Amendments to the Identity Card Act and by-laws adopted to implement the European Regulation on strengthening the security of identity cards of EU citizens and residence permits issued to EU citizens and their family members exercising the right to free movement will enter into force today, reports 24sata.
In addition to the already existing electronic data carrier (chip), a contactless electronic data carrier will be installed in the new biometric identity cards, on which the face display of the cardholder’s identity and two fingerprints (biometrics) will be stored.
Given the new functionalities and enhanced security elements of the new biometric identity cards, their price in the regular procedure would be 100 kuna, and for those over 70 years of age if they do not contain certificates, 70 kuna.
For an expedited issuance process, the price does not change.
What do citizens get with the latest generation of the new biometric identity cards?
It becomes a biometric document, has the status of a travel document in the EU, and is equivalent to a passport.
”This means for citizens a simpler and faster passage of border controls when traveling to EU countries, or unhindered passage through the door for electronic control of passengers and travel documents at airports”, explained two days ago, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic.
There is also the unification of health and identity cards, and citizens will no longer have to have a health card. The ID number of the insured person (MBO) will be printed on the new biometric identity cards, and also stored on the electronic data carrier.
For this reason, the IT services of the Ministry of the Interior and the Croatian Health Insurance Fund have connected their IT systems and, using web services, enabled the withdrawal of MBOs from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund’s databases.
The age limit for issuing identity cards issued without a validity period (ie under the new Act with a validity period of 40 years) has been changed from 65 to 70 years of age, and citizens in that age group can still obtain an identity card with certificates as and without them.
The ID card will also be able to be used on mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, and not just on computers, using a card reader, as before, and the software solution for mobile devices will be free.
”After citizens activate their ID cards and download the free application, they will be able to easily log in to the e-Citizens system and use e-services with the highest level of security, as well as valid electronic signatures (digital signatures) via mobile phones or tablets”, the Minister explained.
In order to make it easier for citizens and encourage them to use digital services in the 11 most frequent locations in police administrations, e-kiosks have been provided for activating ID cards, and the equipment of all other Police Directorates with e-kiosks will continue to issue a larger number of ID cards.
By activating the ID card at the e-kiosk, citizens will no longer have the need to buy a reader, which has so far been an additional cost for them (approximately 50 kuna), he said.
Citizens who currently have valid ID cards are not obliged to submit a request for the creation of a 2nd generation e-ID card, and their existing ones are valid until the deadline that is printed.
For more on lifestyle, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
