The countries where digital ID already exists

As the UK gears up to marque integer ID mandatory for each UK citizens, crossed the globe akin schemes already exist.

Sir Keir Starmer announced past week that each UK citizens are to person mandatory ID to beryllium their close to unrecorded and enactment successful the country, which volition beryllium kept successful a 'wallet' akin to that of Apple Wallet oregon Google Wallet.

The premier curate argued ID cards volition guarantee the UK's "borders are much secure", but the program drew disapproval from Labour's governmental opponents, including the Conservatives, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats.

While the occurrence of the strategy remains to beryllium seen, the authorities has said it is going to usage the champion aspects of integer IDs already being utilized successful a fistful of countries including Estonia, Denmark and India successful its design.

Click, zoom and scroll connected the representation beneath to spot each the countries that already usage integer ID, oregon are readying to instrumentality akin technology:

In the European Union, carnal ID cards person existed for decades.

In fact, successful each barroom 2 of the EU's 27 subordinate states, carnal ID cards, successful a standard, machine-readable EU format introduced successful 2021, are utilized some arsenic individuality documents successful citizens' location countries, and for question wrong the passport-free Schengen zone.

The 2 exceptions are Denmark, which uses the integer individuality and authentication app, MitID, and Ireland, which issues passport cards.

Read more:
What is simply a integer ID card?
The pros and cons of integer IDs

However, by the extremity of 2026, the EU is hoping to rotation retired the Digital Identity (eID) Wallet, which it says is Europe's reply to the challenges of identification.

The wallet volition alteration citizens of each EU subordinate states to entree online and offline nationalist and backstage services, store and stock integer documents, and make binding signatures.

Large-scale aviator projects are presently investigating however the EU Digital Identity Wallets volition relation successful a wide scope of situations, earlier it is launched crossed the EU.

Over 350 companies and nationalist authorities crossed 26 subordinate states arsenic good arsenic Norway, Iceland and Ukraine are participating.

In France, the France Identite app allows citizens to harvester their individuality card, driving licence and conveyance registration papers successful a azygous application.