Germany: Electronic proof of identity with smartphone now possible

Electronic proof of identity via smartphone is now possible. The Federal Network Agency has provisionally approved online ID for an initial period of two years.

Online ID recognized with immediate effect

Back in May of this year, the Bundestag passed a law thanks to which citizens can save their official online ID directly on their smartphone or tablet.

As of now, this identification is also legally feasible for government services, as the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) revealed in its official gazette. However, there are some requirements to be met.

These include, for example, the use of a mobile device that is technically suitable for this, which is mainly due to the embedded security architecture. Especially smartphones of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series are capable of this due to the Optimos 2.0 project. It also requires a qualified security certificate based on the electronic identity (eID) linked to the ID card.

The provisional order is initially limited until December 21, 2023. The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) also backs the decision and introduction of electronic proof of identity.

Previously, identification on the Internet was made possible by knowing the six-digit secret number and possessing an identity card, eID card or electronic residence permit. With the law reform, the smartphone along with the government AusweisApp2 has been added.