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Icelandic identity card

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Icelandic identity card
Nafnskírteini
Front of the card
Back of the card
TypeIdentity card
Issued by Iceland
Registers Iceland
First issued14 April 1965 (current version)
1 December 2023 (future version)
PurposeIdentification (domestically)
Valid inThe Nordic countries
EligibilityIcelandic Citizens
Residents domicilied for >1 year
Expiration
  • Until 1 December 2023 (Cards issued before 2013)
  • Until 1 January 2026 (Cards issued until 1 December 2023)
Cost
  • Free (First issue)
  • ISK 5,500 (reissue)

The Icelandic identity card (Icelandic: Nafnskírteini), is an identity document issued by Registers Iceland since 12 April 1965. It is one of three official identity documents issued in Iceland, along with the Icelandic passport and Icelandic driving license. It is voluntarily issued to residents aged over 14. Due to its lack of security features it cannot currently be used outside the Nordic countries or as a travel document in the EU/EEA. Identity documents are not compulsory in Iceland.[1] Separately, an electronic ID (Icelandic: Rafræn Skilríki), is also issued but has a different implementation unconnected to the regular ID card.[2]

The Icelandic identity card is uncommon in Iceland, with most people using their drivers license as ID. In 2020, 90.6% of Icelanders had a drivers license and 91% have passports.[3][4] However, 97% of Icelanders have an active electionic ID (eID).[5]

The Icelandic ID card is unlike all other identity cards in the European Economic Area (EEA), which can be used for travel within countries in EFTA and the EU/EEA. An updated design in line with EU standards is due to be introduced in December 2023 which will allow the Icelandic ID card to be used for foreign travel.[6][7]

For travel within the Nordic countries, no identity documentation is legally required for Nordic citizens due to the Nordic Passport Union, therefore the Icelandic identity card is accepted in the Nordic countries for identification.[8]

History

Earlier ID cards

Passports had been in use since the early 1900s for international travel but were uncommon.[9] In 1941, during the British occupation of Iceland of the Second World War, emergency laws were introduced allowing passports to be used domestically. From 1942 until 1945, a simple paper card 'passports', essentially acting as identity documents, were issued by Icelandic police to all residents, and were required to bear them at all times.[10] The design was different from previous passport booklets, being a simple blue printed paper card.[11] The requirement to bear them at all times was abolished after the occupation.[10]

Icelandic passport used as compulsory identification during the Second World War.

In 1947, a temporary ID cards were issued by local sheriffs in 1947 for the purpose of confirming the declared ownership and legitimate tax status of personal assets as Iceland recovered in the post-WWII period and the black market financial manipulations. These were abandoned shortly after the tax survey was complete.[10][12]

Unusually, in 1960, a bylaw was introduced on the island of Vestmannaeyjar, based on the authority of the 1941 law, whereby all children aged 12 to 18 were required to carry their passports at all times. This was presumably due to unruly children on the island.[10]

1965 identity cards

In 1951, a new agency, Registers Iceland, was created and began the Icelandic national register. In 1959 a new form of ID number was taken into use, called a 'name number' (Icelandic: Nafnnúmer).[13]

The passports in use during the Second World War were not designed for everyday use and a new identification solution needs to be found. Following the launch of the new 'name numbers', 'name cards' (Icelandic: Nafnskírteini) were created, the current form of identity cards were created in 1965.[2]

The new identity cards were not compulsory. Use of the cards was somewhat necessary for children, as they were subject to curfews until the age of 16, and must prove their age after hours.[14]

Debit and credit cards

Credit and debit cards were launched in the 1980s, and contained a picture and national identity number of the owner of the card (thereby indicating age). These were intended for a clerk to be able to verify the identity of the person paying or writing a check.[15]

Over time, bank-issued payment cards became a de facto form of identification, with most shops and domestic airlines accepting them. In conjuction with most citizens possesing driving licenses (which domestically are officially accepted everywhere), the state-issued ID cards became somewhat redundant. This is also partly due to the fact that over 90% of Icelandic citizens possess a passport or drivers license.[3]

Bank cards were notoriously easy to falsify, due to their lack of any security features, mostly by youngsters to purchase alcohol underage. Eventually in the 2010s, banks stopped printing photographs and ID numbers on payment cards.[15]

Need for a new ID card

Icelandic identiy card issued in 1966. As of 2023, the current design remains mostly unchanged.

