Editing Electronic identification (section)

{{Short description|Digital proof of identity}}
{{use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

An '''electronic identification''' ("'''eID'''") is a digital solution for proof of identity of citizens or organizations. They can be used to view to access benefits or services provided by government authorities, banks or other companies, for [[mobile payment]]s, etc. Apart from online [[authentication]] and login, many electronic identity services also give users the option to sign electronic documents with a [[digital signature]].

[[File:Italian electronic ID card (front-back).png|thumb|250px|[[Italian electronic identity card|Italian electronic]] [[identity document]].]]

One form of eID is an '''electronic identification card''' ('''eIC'''), which is a physical [[identity document|identity card]] that can be used for online and offline personal identification or [[authentication]]. The eIC is a [[smart card]] in [[ISO/IEC 7810|ID-1]] format of a regular [[bank card]], with identity information printed on the surface (such as personal details and a photograph) and in an embedded [[Radio-frequency identification|RFID]] [[contactless smart card|microchip]], similar to that in [[biometric passport]]s. The chip stores the information printed on the card (such as the holder's name and date of birth) and the holder's photo(s). Several photos may be taken from different angles along with different facial expressions, thus allowing the [[biometrics|biometric]] facial recognition systems to measure and analyze the overall structure, shape and  proportions of the face.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nimc.gov.ng/docs/biometrics_standards_specs.pdf|title=NIMC's national id specs}}</ref> It may also store the holder's fingerprints. The card may be used for online authentication, such as for age verification or for [[e-Government|e-government]] applications. An [[electronic signature]], provided by a private company, may also be stored on the chip.

Countries which currently issue government-issued eIDs include [[Afghanistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Belgium]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Chile]], [[Estonia]], [[Finland]], [[Guatemala]], [[Germany]], [[Iceland]], [[India]], [[Indonesia]], [[Israel]], [[Italy]], [[Latvia]],<ref name="saeima">{{cite web|url=http://www.saeima.lv/en/news/saeima-news/19240-electronic-id-cards-to-be-introduced-in-latvia|title=Latvijas Republikas Saeima - Electronic ID cards to be introduced in Latvia|publisher=saeima.lv|access-date=3 September 2015}}</ref> [[Lithuania]],<ref name="eid">{{cite web|url=http://www.eid.lt/lt/apie-atk/bendra-informacija.html|title=ELEKTRONINĖ ASMENS TAPATYBĖS KORTELĖ - ASMENS TAPATYBĖS KORTELĖ (ATK) » Bendra informacija|publisher=eid.lt|access-date=3 September 2015|archive-date=19 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019062341/http://www.eid.lt/lt/apie-atk/bendra-informacija.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Luxembourg]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Nigeria]], [[Morocco]], [[Pakistan]], [[Peru]], [[Portugal]], [[Poland]], [[Romania]], [[Saudi Arabian identity card|Saudi Arabia]], [[Spain]], [[Slovakia]],<ref name="slovensko">{{cite web|url=https://www.slovensko.sk/sk/eid/|title=eID karta|publisher=slovensko.sk|access-date=3 September 2015}}</ref> [[Malta]], and [[Mauritius]]. [[Germany]], [[Uruguay]] and previously [[Finland]] have accepted government issued physical eICs. [[Norway]], [[Sweden]] and [[Finland]] accept bank-issued eIDs (also known as [[BankID (disambiguation)|BankID]]) for identification by government authorities. There are also an increasing number of countries applying electronic identification for voting ([[Voter registration|enrollment]], issuing [[voter identification laws|voter ID cards]], voter identification and authentication, etc.), including those countries using [[biometric voter registration]].