Even digitally confident Germans struggle with online government services, according to new research. In some cases, up to nine in 10 users in the country abandon digital application processes before reaching the end.
Many international residents in Germany will be familiar with the story.
You start an online application convinced it will save you a trip to the Bürgeramt. Hours later, you’re still trying to make sense of all the various websites, apps, PIN numbers and identity checks – and wondering whether visiting the office in person would have been quicker after all.
According to new research from the public-sector network NExT, that frustration is not unique to newcomers or non-native German speakers.
In fact, the evidence suggests that Germany’s digital government systems are confusing even for many Germans who have the right documents, the right technology and experience using online services.
The findings help explain why Germany continues to lag behind much of Europe in digital government. More importantly, they also reveal why so many online applications here never reach the finish line.
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The biggest problem is not the forms
Germany’s latest digital ranking suggests the country’s problem is not a lack of technology. In Bitkom’s assessment of the 27 EU countries, Germany actually performed relatively well for digital infrastructure and digital skills.
Germany ranked 11th for digital infrastructure, down from 9th the previous year but still 2nd among the EU’s five most populous countries.
In terms of digital skills, Germany actually improved by four places, moving from 15th place in 2025 to 11th place this year.
But Germany’s biggest weakness was in digital public administration, where it ranked 22nd out of 27 countries.
NExT’s findings help explain what this means in practice. Numerous online government services in this country require users to pass through systems such as BundID and the AusweisApp before they can complete an application. This typically means switching between multiple websites, apps and devices while navigating confusing terminology and long instructions.
The result is that the hardest part of many digital services is not the service itself, but getting through the identification process needed to use it.
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The abandonment rate
Across digital government services that require online identification, NExT found abandonment rates of between 70 and 90 percent. In other words, only a small minority of users actually reach the end of many processes.
One study of online vehicle registration illustrates the scale of the problem. Roughly 85 percent of users who reached the BundID stage failed to complete their application, despite having already started the process.
In another study examining the digital filing of legal claims, only two of six participants managed to set up a BundID account within an hour, despite having the necessary technology and PINs available.
The researchers identified several recurring causes. Many users didn’t realise they would need digital identification until they were already well into an application. They then found themselves redirected to another website, often with little explanation of what was happening or how to return to the original service afterwards.
Technical problems were also observed, particularly when users tried to read ID cards using NFC technology on smartphones. Even when the technology worked as intended, the process often involved switching between multiple websites, apps and devices.
At the same time, many participants described feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information they were given.
Long explanations, unfamiliar terminology and complex instructions frequently added to the confusion rather than helping users complete their task.
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What this means for foreigners
For international residents, the challenges can be even greater.
Even beyond issues around language, NExT identified “structural exclusion” as a major problem. Many digital services assume users have the right identity documents, an NFC-enabled smartphone and enough familiarity with Germany’s digital ID systems to navigate a complicated verification process.
Those who don’t meet these requirements can find themselves locked out of services altogether.
If users with the right documents, devices and PINs are abandoning applications in large numbers, it’s hardly surprising that international residents often find the process even more challenging.
What do the researchers recommend?
The authors of the NExT report argue that Germany has been measuring success in the wrong way. They say the real test shouldn’t be whether a service is available online – but whether people can actually complete a task without giving up halfway through.
Proposed solutions include simpler language, better support, fewer redirects between systems and better integration between the various platforms people currently have to navigate. The researchers also suggest temporarily allowing alternative identification methods where they improve completion rates.
Their central message is simply that Germany needs to focus less on just putting services online and more on ensuring people can actually use them.
