Germany rolls out biometric kiosks to streamline digital ID issuance

As of May 1st, all German government and immigration offices are required to accept digital biometric photos for ID cards, passports and residence permits, which are submitted through photo kiosks called PointID terminals. The system allows users to capture photographs, fingerprints and signatures and apply for an identity document at the local citizen’s office or the immigration office.

The plan to streamline digital identity issuance, however, is already hitting snags. According to social media posts, the terminals were not working in Berlin during the first week of the new rule, while some people were still asked to bring printed photographs, The Local reports.

The country has pledged to set up the terminals in all of its offices by July 31st. Until then, local authorities will have a transitional period.

The terminals are maintained by the Federal Printing House (Bundesdruckerei) and are compliant with technical guidelines on biometrics for the public sector (TR-03121) to meet the requirements of the security authorities.

Germany has launched an ambitious digitalization effort related to identity, including its electronic ID card, known as e-Ausweis, and electronic residence permits, also called eAT (Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel).

The eID allows its owner to prove their identity when accessing government and private services, including applying for a bank account or renting a car. The eID can also be used to prove a user’s age at cigarette vending machines.

To use the eID, citizens are required to download the Ausweis app on their smartphones and then scan the physical identity card through the NFC chip. The app was created by Governikus.

Over the next two years, however, Germany is planning to introduce a state digital identity wallet as part of the European Union Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet scheme. The national EUDI wallet will gradually become usable by 2027 and will continually expand its functions, the government announced last year.

The national wallet project is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND) and the Federal Office for Information Security. Last year, SPRIND launched a 13-month prototype competition to solve the most important challenges in designing an EUDI wallet for German users. Governikus is one of the companies selected for the competition.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  e-ID  |  face biometrics  |  face photo  |  Germany  |  Governikus  |  identity document