Germany is lagging behind when it comes to digitization.
But a change in the identity card should now simplify administrative procedures or even make them superfluous.
Berlin – In many countries, the majority of administrative procedures can already be completed online.
Estonia is regarded as Europe's digital pacesetter. Citizens have been able to cast their votes online in parliamentary elections since 2005.
Germany still has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to digitization.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) presented a new draft law to modernize the passport and ID system on Wednesday (March 29).
Identity card: These changes are coming to consumers
With the new law, the government wants to reduce administrative procedures in Germany to a minimum in the future.
Re-registering after a move should also be easier, as well as establishing your identity – for example by security authorities such as the police.
Communication
between the authorities is to
be improved: in the event of a move, the new authority can access the ID card data without any delay.
Security authorities should be able to access the photo at any time.
Citizens
no longer have to pick up passports, identity cards and eID cards they have applied for at the Citizens’ Registration Office
, but have them sent to them by post.
This saves you going to the authorities.
The
minimum age for using the online ID card will be lowered from 16 to 13 years
.
In addition, from January 1, 2024, the child passport, which was previously only valid for one year, will no longer be valid.
Parents should then only be able to apply for a normal electronic passport for their children.
In future, applicants will receive
an electronic residence permit
in the document system under international law and can thus also use the online ID function.
Identity card changes: when the new law could come into force
On Wednesday (March 29, 2023), the Federal Cabinet gave the green light to Federal Interior Minister Faeser's draft law to modernize the passport and ID system.
However, before the law can come into force, it must be approved by the Bundesrat.
This is not expected until autumn 2023 at the earliest.
"We want a digital state that is consistently thought of from the perspective of the citizen," explained Faeser.
“In concrete terms, this means: faster, digital processes.
This is how we make life easier for the citizens,” said the Minister of the Interior.
The passport system is just one step on the way to a digitized Germany.
The digitization of administration is another piece of the puzzle.
There is already a draft law for this, but it does not set a deadline for implementation.
Criticism comes from the coalition partners Greens and FDP.
But there are also small advances in terms of digitization: by the end of 2021, an estimated 51.2 million identity cards in Germany were online.
According to information from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, this function was used on average for at least around 5.32 million processes in 2022.
In view of the approximately 84 million inhabitants in Germany, the use can certainly still be expanded.
The digital ID is a prerequisite for simplified administrative procedures, such as digital car registration or the online application for citizen's income.
