Eesti app can now be used for police identity checks
Starting June 1, residents in Estonia can verify their identity to police officers using the Eesti app instead of physical documents to streamline identification during traffic checks.
The Information System Authority (RIA) and the Ministry of the Interior's IT and Development Center (SMIT) developed the solution, allowing patrol officers to use the identity verification function within the e-police application on their work phones and tablets. This enables drivers to present digital document data from their smartphone instead of a physical ID card or driver's license.
Identity verification occurs most frequently during daily traffic supervision. Police officers can now instantly query the traffic register via the e-police application using a QR code displayed in the state app, replacing the manual data entry required for physical cards.
According to Kristjan Toom, service owner of patrol work at the Police and Border Guard Board, the solution serves as an additional tool for law enforcement.
Where identification previously relied only on a person's stated name or personal identification code when a document was missing, the necessary data can now be obtained by scanning a QR code, Toom explained. He added that the verification happens in real time, and the police officer only sees the information required to establish identity.
Kai Kallas, head of the personal state department at RIA, welcomed the expanding use of the application functions in public services.
The decision to implement this capability is a good example of how digital solutions make administrative processes simpler and more convenient for people, Kallas noted. The Eesti app provides an additional secure way to present personal data and helps officials check necessary information quickly.
The application does not display a visual copy of the document itself or create a new document type. Instead, it securely presents data from an existing, valid ID card or passport via the national mobile application. The digital option cannot be used for identity verification everywhere — for example, physical documents remain mandatory when applying for a new document or crossing borders.
The mobile application developed by RIA aggregates various state digital services, allowing users to conveniently and securely view their identity document details. To date, nearly 270,000 users have downloaded the application.
--
Editor: Johanna Alvin, Argo Ideon
