bürgerbüro Neu-Ulm
Im Starkfeld 57, 89231 Neu-Ulm – About 800 m from Landratsamt Neu-Ulm
Wegenerstraße 7, 89231 Neu-Ulm

Heilbronn

Kaiserstraße 20, 74072 Heilbronn – About 100 m from Heilbronn town hall
Stadtgalerie, Deutschhofstraße 19, 74072 Heilbronn – About 300 m from Heilbronn town hall
Etzelstraße 38, 74076 Heilbronn
Kreuzäckerstraße 6, 74081 Heilbronn

Next: the foreigners’ office in your city.

This is general information, not legal, visa or tax advice. Rules can change and your case may differ. Always check with the responsible office.