Estonia has been issuing ID cards from the 1st of January 2002. ID cards are issued by the Citizenship and Migration Board for Estonian citizens, as well as foreigners who reside in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit. Since then over one million cards have been issued, which marks the biggest ID card roll-out in Europe.
ID card can be used in addition to the conventional visual identification of persons also for electronic identification and affixing digital signatures. A digital signature has the same legal consequences as a hand-written signature.
ID card is a mandatory ID document for all Estonian residents from the age of 15. The card is valid for ten years as an identification and travel document (within EU). The certificates entered on the identity card shall be valid for three years, but not for longer than the period of validity of the identity card. The data file shall be valid for as long as the identity card. Renewal of certificates is free. An electronic processor chip contains a personal data file; certificate for authentication (along with e-mail address Forename.Surname @eesti.ee) and certificate for digital signature.
ID card is used as a common key to access different services, which performs automated checks from the Population Registry. The digital signature has a universal concept – it can be used in any open user group and in any relation – governmental, business or private. The legislation for digital signature follows the legislation of European Union (EU).
Read more: http://www.id.ee/?lang=en
