Germany's new identity card was launched on 1 November 2010, as announced by the Federal Minister of Interior Dr. Thomas de Maiziere. On this occasion everyone will be given the opportunity to take part in an online questionnaire which will last until the end of November to ask the Minister questions about the new card and its functions. The most important questions will be answered via video streaming.

On 9 November 2010, the Minister applied for a new card in a public office in Berlin. Not only has the new card the convenient size of a credit card, it also offers many new features and capabilities for the online world. In short, it is more advanced than the previous model and it can be used both for the 'real' and the digital world.

Several activities and everyday transactions have been shifted online. Other services are often complemented or even entirely replaced by digital applications. However, there was no standardised identity card for online activities up to now. Consequently, the users had to struggle with using their own passwords, secret codes and a broad range of access cards. The introduction of the new personal identity card aims to fill this gap.

The new online card makes it possible for individual card holders to access online services from any place and at any time with the use of a secret PIN, in case these services are offered online. Optionally, the new ID card can be used for signing electronically digital documents such as contracts or proxies. The use of the online identity function is voluntary.

The digital data printed on the card as well as the photograph are stored in the chip of the new ID card. It is also possible to include two fingerprints - on a voluntary basis - in order to make it easier for authorities, such as the police or border control authorities, to associate the identity card with the card holder even more reliably. These biometric data are accessible only to the government and are not transmitted over the Internet.

Further information:

• Official News Article - Federal Agency for Information Technology - Ministry of Interior (in German)
• Submission of questions regarding the new ID card (in German)
• Related ePractice News Article - DE: New electronic identity cards by November 2010