The long-awaited new identity cards are set to be rolled out from Wednesday, but initially only those needing an urgent renewal and those obtaining their identification document for the first time will be eligible.
The mass rollout to renew some 320,000 cards will be carried out in the near future, as the government wanted to take a gradual approach, according to Godwin Grima, head of the task force in charge of this project.
However, further delay is no longer possible as Malta would risk losing €7.7 million from the EU, which funded this project under the digital agenda initiative for the period between 2007 and 2013.
“Rather than funding the new cards, the EU is financing the accessibility of electronic services as the new ID card will give access to a host of e-government and other online services,” Dr Grima said.
New E-ID card will give access to e-government services
From a strictly security point of view, the new cards will have two digital certificates embedded on an electronic chip to guarantee its authenticity as well as the holder’s signature.
As a result, if it goes missing nobody else would be able to use it unless they get hold of the personal identification number and password, just like a debit card. Those who already have an electronic identity to access the e-government service will be using the same password. Nevertheless Dr Grima promised that the new cards will be user friendly. As a result government entities will eventually be equipped with card readers.
“This will open up new opportunities as people will be able to buy Manoel Theatre tickets, and make Visa transactions with their E-ID cards, to mention a few,” Dr Grima told The Sunday Times of Malta.
However, he laid emphasis on the fact that no confidential data such as health records and fingerprints will be stored on the card itself, but rather it would be the “key” to access confidential information.
In addition, those over 60 will no longer need to have a Kartanzjan as the E-ID card will also serve this purpose.
The soft rollout will roughly involve 1,500 persons a week ranging from new ID cards, replacements for lost ones, changes in personal details and those intending to travel using their ID card instead of passport.
Those applying for ID cards at the new office in Gattard House, Blata l-Bajda, will have to wait for four days to receive their new document due to the new security features.
Once the mass rollout starts, the replacement fee for lost ID cards is set to go up to €20 from €2.50. A new 24-hour service to report lost card is also in the pipeline. No fees will be charged for renewals and new cards.
On average, 40 ID cards are reported lost every day.
“This is a staggering figure as the number of wallets reported lost each day is far less,” he said.
The current cards were designed in 2002 and should have been replaced years ago, but for a number of reasons the decision to introduce a more modern and secure means of identification was repeatedly postponed.
As a result, their lifespan was constantly extended through a series of legal notices, the latest of which set the cut off date for the end of next year.
Dr Grima said that one of the reasons behind these postponements was the political instability which characterised the final years of the previous administration. It was felt that such a process should not be held with a general election looming.
Following the change in government, the project review board was dissolved and instead a decision was taken for a leaner task force made of five people, headed by Dr Grima.
The new cards may have a lifespan of 10 years, but the government has the prerogative to order a replacement before this time frame.