Short Answer
Foreign passports lacking a printed home address are legally invalid for identity verification at the post office.
You must present your physical registration certificate alongside your passport to complete the verification process.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You attempted to open a modern online bank account and went to a Deutsche Post branch to complete the mandatory PostIdent check. The clerk rejected your application because your foreign passport did not contain a residential address section, and you did not have supplementary documents. Your account setup was cancelled, forcing you to lose a €150 promotional sign-up bonus and start the registration process from scratch.
What To Do
- Bring your physical registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) along with your passport to the post office.
- Print the specific PostIdent coupon containing the barcode from your banking application before your visit.
- "Hier ist meine Meldebescheinigung für den Adressnachweis." (Here is my registration certificate for proof of address.) — hand this to the postal worker with your passport.
The Truth
Germany strictly mandates physical address validation for all financial account creation to combat money laundering. The system does not adapt to international passport standards, shifting the burden of address verification entirely onto your paperwork.