Slovenia to roll out biometric identity cards in March

Ljubljana – An agreement on the production of Slovenia’s new biometric identity cards was signed on Monday. The new ID cards will cost 29 euro and contain multiple identity markers and security features. It is expected that Slovenia will start issuing them in March next year.

The agreement on the production of Slovenia’s new biometric ID cards was signed by Roman Žnidarič, the director of the company Cetis that will produce the cards, by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik.

The new type of ID card will include multiple security features, including biometric images of two fingerprints for all persons aged 12 and over, a photo of the holder, a QR code and additional elements for modern e-commerce.

It will also be possible to link the new ID card to a person’s health insurance card. In a press statement on Monday, Hojs said that the new biometric ID cards were intended to provide greater security while simplifying identification.

He also said that the higher number of security features would also increase the cost of issuing an identity card by around 10 euros, to an estimated cost of EUR 29.

Kitnik stressed that the signing of the contract was a major step forward towards digitalisation and modern administrative services that are safe and secure.

He explained that the use of the new ID cards will be possible with contact or contactless smart card readers, as well as with a dedicated mobile app.

The issuing of the new biometric ID cards was supposed to start in January 2022, but was postponed until March due to the world-wide delays in electronic chip production and delivery

Hojs explained that the government will most probably present the amendments to the act on identity cards on Thursday, thus also setting the expected dates for the start of production and issuing of the new ID cards.

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