Overview of Passport Appointment Queues Across Europe
A recent analysis conducted by the State Enterprise “Document” between October 9 and 20, 2026, examined the difficulty Ukrainian citizens face when booking passport appointments in ten European cities. The findings reveal that securing a slot abroad remains highly challenging, especially in Munich and Warsaw, where appointment windows open for very brief periods. To assist Ukrainians navigating this process, the free service “Trym Term” has been introduced, which continuously monitors queue availability and alerts users when new slots become accessible.
Munich stands out with an appointment queue open only 1.3% of the time, equating to roughly 2 hours weekly. Warsaw fares slightly better, with slots available 6.7% of the time, which is half as frequent as in other Polish cities. Prague offers somewhat improved access at 2.3% queue availability. In contrast, Cologne provides more opportunities, with queues open 16.5% of the time—over 25 hours per week. Similarly, Gdansk shows 15.1% availability, Wroclaw 13%, Krakow 12.5%, and Berlin 12.2%.
Advice for Ukrainians Seeking Passport Appointments
Data indicates that 63% of all newly opened appointment slots fill up within just 5 minutes. While new availability appears unpredictably, 43-46% of openings in Munich, Prague, and Warsaw emerge between the top of the hour and three minutes past (:00 to :03). The most active period for new slots is typically between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time. Warsaw tends to offer more dates within the upcoming week (34% of openings), compared to 27% in Munich and Prague and only 2% in Berlin.
Booking an appointment requires prior verification via Diia.Sign or BankID. Each reservation corresponds to a single slot, and presenting the original SMS confirmation on your phone is mandatory at the appointment. Scheduling is free of charge and must be done exclusively through the official website of the State Enterprise “Document.”
The “Trym Term” service automatically scans public queue pages across ten European cities, providing Ukrainians with real-time updates on available appointment windows. According to Yurii, the service’s developer,
“the system checks the public queue page approximately every minute.”He also stresses that
“it’s important to verify Diia.Sign or BankID credentials ahead of time, rather than at the moment when a slot becomes available.”
For Ukrainians with family in Poland, the queue availability rates are as follows:
- Gdansk – 15.1%
- Wroclaw – 13%
- Krakow – 12.5%
- Warsaw – 6.7%
In Germany, the situation is:
- Cologne – 16.5%
- Berlin – 12.2%
- Munich – only 1.3%
Key tips for those planning to book an appointment include:
- Ensure Diia.Sign or BankID is functioning properly beforehand;
- Check the queue pages at the start of each hour, especially between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.;
- Consider booking appointments in alternative cities with higher availability;
- Avoid purchasing slots from unofficial intermediaries.
This situation underscores the critical need for accessible consular services for Ukrainians abroad, particularly given the high demand for passports. The “Trym Term” tool offers a valuable solution by delivering timely information on open slots, which is essential since appointment windows close rapidly. Understanding how queues operate and leveraging digital tools can greatly improve the chances of securing appointments and help Ukrainians efficiently manage their consular visits.