Identity cards issued until 2023 remain unchanged from their original 1965 design, a laminated white paper card, with a personal photograph stamped by the issuing authority. They are becoming increasingly popular with issuances increasing from 649 in 2019 to 1,555 in 2020. They are important for citizens who live a car-free lifestyle and do not posess a passport, who previously relied on debit/credit cards as ID.[6]

There was a plan in 2008 was to introduce an updated ID card with a chip for digital capibility, as most other European countries have done, and would have allowed their use abroad.[16] This was never came to fruition and separate digital ID smartcards (Icelandic: Einkaskilríki) were introduced in 2008 (see below).[17]

The Icelandic ID cards are easy to falsify with the right equipment although identity fraud remains low in Iceland.[18] In the late 2010s issues began to arise from faudulent collections of pharmacy prescriptions. [19]

Around same time, the EU regulations on the design of national identity cards were updated in 2019 and the current ID cards do not fulfil security requirements.[20]

New EU-Standard ID cards

In 2022 it was announced that an updated design in line with EU standards would be introduced in 2023. A new law was passed in June 2023 and the new ID cards are due to be introduced in December 2023.[6]

The new credit card-sized ID cards will be made of plastic and include digital biometric features. Personal data on the card may include fingerprints and 'other biometric data', if deemed necessary at a later date. The new cards will only be issued to Icelandic citizens, and will be valid abroad as travel documentation for travel within the EU and European Economic Area. The new cards remain non-compulsory and compliment other existing forms of identification.[7]

Older design ID cards issued before 2013 will cease to be valid in December 2023, and all previous designs will cease to be valid in 2026.[7]

Issue

ID cards are issued by Registers Iceland to all Icelandic citizens over 14 years old, as well as foreign nationals who have had a legal domicile in Iceland for 1 year. The consent of custodians must be submitted for persons under the age of 18. Two printed photographs are required in the application. Applicants must turn up to the place of issue (Registers Iceland or local sheriff's office), with another physical ID (passport or driver's license). If another ID cannot be produced, two witnesses, over the age of 18, who can verify the applicant’s identity must be present at the place of application with their ID.[1]

The first issue of an ID card is free of charge, however a reissue costs 5,500 ISK. The ID cards do not have an expiry date, however it is required to update the photo when needed. With the introduction of the new ID card design, all ID cards issued before 2013 will expire in December 2023 and all previous designs will expire in January 2026.[1]

Electronic identification

Icelandic eID card. The EMV chip is on the other side.

In Iceland electronic IDs (Icelandic: Rafræn skilríki) are extensively used by the public and private sector today and were first introduced in 2008. The most widely used version today is on a mobile phone - with the authentication key held on a SIM card. In Iceland 97% of the eligible population (13 years or older) has an active eID, including 75% of over 75s. Icelandic eID holders used their eID more than 20 times a month in 2021.[21]

There is also a physical digital ID card (Icelandic: Einkaskilríki), that can be used in lieu of a mobile phone. The smartcards are valid for 1 year and do not contain a photo, and are thereby only usable electronically. The physical eID cards are not widely used, with most using the mobile phone implementation. eIDs are equally as valid as other physical IDs but are only for identification online/electronically, they are not used in person.[21]

During enrollment, users create a PIN. Each time they need to identify, verify or sign something online, a prompt via flash SMS is initiated and the PIN code is validated. Today this system is used by all banks, e-government services (island.is portal), healthcare, eductation, document signing and over 300 private companies using for customer page logins (linked to the Icelandic ID no.). Since the only thing to remember is one's PIN code and their phone, it is very prevalent, and works as a sort of single-sign-on service. They are administered by Auðkenni hf., which was initally created by a consortium of banks but is now owned by the government.[22]

Initially the plan in 2008 was to introduce an updated ID card with a chip for digital capibility, as most other European countries have done.[17] This never came to fruition and separate digital ID smartcards (Icelandic: Einkaskilríki) were introduced in 2008. The digital ID cards first rolled out in late 2008 for employees of government departments, large companies and the healthcare system. Paired with a smartcard reader on the client's computer, it is capable of identifying, signing and verifying operations.[23] It was also previously possible to store one's eID on an EMV debit card. In November 2013 the SIM card implementation for mobile phones was introduced, which led to a much quicker take-up of eIDs due to its ease of use.[24] By 2014, 40% of Icelanders were using eIDs, rising to 97% in 2022.[25]

Travel document

The current Icelandic ID cards do not fulfil document security requirements (not registered in the EU travel document database PRADO) and is not certified by the Icelandic government as a travel document. Therefore the ID is not eligible for use as a travel document outside the Nordic countries. Although Icelandic IDs do contain the holder's nationality, this is not obviously indicated on the card and the explanation is only written in Icelandic. This is supplemented by the fact that Icelandic regulations dictate that Icelandic citizens must carry their passports when travelling outside the Nordic Countries.[26]

As a member of EFTA, Icelandic citizens have freedom of movement to live and work in other EFTA countries in accordance with the EFTA convention. Moreover, by virtue of Iceland's membership of the European Economic Area, Icelandic citizens also have freedom of movement to live and work across all EEA member states (including EU member states).[27]

