The Migration Office of Republic of Lithuania has started accepting applications for the new personal identity cards (ID cards) on 5 January 2009. ID cards will be used to identify the person in cyberspace, and will allow the secure signing of electronic documents.

The new ID card has both contact and contact-less chips integrated. The contact chip will hold a person’s identification data and a qualified certificate for eSignature, issued by the Residents’ Registry Service under the Ministry of Interior.

The contact-less chip will carry the biometric data; one’s facial image and fingerprints, which will also hinder the counterfeiting of ID cards and reduce the possibility of its use by other persons.

"The identity card will allow a safe identification of a person, it will give individuals the opportunity to use secure electronic signatures for electronic documents (contracts, declarations, etc.), access to national and European public electronic services. Such service providers will be able to safely and reliably identify and authenticate people in cyberspace" - said the Interior Minister Raimundas Palaitis while presenting the new ID cards.


Further information:

• Press release – Ministry of Interior (in Lithuanian)