Estonia’s digital ID turns 20 this year

Text Mark Taylor
Photo Andrei Chertkov

When the Estonian digital ID card was first issued in 2002, it came on the back of nearly 5 years of policymaking and digitisation that had already seen the introduction of internet banking in 1996 and the e-Tax portal 2000. 

From day one, the digital ID card has fulfilled the same basic functionality:

• As an authentication key to log into e-services such as internet banks and the tax authority
• As a way to add a digital signature to documents
• To contain personal data (a digital version of the text on the card)
• Card management services, such as the possibility to get a new key should it be lost

However, over time a number of other features have been added. Let’s look at some of the key ones…

In 2004, upon Estonia’s ascension to the European Union, the Estonian digital ID also became a travel document that could be used within the Schengen area, as well across the European Economic Area. 

The year 2005 also marked a big year for the digital ID card as Estonia became the first country in the world to introduce online voting in elections. 

After large scale cyber-attacks in 2007, Estonia began to introduce blockchain technology into its registries to prevent future attacks. Meaning that Estonia was already using the blockchain before Bitcoin was launched. 

In 2008, e-Health was added to the expanding list of services that could be obtained using your digital ID card, making it possible to view your medical records and book appointments online. This was expanded in 2010 to include prescriptions. Meaning all you have to do is show your ID at a pharmacy, and the records of your prescriptions would be available to the pharmacist. Currently, 99% of prescriptions are handled online.

2014 marked perhaps the biggest evolution in the Estonian digital ID card with the introduction of e-Residency. Making it possible for non-Estonian citizens living outside Estonia to access the digital services offered by the digital ID. To date, more than 40,000 businesses have been created in Estonia by e-Residency holders. 

Over 4 million digital ID cards have been issued since 2002, in a variety of different designs. How many have you had?

To learn more about this and similar topics
digital ID digital ID card Estonian digital ID ID card