After the introduction of new ID cards in December 2023, as an alternative to presenting a passport, Icelandic citizens will be entitled to use their ID card to exercise their right of free movement in EFTA, EEA and EU.[7] Strictly speaking, it is not necessary for an EEA or Swiss citizen to possess a valid national identity card or passport to enter the EEA and Switzerland. In theory, if an EEA or Swiss citizen can prove their nationality by any other means (e.g. by presenting an expired national identity card or passport, or a citizenship certificate), they must be permitted to enter the EEA and Switzerland. An EEA or Swiss citizen who is unable to demonstrate their nationality satisfactorily must, nonetheless, be given 'every reasonable opportunity' to obtain the necessary documents or to have them delivered within a reasonable period of time.[27]

The UK and the Crown Dependencies previously allowed EU/EEA ID cards to be used for entry, however after Brexit, only EU/EEA and Swiss citizens fulfilling specific requirements are allowed to use national identity cards, until at least 31 December 2025.[28]

For travel within the Nordic countries no identity documentation is legally required for Nordic citizens due to the Nordic Passport Union.[8]

Characteristics

Current design of Icelandic identity card, with personal data removed.

Current identity cards issued until December 2023 remain mostly unchanged from their original 1965 design. The ID card is a laminated white paper card, with a personal photograph stamped by the issuing authority. Written information is laser printed on the paper. The cards are in ID-2 size (105x74mm), slightly larger than regular plastic credit cards and do not fit in most wallets.[2]

The ID cards are only written in Icelandic. In the top left, NAFNSKÍRTEINI is written. In the top right, the last two digits of one's year of birth is printed in red ink. The reverse side contains an explanation of the contents on the card.[29]

Reverse side of card, an explanation in Icelandic of the information on the card.

Current Design Information[2]

New EU-Standard ID cards

The new credit card-sized ID cards, issued from December 2023 will be made of plastic, and include digital biometric features. Personal data on the card may include fingerprints, and 'other biometric data', if deemed necessary at a later date. The new cards will only be issued to Icelandic citizens, and will be valid abroad as travel documentation for travel within the EU and European Economic Area.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "ID card | Þjóðskrá". www.skra.is. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  2. ^ a b c d Icelandic Parliament (1965-04-21). "Law on issuance and use of identity cards, Icelandic: Lög um útgáfu og notkun nafnskírteina, 1965 nr. 25 21. apríl".
  3. ^ a b Registers Iceland (December 2022). "Fjöldi gildra vegabréfa í desember 2022".
  4. ^ "Digital driving licence only valid in Iceland | Ísland.is". island.is. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  5. ^ Auðkennisappið, rafræn skilríki - Tengjum ríkið 2022, retrieved 2023-06-15. 0:57 minute mark.
  6. ^ a b c "Ný nafnskírteini sem standast kröfur". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  7. ^ a b c d e Icelandic Parliament (2023-06-08). "Frumvarp til laga um nafnskírteini".
  8. ^ a b "Den nordiska passkontrollöverenskommelsen | Nordic cooperation". www.norden.org (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  9. ^ "Morgunblaðið - 135. tölublað (19.03.1915) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  10. ^ a b c d Icelandic Parliament. "302. Frumvarp til laga" (PDF).
  11. ^ "Sarpur.is - Vegabréf". Sarpur.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  12. ^ Jónsdóttir 1989-, Hrefna Björk (2014-05-01). Hvað varð um stríðsgróðann? Gjaldeyriskreppan og eignakönnunin 1947 (Thesis thesis) (in Icelandic).{{cite thesis}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Watson, Ian 1970- (2010). "A short history of national identification numbering in Iceland". ISSN 1670-7796. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Tíminn - 2. tölublað (04.01.1962) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  15. ^ a b Review, Iceland (2007-03-14). "Electronic identification cards to be adapted in Iceland". Iceland Review. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  16. ^ "UTBlaðið - UT blaðið (03.03.2007) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  17. ^ a b "Fá nafnskírteinin nýtt hlutverk?". Skilriki.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  18. ^ "Segir allt of auðvelt að falsa nafnskírteini - RÚV.is". RÚV. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  19. ^ "Fölsuð nafnskírteini notuð til að leysa út ávanalyf - RÚV.is". RÚV. 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  20. ^ Regulation (EU) 2019/1157 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement (Text with EEA relevance.), 2019-06-20, retrieved 2023-06-16
  21. ^ a b "Multi-country consortium debuts cross-border payments pilot for EU digital wallet". thepaypers.com. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  22. ^ "Electronic ID | Ísland.is". island.is. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  23. ^ "Ný rafræn skilríki á snjallkortum fyrir endurskoðendur og bókara tekin í notkun". Skilriki.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  24. ^ "Persónuskilríki komin í símann". Skilriki.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  25. ^ "40% hafa virkjað rafræn skilríki - RÚV.is". RÚV. 2014-11-09. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
  26. ^ "560/2009 – Reglugerð um íslensk vegabréf". island.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  27. ^ a b "Movement and residence". commission.europa.eu. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  28. ^ "Visiting the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen". GOV.UK. 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  29. ^ "File:Icelandic identity card 2023.jpg - Wikipedia". commons.wikimedia.org. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-06-16.

Category:Iceland Category:Identity documents

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