Mandatory Use of Digital Passport Photos Commences Today
In the heart of Bönen, Sandra Lopez Cano's photo studio has been a popular destination for citizens seeking passport photos. However, a recent change has left the studio, and many others like it, grappling with a loss of business.
As of now, it is no longer possible to obtain a digital passport photo at the town hall in Bönen. The removal of the photo booth in the citizen's office was a significant blow to Sandra Lopez Cano's business, costing her approximately 2,000 euros. The decision was temporary, though, as the municipality is considering alternative options.
The photo booth in the citizen's office was a significant source of business for Sandra Lopez Cano. The photos taken there cost 6 euros, while they cost 18 euros at her photo studio. The technical operation of the photo booth was often problematic, with many users experiencing difficulties. Moreover, the white background of the photo booth was often not properly integrated, causing issues with the digital processing of the photos.
Bönen is not the only municipality in the Circle of Unna that no longer has a photo booth. The CDU faction in Unna was in favor of installing a photo booth, but their application was rejected. The main committee, with the SPD faction being against it, made the decision not to install a photo booth.
Citizens in Bönen are now being referred to alternative locations for digital passport photos, such as drugstores and photographers like Sandra Lopez Cano. The studio remains a common destination for problematic cases from the photo booth, and Sandra Lopez Cano stores the photos longer at her studio in case additional ID documents are needed.
Digital photo processing has been mandatory in all German communities since May 1, 2025. As of today, August 1, 2025, anyone applying for an ID document in Germany must obtain a digital passport photo. Transitional measures are no longer allowed, and paper passport photos will no longer be accepted.
For accurate, up-to-date information for the Circle of Unna municipalities, I recommend checking directly with their official local government websites or citizen service centers. The available search results do not contain specific information about municipalities in the Circle of Unna removing photo booths for digital passport photos or alternatives offered to citizens. They mainly include social media posts about photo booths in other contexts and unrelated health service information.
- The loss of the photo booth in the Bönen town hall has led citizens to seek alternative options for digital passport photos, with Sandra Lopez Cano's studio becoming a popular choice, especially for problematic cases from the photo booth.
- With digital photo processing becoming mandatory in all German communities since May 1, 2025, many municipalities, like Bönen, are seeking alternatives for providing digital passport photos to their citizens, with options such as drugstores and photographers like Sandra Lopez Cano.
- As technology advances and regulations change, such as the digital photo processing requirement in passport photos, the general-news sector often covers the impact on various industries, including health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, science, and technology, as seen in the loss of business for photo studios like Sandra Lopez Cano's.
