Estonian identity card
| Estonian identity card | |
|---|---|
Front of new Estonian identity card | |
| Type | Mandatory identity document |
| Issued by | Estonia |
| First issued | 28 January 2002 (23 years ago) |
| Purpose | Identification, travel |
| Valid in | European Union United Kingdom (EU Settlement Scheme) Rest of Europe (except Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine) Georgia Montserrat (max. 14 days) Overseas France Tunisia (organized tours) |
| Eligibility | Estonian citizenship or EEA/Switzerland if residing |
| Expiration | 5 years |
The Estonian identity card (Estonian: ID-kaart) is a mandatory identity document for citizens of Estonia. In addition to regular identification of a person, an ID-card can also be used for establishing one's identity in electronic environment and for giving one's digital signature. Within Europe (except Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and United Kingdom) as well as French overseas territories, Georgia and Tunisia (on organized tours only) the Estonian ID-card can be used by the citizens of Estonia as a travel document.
The mandatory identity document of a citizen of the European Union is also an identity card, also known as an ID card. The Estonian ID-card can be used to cross the Estonian border, however Estonian authorities cannot guarantee that other EU member states will accept the card as a travel document.
With the Estonian ID-card the citizen will receive a personal @eesti.ee e-mail address, which is used by the state to send important information. In order to use the @eesti.ee e-mail address, the citizen has to forward it to his or her personal e-mail address, using the State Portal eesti.ee.
The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) on 25 September 2018 introduced the newest version of Estonia's ID-card, featuring additional security elements and a contactless interface. The new cards also utilizes Estonia's own font and elements of its brand. One new detail is the inclusion of a QR code, which makes it easier to check the validity of the ID-card. The new design also features a color photo of its bearer, which doubles as a security element and is made up of lines; looking at the card at an angle, another photo appears. The new chip has a higher capacity, allowing the addition of new applications to it.