The Germany App is designed to test how citizens will be able to access government services and submit applications directly through an app in the future. For the first time, artificial intelligence will also be used to support these processes. Several use cases are being tested, including the renewal of child benefit and housing allowance. The findings from the test phase will be directly incorporated into the further development of the prototype.

“The fact that Wiesbaden was selected as a pilot municipality for the Deutschland App sends a strong signal. In the past, we have demonstrated that digital administration works when it is designed with people in mind. It is not simply a matter of transferring existing forms to a smartphone. Administration should be designed to be understandable, accessible, and truly helpful in everyday life. That is precisely why this pilot phase is so important for Wiesbaden: We are contributing our practical experience and helping to develop the government’s digital services in a user-centric way from the very beginning,” says Maral Koohestanian, Head of the Department for Smart City, Europe, and Public Order.

Wiesbaden brings extensive experience from its own digitalization projects to the pilot phase. The state capital was the first public authority in Germany to enable online marriage registration. Online registration of residence with video identification was also implemented early in Wiesbaden and awarded the Digital Award 2024. With the Zukunftswerk, the city also has a space where digital services can be tested, explained, and further developed in collaboration with citizens. The A38 pass also demonstrates how digital administration can be made accessible, suitable for everyday use, and presented with a touch of humor.

Dr. Karsten Wildberger, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernization, explains: “Our goal is an administration that works for people as easily as a modern online service: intuitively, quickly, and accessible at any time. With an AI-powered, modular platform and the accompanying Germany App, we are laying the foundation for this—open, interoperable, and integrated into the Germany Stack.”

The first prototype of the Deutschland App is nearing completion. In the next step, the application will be tested in practice together with the pilot municipalities. It is explicitly not yet a finished product. In the first step, the app will only be made available to a small group of people. The Deutschland App is currently not available in app stores. Access to the test phase is temporary, limited to the pilot municipalities, and intended only for a limited number of users. A specific launch date will be announced at a later time following coordination between the BMDS and the pilot municipalities.

“For us, digital administration is not an end in itself. Good service saves time, removes barriers, and builds trust. Citizens shouldn’t have to know which agency, which level, or which jurisdiction is behind a particular matter. They should be able to reach their goal easily and securely. The best digital solutions aren’t created on the drawing board, but in real life. That’s why it’s right to involve municipalities early on. This is exactly the perspective we’re bringing to the table as Wiesbaden,” says Koohestanian.

By participating in the pilot project, Wiesbaden is once again demonstrating that administrative modernization is not merely being discussed here, but is being tested in practice. The Department for Smart City, Europe, and Public Order will closely monitor the process and incorporate insights from local government practice into its further development.