France simplifies access to digital ID platform for ID card holders

It is now possible for French citizens seeking to renew their national ID cards to get the new bank card-size format and to also activate their digital ID account on the government app dubbed France Identité.

This has been the case since the end of March, The Local reports. Before now, this could not happen at a go, but the government says the simplification of the process is necessary given the growing adoption of the digital ID which was introduced for public use in February. Only the new ID cards are compatible with the digital ID app which is part of the SGIN digital government application announced in 2022.

Also, only French citizens can access the digital ID platform at the moment because it requires a national ID as proof of ID, but there are plans by the government to extend it by the close of this year to other categories of persons such as foreign nationals residing in the country. It is unclear if those getting a national ID for the first time can equally activate their digital ID accounts at the same time.

The France Identité app is a platform that allows citizens easy access to a litany of public services and several official public documents. It can be used at the moment to access identity documents such as a driver’s license and the carte vitale, [a card used to access health professionals and obtain pharmacy services]. However, efforts are afoot to extend the scope of documents and services which can be obtained via the application, the government says. Moreover, a certified copy of one’s digital ID card can be submitted alongside a proxy, allowing a qualified person to vote on behalf of a registered voter.

As part of the change, it is also reported that French citizens whose ID cards have expired can now request the newer, bank card-sized version at no extra cost. The process of getting the bank card-size ID begins with an online pre-enrolment after which the applicant visits a town hall to submit required physical documents. Once the card is issued, the holder can then proceed with downloading the France Identité app and activating their digital ID account. The app is said to be highly privacy-preserving as it allows the user to decide how much data they can share.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  France  |  France Identité  |  government services  |  identity document  |  mobile app  |  national ID