mRiik digital identity to be released in the summer, amendments needed for use
The national digital identity mobile application mRiik is currently undergoing testing and will become available to download this summer. However, it remains unclear whether it can be used in place of physical IDs.
Estonia's mRiik mobile application will make it possible to have identity documents (passport, ID-card, driver's license) in the user's phone, which could theoretically do away with the need to carry around these IDs in physical form.
But while the application will be functional out of the gate, it will initially just display the person's ID information, Greta Preast, product lead for the app at the State Information System's Authority (RIA), told ERR.
The problem is that amendments may be in order before digital versions of documents can be used in a legal capacity.
"Talks are underway with the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to discuss whether and how documents can be used as presented in the app," Preast said.
Elen Kraavik, adviser at the ministry's border guard and migration policy department, confirmed that there have been meetings and that work is being done to allow the use of digital IDs in the near future.
