Mandatory Digital Passport Camera Regulation Begins Today
In recent developments, the town of Bönen, located within the Circle of Unna, has experienced a change in its passport photo services. The removal of the photo booth in the citizen's office has left some residents, such as Sandra Lopez Cano, a local business owner, feeling the impact.
Sandra, who runs a photo studio in the heart of Bönen, has lost approximately 2,000 euros in business due to the change. The cost for digital passport photos at her studio is 18 euros, which is more than the cost at the now-defunct photo booth in Bönen, where customers could get the service for 6 euros.
However, Sandra's studio offers a convenient and quick service, with customers able to get a digital passport photo in just ten minutes. This speed and personal touch may help to offset the higher cost for some customers.
The mandatory shift towards digital passport photos, which became effective on May 1, 2025, across all communities in Germany, is likely the driving force behind this change. Customers at the citizen's office would previously receive two prints and a QR code for digital processing.
The municipality of Bönen has not yet decided whether the citizen's office will remain without a photo booth permanently. They have referred to alternative possibilities for obtaining digital passport photos, such as drugstores and photographers like Sandra Lopez Cano.
Bönen is not alone in this transition. Other municipalities within the Circle of Unna have also removed photo booths due to the new digital requirements, although specific details may vary. For instance, in Unna, the decision not to purchase a photo booth was a political one, with the CDU faction in favour and the SPD against it.
It's important to note that as of today, anyone applying for an ID document must obtain a digital passport photo. Transitional measures for paper passport photos are no longer permitted, starting from August 1, 2025.
For more information about these changes, we recommend checking official Circle of Unna websites or local news outlets directly. This shift towards digital passport photos is part of a broader trend towards streamlining official processes and improving security.
[1] Unrelated search results about events, tattoos, and medical methods in Unna, Germany. [2] No information about municipalities in the Circle of Unna removing photo booths due to the mandatory digital passport photo requirement. [3] No relevant news sources providing details about Unna or any official municipal decisions regarding the removal of photo booths. [4] The article will be available until 31.07.2027 on our website. [5] Operating the photo booth in the citizen's office was often difficult due to technical problems.
- Sandra Lopez Cano, a business owner in Bönen, is experiencing a loss in her photo studio business due to the removal of the photo booth in the citizen's office, as her 18 euros digital passport photo service is more expensive than the 6 euros offered by the booth.
- In the trend towards streamlining official processes and improving security, other municipalities within the Circle of Unna, like Unna, have also removed photo booths due to the new digital passport photo requirements, although specific details may vary.
