As the UK gears up to make digital ID mandatory for all UK citizens, across the globe similar schemes already exist.
Sir Keir Starmer announced last week that all UK citizens are to have mandatory ID to prove their right to live and work in the country, which will be kept in a ‘wallet’ similar to that of Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
The prime minister argued ID cards will ensure the UK’s “borders are more secure”, but the plan drew criticism from Labour’s political opponents, including the Conservatives, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats.
While the success of the scheme remains to be seen, the government has said it is going to use the best aspects of digital IDs already being used in a handful of countries including Estonia, Denmark and India in its design.
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Click, zoom and scroll on the map below to see all the countries that already use digital ID, or are planning to implement similar technology:
In the European Union, physical ID cards have existed for decades.
In fact, in all bar two of the EU’s 27 member states, physical ID cards, in a standard, machine-readable EU format introduced in 2021, are used both as identity documents in citizens’ home countries, and for travel within the passport-free Schengen zone.
The two exceptions are Denmark, which uses the digital identity and authentication app, MitID, and Ireland, which issues passport cards.
Read more:
What is a digital ID card?
The pros and cons of digital IDs
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Digital ID cards for everyone?
However, by the end of 2026, the EU is hoping to roll out the Digital Identity (eID) Wallet, which it says is Europe’s answer to the challenges of identification.
The wallet will enable citizens of all EU member states to access online and offline public and private services, store and share digital documents, and create binding signatures.
Large-scale pilot projects are currently testing how the EU Digital Identity Wallets will function in a wide range of situations, before it is launched across the EU.
Over 350 companies and public authorities across 26 member states as well as Norway, Iceland and Ukraine are participating.
In France, the France Identite app allows citizens to combine their identity card, driving licence and vehicle registration document in a single application.
