eID Cards: The Key to Modern Services

Across the globe, countries are investing in next-generation identity cards equipped with embedded chips to better serve their citizens and drive digital transformation.  

Beyond simply acting as a modern replacement for traditional identity documents, chip-enabled eID cards have the potential to revolutionise public services and become a foundation for trusted, secure digital ecosystems. 

It’s time to unlock their full value. 

A Trusted Platform for Identification, Authentication, and Signature

At the heart of every chip-enabled eID card lies a secure microcontroller capable of running advanced applets and executing cryptographic operations. This powerful combination enables three foundational services essential for digital trust: 

1: Identification – Trust Beyond Visual Checks 

While traditional ID cards rely on printed details and visual inspection, a chip-enabled eID adds multiple layers of verification: 

• Data consistency: Ensuring printed data matches electronic data on the chip
• Biometric verification: Validating fingerprints, iris, or facial data against the holder’s live biometrics
• Chip authentication: Verifying the authenticity of the card itself 

These capabilities enable a wide range of in-person use cases, from law enforcement and proof-of-age checks to hotel check-ins or access control, offering a reliable and tamper-proof means to verify identity. Thales' National Identity Card System Solutions provide a comprehensive framework for implementing such secure identification systems.  

2: Authentication – Seamless, Secure Access to Services 

An eID card becomes a secure gateway for citizens to access government platforms, healthcare services, and more. Thanks to robust authentication mechanisms built into the chip, such as PIN verification or biometric-based authentication, citizens can log into secure portals, access benefits, and submit official requests with a high level of assurance. 

By cryptographically linking the user and the card to the government’s service, it eliminates reliance on passwords and reduces the risk of identity theft or fraud in remote interactions. 

Able to connect to any Government Services portal, Thales' Digital Identity Services Platform enables governments to offer secure access to online services, incorporating strong authentication and identity federation.  

3: Digital Signature – Enabling Legally Binding Transactions 

With the integrated ability to generate digital signatures using private keys, the eID card allows citizens to electronically sign a wide range of official documents: 

• Registering a birth or marriage
• Updating personal data or bank account information
• Signing legal or financial documents
• Casting a vote in digital elections 

Each signature is backed by a cryptographic token, ensuring non-repudiation, integrity, and legal validity, a critical component in digital governance. 

Acting as the Root of Trust for Mobile ID

With the rise of mobile identities, the physical eID card still plays a central role. It serves as the root of trust that anchors secure interactions between a citizen’s mobile device and the digital world. 

Mobile apps offer convenience, but when combined with the secure credentials and cryptographic strength of an eID card, governments can offer both user-friendliness and high assurance. The card can bootstrap digital identities, activate secure elements in phones, and ensure authentication and signature operations meet strict national and international standards, such as eIDAS. 

Thales' Mobile ID solution provides a trusted digital identity for governments, bringing convenience to access to online services via mobile devices and using cards whenever Qualified Electronic Signatures (QeS) are required. 

Secure by Design – Managed for the Long Term

Security isn’t static. Chip security in national eID programs is continuously monitored by national agencies and designed to evolve over time to withstand emerging cyber threats. Features such as post-issuance updates allow citizens to: 

• Change or reset PINs
• Update biometric data
• Activate new applets or functionalities 

These updates can be carried out at government offices, via self-service kiosks, or even remotely through citizens’ mobile devices offering flexibility while preserving security. 

Thales' Document Issuance Solutions support the flexible and secure issuance and management of identity documents, accommodating updates and new applications over time.  

Real-World Impact: From Belgium to South Africa

Countries across the globe are already demonstrating how eID cards, when paired with secure chip technology and strong infrastructure, can significantly improve public service delivery and digital trust.  

• Belgium has integrated Thales' secure eID solutions into critical life events such as birth registration. The eID card is used to secure and facilitate birth registration, at hospitals or civil offices, using the parents eID. This ensures the integrity of citizen records from the very start of life, supports accurate population databases, and eliminates paperwork inconsistencies. 
• In South Africa, Thales technology underpins the country’s identity card program, with a focus on biometric verification at the point of delivery. Before an eID card is delivered to a citizen, a live fingerprint scan is matched against the fingerprint stored in the document and the central biometric database (ABIS) to ensure that the card is delivered only to the rightful holder. This helps eliminate impersonation and strengthens trust in the issuance process - an essential step in a country where identity fraud poses significant challenges 

These use cases highlight how eID cards, when properly leveraged, can streamline workflows, reduce fraud, and boost citizen confidence in digital services. 

eID as the Cornerstone of a Holistic Digital Identity Strategy

The chip-enabled eID card is far more than a modernised identity document. It’s a foundation for national digital trust, enabling secure and seamless interactions across physical and digital domains. When used to its full potential, the eID card becomes a holistic identity solution, encompassing in-person verification, secure online authentication, and legally binding digital signatures. 

It’s interoperable across platforms, adaptable over time, and anchored in state-level cybersecurity assurance. From onboarding citizens to transforming service delivery, it has the power to accelerate digital transformation, reinforce trust in public institutions, and improve the citizen experience. 

Governments and technology partners have a unique opportunity to leverage eID cards as more than a compliance tool or basic ID. They are the cornerstone of a secure, future-ready digital ecosystem, but only when paired with the right infrastructure, standards, and citizen-centric services. 

At Thales, we help public and private sector stakeholders turn this vision into reality with secure chip technology, cryptographic infrastructure, post-issuance support, and seamless integration across digital and mobile channels.